Destination Sint Maarten has to Evolve & Adapt Responding to Changes in Tourists Consumer Sentiment
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The salt factory or FOGA as it is called was built by the Dutch engineer Slotemakers and his Italian colleague Ademante in 1852. After being in relatively continuous production from the 17th century, salt production ended in the Great Salt Pond of Philipsburg in 1949. The ruins of FOGA are located in the northernmost part of the salt pan. Both FOGA and the Northeastern section of the pond (the salt pans) were designated as National monuments in 2008. Destination Sint Maarten has to evolve and adapt and respond by promoting the national heritage of our nation by starting with FOGA.
SINT MAARTEN (COMMENTARY – By Roddy Heyliger) - Cruise tourism for 2025, according to the latest trends is a dynamic sector driven by a breath of experiences. It continues to attract passengers of all ages, with Gen-X (45- to 60-years-old) and Millenials (29- to 44-years-old) leading the way according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
Add to that, from family-friendly adventures to high-end cultural journeys, cruise lines are continuously innovating to fulfill the aspirations of global travelers.
CLIA adds that steady and responsible industry growth continues with 37.7 million cruise passengers projected in 2025 – 34.6 million took a cruise in 2024 - and consumers showing strong intent to cruise – 82% of cruisers will cruise again and 68% of international travelers are considering taking their first cruise.
Cruise tourism is an industry with more than $168 billion in global economic impact and provides 1.6 million jobs to communities.
North America remains the top source market for cruise, with a 13% increase in 2024 over 2023. In 2024, Caribbean/Bahamas/Bermuda itineraries remained the most popular, with 43% of all cruise passengers sailing to the Caribbean in 2024, followed by the Mediterranean and other European destinations.
CLIA member lines will welcome 11 new ships to the global fleet in 2025; 56 new CLIA member ocean-going ships are on order from 2025-2036, representing a $56.8 billion investment and proof of the confidence in cruising's future.
To put the industry growth in context, over 70% of cruise ships are small to mid-size – both now and through the 2030 cruise line orderbook.
Another trend that has taken off to the high seas are brand name hotel chains such as Ritz-Carlton, Orient Express and Four Seasons, providing expedition small cruise ship cruising.
For the coming summer period or what we call the low season June to September, destination Sint Maarten tentative cruise schedule has 50 ships making port calls. In October, the destination should receive 25 cruise ship port calls, an indication that the 2025-2026 is underway.
Other Caribbean cruise destinations also go through the same low season and look forward to the next high season which brings with it larger cruise ships.
Super-sized cruise ships are becoming the norm with passenger capacities between Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas with 7,600 and Norwegian Cruise Lines planned 8,300-person capacity. Crew members still need to be added and you’re talking about easily over 10,000 souls on the cruise ship. These ships have become floating cities.
A number of challenges have been identified for ports and destinations. Overcrowding: The sheer volume of passengers can lead to overcrowding at ports, onboard venues, and during shore excursions, potentially diminishing the passenger experience.
Port Congestion and Strain on Infrastructure: Larger ships strain the infrastructure of smaller ports and can cause disruptions to local economies and communities.
Caribbean ports of call are becoming more cognizant of these challenges and of the impacts and have to be innovative in resolving these challenges and upgrading their facilities and infrastructure throughout their community in order to continue to accommodate a growing industry.
By 2028, 50% of all new cruise ship capacity will have engines that can run on LNG/methanol and are able to switch to bio- or synthetic-LNG with little or no engine modifications. More than 61% of CLIA's fleet is equipped to be able to connect to onshore power, a figure set to reach 72% by 2028.
Here again, ports of call will need to consider upgrading their port facilities in order to meet the demands of a sector that is looking at sustainable energy sources and investing in propulsion technologies with conversion capabilities.
The cruise industry is continuously looking for different adventures and high-end cultural experiences. Destination Sint Maarten has to develop this area with what is left of our national heritage. The travel sector is looking for innovative travel experiences and this is something for existing business owners to pay attention to as the travel sector is constantly evolving to fulfill the interests and aspirations of travelers.
Destination Sint Maarten has to evolve and adapt to respond to changes in tourist’s consumer sentiment. The island has been catering to tourism since the 1960s, or for more than six decades, however, today, we live in a different time, the modern age of technology and artificial intelligence.
There are trends shaping the travel industry that we must be acutely aware of and be able to adapt or be left behind.
Roddy Heyliger
Images, Govenment of Sint Maarten FB Page
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