SXM EASY, the new app to (re)discover Saint-Martin

After working for sixteen years in restaurants, Maurice Bernardino, age 32, created SXM EASY. Officially launched on March 1, 2017, the mobile app can be downloaded for free from the Google Playstore and the Apple App Store. It resembles a practical guide and catalogs the island’s various establishments.

The idea came to him during a discussion with a friend about the boom in apps during a stay in France. "I saw what had already been done in Saint-Martin, and other than several out-of-date apps, there wasn’t a lot. So I typed on Google: "how to create an app," he remembers. Since then, he did it all himself using the App Builder, and states: "Since it’s not my job, each step represented a new challenge to overcome."

SXM EASY is intended not only for tourists arriving on the island but also for residents who want to discover new places and stay informed about parties. Its creator, who has lived in Saint-Martin for the past eight years, is trying to implement an events calendar in addition to cataloging the different hotels and restaurants (filtered by location to facilitate navigation), bars, night clubs and casinos, shops and supermarkets, spas, a catalog of activities and tour operators, car rentals and gas stations... You can also find a list of beaches, all accompanied by an aerial photo since Maurice Bernardino invested in a drone. All is enriched by maps and itineraries.

At the moment, these lists are not exhaustive, but the content will gradually become richer, particularly if establishments play along. The app’s creator catalogs everything for free alphabetically with minimal information (geo-location address, telephone number). It is then up to establishments to subscribe for the equivalent of around €40 per month (with annual contract) in order to expand their pages themselves. They can notably add around ten photos, two or three videos, a written presentation translated into several languages, and benefit from call and email buttons to make reservations easier, as well as links to their websites and social media pages. Unlike sites and apps like Trip Advisor, users cannot comment or rate different addresses. However, they can express themselves on the app’s presentation site.

For the moment, the initiative has been a success. After the creation and the communication phases, Maurice Bernardino will begin the marketing phase. "I set the goal for myself of reaching between 2000 and 2500 downloads by the end of the first month, and I am at slightly over 2700," he declares humbly but with satisfaction. He also says he is touched by the different messages of congratulations that he has received.