With Your Memory, We Persevere
Remembering Robert Dubourcq, founding member, past President and Director of the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association
A ray of hope. A source of comfort. A force of passion. That was Robert Dubourcq for so many people within the hospitality industry. Dubourcq, fondly known as Bob, was the co-founder, past President and Director of the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA).
Dubourcq had a remarkable vision for St. Maarten and spent years advancing its hospitality and tourism scene. He founded the Sint Maarten Hotel Association (SHA) as a young hotelier in the 1970s and in the 1990s helped develop it into the multi-sector association it is now. He is known for always keeping his hotels full. His endeavors resulted in hotel guests returning for more; in fact, he had the highest repeat guest percentages in St. Maarten.
He was also the mind behind the association’s Dollar-A-Day program, implemented in 2000. Dollar-A-Day was started in several hotels to increase funds for training and education in the industry. Hotel guests voluntarily contributed $1 per night per occupied room. SHTA is proud of the program’s continued success, as this program was one of the many efforts made to support the hospitality industry in St. Maarten.
“Bob was THE man in the hotel industry of St. Maarten, locally and regionally. He contributed to my salesmanship development in filling rooms and, most important, I learned from him how to develop loyal repeat clients,” Keith Franca, Managing Director of the St. Maarten Development Fund, wrote in The Daily Herald. “Bob’s mannerism and gentleman-ship are additional attributes that Bob possessed that I will always remember, besides his singing and dancing abilities.”
Over the course of 40 years, Dubourcq steered the association toward professionalism and expansion. His dedication and love for the industry led him to win the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s
Hotelier of the Year Award in 2004 and the SHTA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.
But that was not all. Dubourcq was a local soul and strived to make island life better for its people. He volunteered in many ways and was recognized by Rotary as a Paul Harris Fellow for his valuable contributions. Many people in St. Maarten’s hospitality and tourism industry, as well as local residents, are aware of his contribution to the country’s advancement.
Dubourcq’s time and efforts have helped make St. Maarten one of the premier destinations of the Caribbean, and the SHTA — as well as locals — will never forget all that he achieved for their beloved island.
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