TOURISM – ECONOMY: Joint greetings from the Tourist Office and the CCISM | FAXINFO

January 27, 2026

The joint New Year’s greetings ceremony the tourist office and Interprofessional consular chamber of Saint-Martin, organized last Monday at the Grand Case Beach Club, marked the official closing of the institutional greetings seasonMore than a symbol, this joint speech illustrated the stated intention by Valérie Damaseau and Angèle Dormoy to strengthen a collective dynamic in service of the economic and tourism development of the territory.

From the outset, the president of the CCISM set the tone. “New Year’s greetings are a time for collective reflection, to look back on the path we have traveled and the one that lies ahead,” she declared, thanking Valérie Damaseau for having maintained this common formatAccording to her, ” When stakeholders move forward together, the territory moves forward. “, a conviction that guided the chamber’s actions throughout 2025.

The CCISM, enhanced local support
Angèle Dormoy spoke at length about the role of the CCISM, structured around several departments, particularly regarding support for businesses., nearly 1,700 formalities were addressed, confirming the chamber’s role as a key player in economic support. Its close ties to the local level enabled it to supporting more than 2,000 companies and project leaders. The CARE celldedicated to companies in difficulty, has seen its missions expandsupporting more than 500 people by 2025The employment and training center also played a structuring role, with a sixty sessions proposed, in particular around disability and the integration of young people.
The president also emphasized the visibility mission carried out by the CCISM, through events such as Spotlight ou E-Weekend, intended for to promote local expertise and to support entrepreneurs facing economic changes. She noted that the chamber represents “the voice of more than 10,000 businesses,” including at the national level, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a constant dialogue with the government. “When businesses move forward, the region moves forward,” she stressed.
The ceremony also allowed Angèle Dormoy to to thank symbolically several people involved daily in the economic development of the territory: Yann Le Cam, President of the Marigot Traders and Restaurateurs Association, Jeanne Rogers Vanterpool, Vice-President of the CCISM, Louis Maccow, founder of Guavaberry Traditional Dovecote Emmanuel Gimenez, cattle rancher and agricultural producer (Golden Grove Farm), the photographer Yasmino Louisy et Attorney Sandrine Jabouley-Delahaye.

A solid 2025 outlook for the Tourist Office
Valérie Damaseau, for her part, presented a particularly detailed report of figures for the Tourist Office. In 2025, the Saint-Martin destination was promoted through more than 25 participations in trade shows, more than 20 press and influencer events, and the training of more than 1,000 agents and professionalsDigital visibility has increased with over 108,000 mentions on social media, while the destination has been distinguished by several international awards, including Caribbean’s Leading Festival & Event Destination (World Travel Awards), Best Culinary Destination – Caribbean (Travvy Awards) and #3 Best Caribbean Island to Visit in 2026 (USA Today).
The attendance figures confirm this trend, with 213,925 passengers at Grand-Case airport, more than one million at Princess Juliana and 1,5 million cruise passengers. Two new air routes New routes have been opened, while several existing routes have been reinforced. “Our destination remains in demand,” stated the president, noting that promotional efforts rely on close collaboration with the business community and local residents.

Complementarity at the heart of the action
The pooling of efforts between the Tourist Office and the Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services and Trades (CCISM) was a central theme of the ceremony. The two presidents reiterated that there was no “no competition” between their structuresbut a deliberate complementarityillustrated by numerous joint actions in France and the Caribbean, of the Paris fair to inter-island missions, including events shared with Sint Maarten.

2026, a year marked by execution
With a focus on 2026, the outlook is decidedly operational. For Angèle Dormoy, this final year of her term must mark a change of tempo“We are moving from the structuring phase to the execution phase,” she explained, with a clear objective: to evolve support towards genuine economic autonomy for businessesThis ambition rests on three pillars: partnership, heritage and positioning of the territory at the regional level.
Valérie Damaseau, for her part, called for collective reflection on the evolution of tourism. In “a constantly changing world,” she believes that travelers are now looking for “the experience before the destination””Authenticity before appearance.” For 2026, she places kindness and intentionality at the heart of public action, affirming that “kindness is not a weakness”, but a deliberate strategy.
They both concluded with a common message: 2026 will be a year of challenges, but also of opportunities.Provided that cohesion, dialogue, and trust are maintained. A year in which, more than ever, action must take precedence over intentions. _Vx