That St. Maarten recorded a 16.9% increase in visitor air arrivals (see related story) with 209,876 passengers in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2024 (179,552) is in principle good news. However, the Department of Statistics warned that because of the change in methodology, direct comparisons with figures from previous years cannot be made.
To maintain some level of continuity during this transition and following the advice of Princess Juliana International Airport Operating Company PJIAE, STAT used the January to December 2024 airport arrival figures as a baseline, adjusted by deducting 10% to account for resident travellers. This is said to be consistent with historical Immigration Office data collected over the past decade.
STAT noted that PJIAE has not traditionally served as the department’s primary source for visitor arrival data, as their system provides only aggregated passenger counts and does not differentiate between residents and non-residents.
It considers the current 2024 estimate with 10% reduction accounting for residents a “reasonable benchmark for approximate comparison,” despite doubts expressed earlier by – among others – the St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA).
But whether completely accurate or not, any double-digit growth is welcome especially in this time of international upheaval, trade conflicts and socioeconomic uncertainty. Southwest Airlines recently confirming the start of daily flights from Orlando in April followed by weekend service from Baltimore indicates a continued strong North American demand for the destination, while JetBlue begins flying four times per week from Orlando this December.
Preliminary data also show that 236,391 cruise tourists came between April and June 2025, an increase of 14% compared to the 207,428 recorded during the second quarter in 2024. Here too Thursday’s maiden visit of Royal Caribbean’s newest and the world’s biggest cruise ship “Star of the Seas” boasting a capacity for 5,610 passengers (double-occupancy) with a maximum 7,600 plus 2,350 crew is a sign that Great Bay remains a popular port of call.
The vessel is powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), a global trend in the maritime industry. This again begs the question whether expressed interest to invest in such a plant with bunkering facility also able to produce cleaner energy for local use is worth seriously looking into.
After all, getting to the top is one thing, staying there quite another. As the Latin motto on St. Maarten’s flag and coat of arms says: “Semper pro grediens” (Always progressing).
