Krystel ARBIA, chief operating officer of the Mercure hotel, believes that Saint-Martin has everything it needs to become a popular destination for holidaymakers.
"Saint-Martin has an infinite offer since the beaches are magnificent and not overcrowded, the gastronomy is unique in the Caribbean and the European-style service is very appreciated," says Ms. Arbia. She adds that "Saint Martin is not intended to do mass tourism: we prefer quality to quantity".
The high season begins in mid-January and ends at Easter. By booking in advance, "tourists can benefit from attractive prices on the destination and one should not neglect the summer period because the low season also offers advantages such as very reduced prices on air tickets and hotels" she specifies.
However, an obstacle to the development of tourism in high season remains the fact that "plane tickets are very expensive, which prevents American and European tourists, traditional customers, from coming during the winter, the period when they wish enjoy the Caribbean ”. This obviously has a “negative impact on tourism figures since these potential customers are therefore heading to the Dominican Republic or Cuba, much more affordable destinations oriented towards mass tourism”. The extension of the runway at Grand-Case airport, which would accommodate large aircraft, is, she said, a "very good idea" which could be a solution to our dependence on tourist arrivals on the Dutch side. . We recall the publication of the activity report for the year 2015 of the Tourist Office which noted 200 passengers in Grand Case against 696 in Juliana. In addition, the number of tourists who come on vacation to Saint-Martin is not constant from year to year since the local tourism market depends on foreign economic contexts beyond our control and on the commercial policies of the airlines.
Thus, given these constraints, "the Caribbean tourism market is very competitive and Saint Martin must differentiate itself from the competitors", she said, for example by "promoting nature and ecological initiatives: hoteliers must reduce their waste and become “green” to attract customers who are more and more concerned about respecting the environment ”. As such, the Mercure "planted 5 tropical flowers and plants in its garden, reduced the amount of waste produced by eliminating plastic straws, using recyclable plastic glasses, encouraging customers to reuse the sheets and towels and using plant-based office equipment. " Ms. Arbia points out that these initiatives have been well received by customers and that ecological tourism is a path to explore, although "Saint-Martin also offers a variety of festive activities compared to the adjacent islands".
Finally, Ms. Arbia welcomes the innovative initiatives that make it possible to "promote the Caribbean in North America, Europe or even Asia, where the potential is very strong", such as the SXM Festival, which is a "great opportunity since fills our hotels, restaurants and shops with young professionals with high incomes from the United States and Canada who travel around the world to attend the concerts of their favorite DJs ”. This festival, to be held in March, is an “essential event for traders on the French side” and could be one of the keys to the success of the 2019 tourist season.
"I remain very optimistic about the future of tourism in the area," concludes Ms. Arbia, because "nature has regained all its splendor, the beaches are magnificent and many restaurants are open: we must rebuild better to offer holidaymakers an unforgettable experience, since the Saint Martin experience is unique in the world ”
7,096 total views
No comments