Some good news is reported in today’s paper. With the first two cruise ship visits after the catastrophic passing of Hurricane Irma already having taken place and more to follow, the return of the Disney Fantasy in January sparks renewed hope that a speedy recovery of this part of the island’s hospitality industry is possible.
After all, as Disney dropped the destination quite some time ago this can be considered an addition in extremely difficult times. Mind you, with cruise ships scheduled in port until now only 11 out of 31 days this month, the numbers will in no way even approach those of a year ago, but it is certainly a positive start.
Also welcome is the resumption of non-stop service by Air France from Paris, be it on a limited basis. After two special Christmas flights, they will be executed weekly from January 13 and then twice per week from June 14.
While this is still a far cry from the former daily connection, one should keep in mind where the destination is coming from over the past three months to judge where it is going. The reality is that as long as most major resorts remain closed and Princess Juliana International Airport SXM must operate in a makeshift fashion, any progress regarding the tourism economy will be slow to occur, in small yet significant steps.
