TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin 80% of Marigot businesses closed

Daily Herald story It seems like the French side has done nothing to try to get businesses back up and running. The article talks about creating someplace on Orient and in Marigot for cruise ship tourists to go. Sounds like that should already be in place??

Not a positive story.

I think ships will provide the blood flow and cash to get things rolling if folks can safely get to some place to enjoy the island. The Dutch side enjoys the cruise pier.

Perhaps the French side could work on getting boats to weigh anchor in Marigot and tender in. They already did but it was a novelty.

As always, if it ain’t safe not worth talking about. No reason Marigot waterfront and market can’t be made safe. Enough French side businesses to demand it. Grand case could open for lunch excursions rather than be a dinner only. At least until “normal” returns. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

Just spitballing for hope.

It's plenty safe. Not much in grand case to open anytime soon. Marigot took in their first "cruise ship" today

With regards to Grand Case, Bistro Caraibes just reopened and Tijon has also reopened. Also, yesterday Ti Spa at Hotel L'Esplanade Grand Case just re-opened. There is some positive activity there!

I actually thought that someone posted here that Bistrot was opening the 21st of this month, not open yet, but it is good to see they are opening. From pictures after the storm, it looked like the Bistrot building was largely intact, unlike many others on the street there.

The Daily Herald seems to think Marigot is from West Indies Mall, Marina Royale, and the waterfront. Howell center is 100% open. (Again, try finding a parking space at SuperU). Most of the stores in Bellvue are open. Most of the stores in Concordia are open. Most of Marigot is open (aside from the Marina Royale and waterfront). Another wrong doom and gloom story.

OK, that is a quote from the President of the Indian Merchant Association, not a percentage arrived at by the Daily Herald.

That's just bad journalism. And for the businesses that have worked so hard to reopen it's unfair to say nothing is open.

Just got back from 10 days in SXM as tourists. Not owners. Whoever wrote that article that we read directly from the Daily Herald we got at Maho Market should BE Ashamed of themselves. Ate at Talk of the town. Went to Marigot market. Had some beverages at Kalis and ate and beverages at Rancho del Sol. They have a long way to go on French side in particular, but some establishments are working so hard to get going again. Several stores open too. We are not shoppers though. Just our opinion. Please don’t write mean things back.