The visit of sailing yacht Sea Cloud to St. Eustatius may be considered an encouraging sign. It brought some 60 passengers who were given a guided tour of the historic Upper Town.
It seems “The Golden Rock’ is becoming increasingly popular among visitors interested more in heritage than bright lights and beaches, which are obviously in plentiful supply in other nearby destinations, including St. Maarten/St. Martin. Statia has great potential when it comes to this somewhat different kind of tourism.
The island’s unique ties with the United States, monuments and ruins along with the stories they tell are attractions in their own rights. The same can be said about The Quill offering a rare descent into a dormant volcano.
Saba also caters to certain types of travellers such as divers and other nature lovers, particularly hikers. Mount Scenery, as the highest spot in the Dutch kingdom with a characteristic rainforest on its summit, is a major plus in that regard.
With practically the whole region depending primarily on the hospitality industry for their livelihood, it is important to develop niche markets. The yachting sector in and around Simpson Bay Lagoon is another good example.
Although Saba and St. Eustatius are now part of the Netherlands together with Bonaire, while St. Maarten is a Dutch Caribbean country just like Aruba and Curaçao, the so-called SSS islands will always stay close neighbours and their economies remain intertwined. They also share Winair, which provides the vital flight connections between them.
The carrier is based at Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA), which is the sole hub for all air travel to Statia and Saba. It is thus very clear that specialised tourism growth there is good for “The Friendly Island” too and creates a win-win scenario.
