GREAT BAY--Independent vacation rentals (IVRs) have become a dominant force in St. Maartenโs lodging market, with recent data suggesting they may now rival or even surpass traditional hotels, timeshares, and guesthouses. A new analysis conducted by the St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA), in partnership with Lighthouse, estimates that IVRs generated US $319 million in annual revenue in 2024.
The report counted more than 5,100 active short-term rental units across the island listed on Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com, compared to the roughly 3,568 hotel, timeshare, and guesthouse rooms on the Dutch side alone. Occupancy rates averaged 35% on the Dutch side and 40% on the French side, with guests paying $389 per night in Dutch St. Maarten compared to $488 on the French side. In total, IVRs hosted around 202,000 annual occupants, producing more than 156,000 room nights per month.
These findings sparked questions about the implications for the traditional hospitality sector and the broader economy. To probe deeper, ๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฆ๐ฐ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ฆโ๐ด ๐๐ณ๐ช๐ฃ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฆ posed a series of questions to the SHTA, who expanded on the data and its meaning.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐โ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐, ๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ?
SHTA said it is โrelatively confidentโ in the accuracy of Lighthouseโs numbers, citing its advantages over competitor AirDNA. Unlike AirDNA, Lighthouse includes Booking.com data but excludes hotels, focusing solely on independent units. The system relies on aggregator software that scans multiple platforms and eliminates duplicates. Even so, the true size of the market could be larger, as some property owners rent directly or through travel agencies and management companies.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐จ ๐จ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐ฒ ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ญ๐ฐ๐๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐ฐ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐?
According to SHTA, the gap between Dutch-side (35%) and French-side (40%) occupancy is not especially significant. They noted that the earlier reported difference of 25% versus 34% was incorrect.
๐๐จ ๐ฏ๐๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ง๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐๐ซ ๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ก ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐?
Not in terms of keys, SHTA clarified. Lighthouse counted 2,297 IVR keys on the Dutch side, compared to an estimated 3,568 hotel keys. However, because villas and apartments often have multiple rooms, the actual lodging capacity may rival hotels. What concerns SHTA is the uneven regulatory environment: IVRs face fewer health and safety standards than hotels, which the association warns could pose risks as well as unfair competition.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ก-๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ฎ๐ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐ก๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ?
The French side captured 63% of IVR revenue ($202 million) compared to 37% on the Dutch side ($117 million), despite hosting a similar number of occupants. SHTA attributed this to high-end areas such as the Lowlands and Orient Bay, where villa rentals dominate and nightly rates are significantly higher. With fewer hotels on the French side, luxury rentals are a larger share of the market, attracting visitors willing to spend more.
๐๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ค๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ก ๐ฌ๐ข๐๐?
SHTA pointed back to its revenue explanation, saying the discrepancy is mostly driven by pricing differences and market composition rather than a fundamental weakness. The Dutch side hosted 42% of occupants but only captured 37% of revenue, underscoring that guests there tend to book lower-priced accommodations.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ $๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ฎ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐โ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฆ ๐๐๐จ๐ง๐จ๐ฆ๐ฒ?
SHTA noted that St. Maartenโs two economies are deeply intertwined. Tourists may stay on one side but spend on both, and the appeal of the island lies in that duality. The group did not provide hotel revenue comparisons, saying government would be better positioned to track those figures.
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ก-๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ก ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ก ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ?
Yes, SHTA argued, noting that a unified strategy would ensure a level playing field and improve data reliability. With both sides relying on the same airport and infrastructure, joint monitoring is essential. โThe same counts for traffic on the roads and any other means of transport,โ the association said.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฒ?
SHTA reiterated its call for government to subscribe to Lighthouse, as other destinations have done, to ensure more reliable estimates of the IVR market. More broadly, the association urged โopen and transparent conversations based on factual data,โ stressing that credible numbers are critical for shaping tourism policy.
The SHTAโs responses confirm what the numbers already suggest: IVRs are not only reshaping St. Maartenโs lodging market, they are altering the balance of power between traditional hotels and independent operators. With revenues in the hundreds of millions and growing, short-term rentals are no longer a side story in St. Maartenโs tourism economy. They are now central to it, raising pressing questions about regulation, equity, and long-term sustainability.
โ
https://tribune-site.webflow.io//articles/shta-breaks-down-the-info-behind-vacation-rental-surge
