The official results of the 2024 tourist season were presented by ITSEE, in the presence of the First Vice-President of the Collectivité, Alain Richardson, in the peaceful setting of the Hommage Hôtel, on Thursday evening. Here's a look at the key figures and statistics.
"Saint-Martin has been the forgotten one in the statistics for years," commented Alain Richardson by way of introduction during last Thursday's press conference.
The Territorial Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (ITSEE) provided us with some striking, sometimes surprising, figures during this first official presentation of last season's economic impact.
Thus, the traffic at Grand Case Airport in 2024 is telling: more than 208 passengers transited through the French side last year, excluding residents. By comparison, Princess Juliana Airport had 000 passengers over the same period. The majority of tourists are American (473%), and the remainder, in descending order, come from France, Canada, and the rest of the world.
Maritime traffic surged in 2024, with a 23% increase in passengers compared to 2023. Albéric Ellis, director of the Port of Galisbay, emphasizes the "enormous need" to expand the port to meet the growing demand for stopovers from cruise lines. Saint-Martin will notably have the privilege of welcoming the sumptuous Orient Express Silenseas, the largest sailing ship in the world, born from a partnership between the Accor group and Chantiers de l'Atlantique, in November 2026. An event not to be missed.
For 2024, the occupancy rate for establishments is similar to 2023 (55% and 56%), with the peak occurring in February. Kate Richardson, responsible for the tourism economy, comments: "We are seeing a shift in demand towards more private products, such as Airbnbs or villas."
Finally, the area favored by reservations is that of Grand-Case for its particularly strong attractiveness, followed by that of Terres-Basses which brings together a large number of luxury accommodations. _L.A
https://faxinfo.fr/en/tourisme-bilan-global-de-la-saison-2024/
