Belmond La Samanna in Lowlands (Robert Luckock photo)
Carimo real estate agency to close permanently
MARIGOT—The five-star Belmond La Samanna Hotel will not open for the upcoming 2020-21 season after all, following the disclosure at Friday’s Territorial Council meeting in Hotel de la Collectivité.
Although not an agenda point, Club du Tourisme de Saint-Martin President Patrice Séguin was given the floor to speak on the club’s grave concerns for the economic future of the territory with closure of St. Martin to the US market and how devastating the impact of that will be.
It was understood La Samanna will not open for the upcoming season not only because of the health crisis which is manageable from a hotel stand point but it has not received authorisation to welcome the resort’s predominantly American guests.
USA is on the COVID-19 list of risk countries, and consequently Americans are currently not allowed to enter Europe, including St. Martin. The Belmond sister property in Anguilla however opened for the season on November 1.
The Collectivité pointed out despite repeated requests to the French Ministry of Overseas Territories and the local State representation (Prééfecture) St. Martin has been refused an exemption, noting that the State “seems systematically opposed to free movement between St. Martin and Sint Maarten.”
Seguin also indicated the Secrets Hotel in Anse Marcel is “experiencing great difficulties,” before revealing that the long-standing real estate agency Carimo in Marigot is to close its doors permanently.
Both Seguin and President Daniel Gibbs regretted that no health protocol and common strategy could be achieved for the tourist season despite many meetings held between the respective health authorities in St. Martin and St. Maarten.
Gibbs also questioned the logic that permits American visitors to arrive on the Dutch side and frequent restaurants on the French side without being controlled while French-side hotels are not allowed to welcome American visitors.
“The intervention of President of the Tourism Club Patrice Seguin was agreed beforehand by President Daniel Gibbs,” the Collectivité clarified. “The aim of this message was to alert the State and the health authorities to the dire economic situation of St. Martin and the difference in treatment with other territories with regard to health restrictions.
“It was also a question of underlining the huge amount of work put in by the Collectivité, its elected representatives, hotel owners and all the socio-professionals over these last few months for our destination to be open and ready for the international market from November 1 and that our local businesses can benefit at least from the season.”
