As in many countries in the world, tourism has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic in Martinique. The sector has decided to live fully the two months of holidays and deepen the tourism recovery.
After 2 years of absence, the unmissable events of this period such as the traditional Tour des yoles rondes are back.
The organizers are mobilizing, cultural outings are multiplying and artists have already received many appointments. In the south of the island, hotels are already fully booked for the July-August period.
Bénédicte Di Geronimo, president of the Martinique Tourism Committee, explained that tourism on the island has fully recovered for a few months now. "We have feedback from our partners who clearly see an increase in their activities," she said.
A strategy has been put in place to develop tourism not only during the holidays but all year round. This involves establishing partnerships with the organizers of national nautical events. Last November, the Transat Jacques Fabre boats arrived in the bay of Fort-de-France.
Covid-19 continues to occur in the territory while the long holidays are animated with several gatherings during festivals. Indeed, 3,998 new cases of coronavirus were reported during the week of June 27 to July 3, however, the trend is downward compared to previous weeks with 8,000 cases detected per week.
The latest published incidence rate is 1,114 per 100,000 inhabitants, a figure well above the threshold that should not be exceeded. During this period of long holidays, the local authorities simply encourage the population to respect the barrier gestures, to be tested and be vaccinated.