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The large influx of tourists recorded in Saint Barthélemy at the start of the season, particularly for Thanksgiving, was not necessarily seen as a flying start. "November was a bit unusual," notes Olivier Leroy, president of the hotel and villa association. "We all noticed that there were a lot of people on the island, but we wondered where they were." There was a slight drop in activity with no clear explanation, but this was quickly offset in the weeks that followed.
Indeed, Olivier Leroy notes that December and January "went very well for everyone." He even mentions "record attendance for many accommodation providers" and explains: "We noticed that our regular customers (repeat visitors) shifted their stays to the beginning of the year. So there was a nice wave of new customers at the end of the year, who came to celebrate." However, the hotel and villa association notes that Christmas was more of a family affair.
While the results are "very positive in terms of occupancy" for the first two "big months" of the season, insists Olivier Leroy, February is already following the same trend. "We will undoubtedly see further growth compared to previous years," explains the director of Le Christopher hotel. Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement in the quality of work between tourism professionals. This includes the association with the taxi association, with which the hotel and villa association will be meeting soon.
"Recurring problems"
Some frustrations have also been highlighted. These include "very serious problems" with certain airlines. "Flights canceled, luggage not arriving, mainly from Saint Martin," says Olivier Leroy. "These are recurring problems, but this year they have been exacerbated," he adds. And this has nothing to do with the disruption caused by the US military attack on Venezuela on January 3. "Customers who were due to leave stayed, and those who were due to arrive postponed their stay or did not come," summarizes Olivier Leroy. In short, this had no impact on tourism.
One of the priorities of the hotel and villa association in 2026 is to work with the Multiprofessional Economic Chamber (CEM) to recreate a restaurant association. "We need people to talk to in order to address the issues," says Olivier Leroy.
In addition, the association is pleased to have signed up several new members, including "small" independent establishments. "This affirms the diversity of our membership," says the president.
