In the premises of the Tourist Office, Philippe Thevenet, head of the Association of Hoteliers of Saint-Martin (AHSM), presented to the press last Friday the results of the tourist season 2014-2015, in the presence of the president from the Jeanne Rogers-Vanterpool institution and director Kate Richardson.
For Philippe Thevenet, the results are generally satisfactory for the 2014-2015 season, but a concern remains: "A good high season is just enough to ensure a balance," he said.
Indeed, the occupancy rate in low season is still just as problematic. In 2014, "We went from 39% to 36%, it is an almost permanent decrease, a little worrying and which seems inevitable," he adds. For the first quarter of 2015, the figures are almost similar to the previous year. Alas, the month of May saw "a strong fall, which announces a difficult low season," notes Mr. Thevenet.
30Saint-Martin on the right track
Even if the island has not regained its attendance of yesteryear, "we are recovering slowly", assures Philippe Thevenet, adding that the year 2014 was "boosted by the change in the exchange rate", finally favorable for the French part. Note the stabilization of the two main markets: the United States and France. And good progress from Canada, Scandinavia and Brazil. "This shows that the product has qualities," concludes Mr. Thévenet, assuring that Saint-Martin is capable of facing competition, which promises to be formidable with the development of Cuba. _EH
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