Effects of Tourism on St. Maarten

The progress that the government have made in order promote tourism in St. Maarten has affected the development of St. Maarten. The development however good it is to the only economic mainframe known to St. Maarten, tourism, will soon be its environmental and cultural downfall. The smallest island in the world ever to have been partitioned between two different nations, St.Martin/St. Maarten has been shared by the French and the Dutch in a spirit of neighbourly cooperation and mutual friendship for almost 350 years. All the same, each side has managed to retain much of the distinctiveness of its own national culture. The French tend to emphasize comfort and elegance. The beaches are secluded, the luxury resorts provide lavish accommodations, and the restaurants offer the finest dining experiences anywhere in the Caribbean. The latest French fashions can be found in many of the shops, and the smell of fresh croissants and pastries mixes everywhere with the spicy aromas of West Indian cooking. Small cafÐ"©s and charming bistros add a decidedly Gaelic and cosmopolitan flair to the place. On the whole the atmosphere remains very relaxed. On the other hand, St. Maarten with its busy cruise port and bustling commercial district has long been an active centre for trade and tourism. More developed and at the same time more informal, it is very Dutch in flavour and still has strong ties with fellow compatriots in the other Netherlands Antilles. Between the two different cultures in St. Martin and St. Maarten, vacationers will be able to find just about every kind of activity they might want for a perfect holiday in the sun.

Though this island is the perfect spot for vacation for many tourists, it is also a home to many residents from sixty different countries around the world. Tourism might have given st.martin/St.maarten a global recognition and it helps bring in foreign exchange. This foreign exchange is then used by the government as finance for the development of this island and providing services to its residents.

But tourism has also changed the original calamity and beauty of this island. With many ships in ports every day, the amount of buses going around the towns from one place to another increases. As the buses increase so does the amount of air pollution increases. On the issue of pollution and destruction, during the Heineken Regatta the influx of yachts is great. Majority of these yachts dock in the lagoon for the duration of the regatta when they are not taking part in any of the races. Though it is illegal, it has been recorded that the occupants of these yachts most times throw their garbage over-board and into the water and there have been numerous occasions where there were severe oil spills by these yachts and mega yachts. This pollution is destructive to the largest, natural lagoon in the Caribbean.

The capital is the main touristic spot. The capital is divided into three main streets, backstreet, Front Street, and pondfill road. The shopping areas are Front Street and backstreet. Front Street is the main shopping areas for tourist and the business in backstreet rely on local residents.