PHILIPSBURG--The Department of Statistics of St. Maarten recorded a significant increase in tourism, with 131,322 stay-over guests welcomed during the first quarter of 2024. This represents a notable seven per cent growth compared to the same period last year.
The North American market, comprising the United States and Canada, continues to be a cornerstone of St. Maarten's tourism, accounting for 53.2% of total stayover guests in the first quarter of 2024. The remaining visitors came from France, the Netherlands, and various other countries.
Regional trends show a mixed performance. The Caribbean region experienced an 11% increase in visitors, while Europe saw a slight decline of 1%. North America posted a robust 9% increase, translating to more than 7,000 additional visitors in the first quarter.
The cruise industry in St. Maarten also saw growth in the first quarter of 2024, with a total of 572,474 passengers recorded, up from 533,542 in the same period of 2023. This 7% increase represents an addition of 38,932 passengers.
January 2024 saw a slight decrease of 0.22% in cruise passengers, but February and March showed significant growth rates of 11.71% and 13.10% respectively.
The number of cruise calls also fluctuated. January 2024 had 87 cruise calls, a decrease of 4.40% compared to the previous year. However, February and March saw increases in cruise calls, with 74 calls in February (up 12.12%) and 81 calls in March (up 10.96%).
