Created this summer as an extension of the association of hoteliers of Saint-Martin, the Tourism Club aims to bring together all the economic actors of tourism in Saint-Martin: hoteliers, guest houses, seasonal renters, concierge and property management companies, restaurateurs, cabs, car rental companies, nautical and terrestrial tourism activities...

The objective of the association is clear: to develop the tourist product of Saint-Martin!

All the good wills are welcome to contribute their skills through thematic working groups: tourist development of the territory, promotion, training, security, cleanliness, finance/taxation, etc.

The short-term emergency is to be ready for the next tourist season, which is far from being won given the measures put in place by the state to fight against the circulation of Covid 19, and in particular the closure of borders.

Specifically, in a statement attached below, the Tourism Club, has sounded the alarm on the economic consequences of the closure of the border.

Press release of the Tourism Club of September 1, 2020

Three years after Hurricane IRMA and the important sacrifices and investments of our actors to restart life on our island, 8 months after the serious events related to the anticipated application of the PPRN and its important negative consequences both in human and economic terms, three months after the total confinement and the brutal shutdown of our society.

Four weeks after the closure of the border with St. Maarten, the number of cases between the north and south of the island is balanced because the virus circulates freely. The tourism professionals of St. Maarten wish to remind that there are no unilateral measures of health security and we encourage global and regional solidarity in the response to COVID-19.

Without a rapid return to a common sense public action not only focused on the management of health risks, regulatory and natural - in the short term - in the absence of taking into account the geographical location of the island.

Without strong actions from elected officials on both sides of the border to implement common solutions, our immediate future is the closure of ALL hotels, restaurants and other partners who live on tourism!

There is no economy without the freedom to travel, no individual freedom and social progress without the freedom to work and trade, which requires customers... Our neighbors in St. Barts have acted within the framework of a request for a waiver and we call with gravity on the state to show flexibility in the current phase of consultation with Sint Maarten and the COM and the community to take its responsibilities.

The North American airlines have started to cancel flights as of November and the territorial continuity with the mainland is non-existent in terms of volume necessary for our survival.

The decision-making authorities must integrate that each day that passes with a closed border, not only freezes any initiative of reservation and programming of the TO but make us record massive cancellations.

If it is not, NOW, announced the reopening of the French part by November 1, 2020, there will be no next season! We assure all our members, employees, partners, trainers, associates, suppliers, customers and friends who are suffering physically, psychologically, economically wherever they are of our support and energy to work together to overcome these trials.