By I. Hansana, Jadetimes News
St. Maarten's Princess Juliana International Airport Approaches Pre Pandemic Arrival Levels
International passenger arrivals at St. Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) have surged to 93% of pre pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2024, according to recent reports from the airport’s operating company, PJIAE. This continues a trend of increased arrivals over the past two years, with 1.4 million passengers hosted in 2023, representing 99.5% of pre pandemic numbers.
Key Points
St. Maarten joins several Caribbean destinations in matching or exceeding pre pandemic tourism figures.
Overseas tourist arrivals in St. Maarten have increased by 19% over 2023, according to data from travel research firm ForwardKeys.
North Americans constitute 58% of all travelers to PJIA, underlining the region’s primary passenger source.
The extensive renovation of PJIA, delayed by the pandemic, is nearing completion and is expected to be finished by October. The upgraded facility will boast new arrivals, check in, and departure halls, promising an enhanced passenger experience.
St. Maarten’s 2024 air arrivals growth ranks it fourth in tourism expansion among Caribbean destinations, trailing behind Belize (30%), Curacao (24%), and Aruba (20%), according to ForwardKeys.
Other regions in the Caribbean, such as Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Barbados, and the Turks and Caicos Islands, have also reported double digit growth in arrivals during the first half of 2024. Overall, international arrivals in the Caribbean have surpassed 2019 levels by 13% in the first half of 2024, attributed to increased connectivity and demand from key source markets.
May Ling Chun, St. Maarten’s director of tourism, noted that the country’s improved air arrivals correlate with higher hotel and resort occupancy, welcoming over 130,000 guests in the first quarter of 2024 an increase of 7% over 2023. North American travelers remain a significant driver of this growth, accounting for 53.2% of overnight visitors.
