MARIGOT–The St. Martin Tourism Office is to relocate to the centre of Marigot by October, Tourism Office President Valérie Damaseau has disclosed.
The old building on the road to Sandy Ground was badly damaged during the hurricanes of 2017, and the back of the building sank into the ground, Damaseau explained.
“The old building will not be demolished, and studies are ongoing for its repair. But for our purposes it was a political choice to move into Marigot,” she said. “It is much better for us and tourists will have easier access, in addition to having all the shops in front of them.”
The tourism office will take over the former Act 111 shop on Rue Général de Gaulle, which has a generous interior space to house offices and a boutique. Refurbishment of the premises will take a few months. The down time in the low season will also be used for staff training.
Regarding staffing of the tourism office, the 15 employees have been put on reduced working hours (activité partielle) as of April 16 until October 15 and are working in a temporary office.
“No one has been fired,” Damaseau stressed. That also goes for Tourism Office Director Kate Richardson whose contract came to an end and will not be renewed. However, Richardson will return to her previous role as Marketing and Communications Director.
The tourism office is seeking a new Director as part of a “new vision and new direction,” Damaseau added. Some 52 applications from candidates have been received. Out of a short list of five, one candidate is a strong possibility to take on the role, but she declined to reveal any name until contracts are signed.
“There will be a new Director and an Assistant Director. It’s part of a new strategy to promote the island and rebuild the economy,” she indicated. “We are following through with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) we signed with the Dutch side recently. One side of the island cannot be promoted without the other. It must be one destination alone.”
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/75921-st-martin-tourism-office-to-relocate-to-marigot-centre
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