Saint-Martin reinforced its commitment to a more sustainable, responsible, and quality-driven tourism model during the Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development (STC 2026), organized by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) in Belize.

Tourism and Culture Commissioner and President of the Saint-Martin Tourism Office, Valérie Damaseau, participated in the ministerial panel “Building Caribbean Tourism in Full Color - Ministerial Perspectives and Insights,” where Caribbean leaders discussed strategies to promote more resilient and inclusive tourism development across the region.

Speaking during the conference, Damaseau explained that Saint-Martin has deliberately moved away from mass tourism in favor of a boutique tourism approach focused on sustainability and quality experiences.

“In Saint-Martin, we decided a long time ago that we are not into mass tourism. We are into a more boutique tourism model,” she said.

The commissioner highlighted that the island is prioritizing the renovation and reuse of existing tourism infrastructure instead of building new hotels on undeveloped land, aiming to reduce environmental pressure and preserve local resources.

“We are not constructing new hotels on new properties. What we are doing is finding investors to reuse existing structures and infrastructure, including water, electricity, and sewage systems, so we do not create additional pressure on the island,” Damaseau explained.

According to the tourism official, Saint-Martin currently has around 2,000 hotel rooms and plans to gradually increase capacity to approximately 3,500 rooms over the next three to five years, while maintaining strict sustainability principles.

“We do not want to reach 20,000 rooms. Setting a limit of 3,500 rooms is a responsible decision to ensure that our people can still find homes for themselves, which is currently a challenge on our territory,” she stated.

Damaseau noted that the strategy includes restoring and remodeling properties damaged by Hurricane Louis in 1995 and Hurricane Irma in 2017, rather than promoting large-scale new developments.

“The goal is to renovate and remodel existing buildings instead of constructing new ones. We want a tourism product based more on quality than quantity,” she emphasized.

She also stressed that culture and local identity remain central to Saint-Martin’s tourism strategy.

“In terms of sustainability, we are putting culture at the heart of it, so our people are at the center of our tourism product,” Damaseau concluded.

The participation of Saint-Martin at STC 2026 reflects a broader regional movement toward more balanced, resilient, and community-focused tourism models across the Caribbean.