Friday evening’s reopening of renovated The Cliff is another sign that St. Maarten and its tourism economy continue to bounce back from the severe blow inflicted by Hurricane Irma in September 2017. Cupecoy, which has seen considerable development over the years mainly due to the presence of American University of the Caribbean (AUC), completely lost two resorts – Summit Hotel and Ocean Club.
On the other hand, Sapphire Beach Club is up and running, while some of the other visitor accommodations in the vicinity never had to close. The new tower under construction at Mullet Bay and rebuilding of the Starz Casino entertainment centre will no doubt bring even more life to the area.
Although there are reportedly ongoing issues regarding The Towers at Mullet Bay, Maho Village has already seen a full recovery with most resorts located there back to normal. Some nearby are still undergoing repairs, while Alegria remains a work in progress.
In the Simpson Bay area Royal Palm and Flamingo Resort are badly missed, but they both plan to reopen next June, which should bring the Dutch side’s room inventory close to pre-Irma levels. The only real question mark remains the hotel part of The Westin at Dawn Beach, while construction of the 450-unit Planet Hollywood to replace the smaller demolished Great Bay Beach Resort is yet to begin in earnest.
All in all, the immediate future picture regarding the island’s capacity to receive international guests looks hopeful, while increased use of Airbnb and similar services can also help pick up the slack. Air-arrivals estimated at 60 per cent of the record 2016 numbers this year are expected to go up to 80 per cent in 2020, so whatever is available in terms of adequate housing for tourists will probably be welcome especially during peak periods such as the Heineken Regatta.
