Perception is everything, some say, but that seems a bit exaggerated and certainly doesn’t always hold true. Impressions are nevertheless important, because these often set the tone and can therefore influence the mindset.
That cruise calls have dropped a bit after decades of strong growth is a reality. With bigger ships passenger numbers are down less, but according to storeowners they don’t spend like they used to.
However, merely complaining about it and blaming government or even the harbour alone doesn’t accomplish much. The same goes for constantly pushing the rather negative narrative that things are very bad.
In Friday’s newspaper Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Minister Melissa Arrindell-Doncher rejected a statement attributed to the Philipsburg Promotional Board (PPB) blaming her for the decline of business in St. Maarten’s capital. Having been in office for under a month that would obviously be ridiculous.
Although merchants seldom admit doing great, there is little reason to doubt their woes. And it’s not just cruisers, with this year’s air arrivals still only 60 per cent of pre-Hurricane Irma levels.
However, the latter should increase to 80 per cent in 2020 and the high season starts in earnest this weekend. The island’s tourism economy remains almost totally dependent on vacationers and the money they bring in.
One would hope the demonstrators on the French side also take this into consideration and try to not to make guests feel uneasy, limiting any inconvenience for them to a minimum. Keep in mind that – like it or not – they provide the livelihood for practically the entire population.
As for the shops and other vendors catering to visitors, they could try to help create the right atmosphere; for example, with appropriate music, diverse offerings and attractive displays. There are also encouraging developments in town such as the lights on Boardwalk Boulevard being operational again and this evening’s Christmas event at Walter Plantz Square.
The destination has no choice but to make the best of what traffic it gets, one way or another. That usually works best if the overriding message is generally positive and consciously upbeat.
