~ Lowest room nights used in 10 years ~
PHILIPSBURG–St. Maarten recorded a 53% occupancy rate in June, lower than the 61% recorded for the corresponding period last year and far lower than Aruba, for example, which recorded a 73% June occupancy.
The actual total number of room nights used for the month was only 53,551, the lowest number of the past 10 years, when the year after Hurricane Irma (2018) and pandemic years 20-21 are not taken into account.
The local occupancy figures were released by the St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA), which said the occupancy percentages reflect the hotel and timeshare properties that reported their occupancy. The occupancy rates are generated on a voluntary basis by membership and, as a result, a considerable margin of error is possible.
The figures show that the total room count for the country for June 2023 was 3,368. SHTA said the total room count reflects the number of rooms available in that year.
The June 2022 figures stood at 61% occupancy when there was a 3,315 total room count and 60,665 room nights used. In June 2021, when the country was recovering from the COVID pandemic, the occupancy stood at 52% when the total room count was 3,217 with 50,185 nights used.
In June 2020, when there was widespread lockdown due to the COVID pandemic, the occupancy was 9%, with a 2,712 total room count and 7,322 nights used.
The highest June occupancy for the past 11 years was in June 2019, when a 75% occupancy was recorded when the total room count stood at 2,754 and 61,965 rooms used.
In June 2018 with a total room count of 2,141, there was a 66% occupancy and 42,392 nights used. In June 2017, the year that Hurricane Irma struck, the occupancy stood at 66% with a total room count of 3,963 and 78,467 nights used.
In June 2016 with a total room count of 3,963 the occupancy was 57% with 67,767 nights used. In June 2015, occupancy was 56% when there was a 3,963 total room count and 66,578 nights used. For June 2014, the room count remained stable at 3,963, when a 54% occupancy was recorded and 64,201 nights were used. And in June 2013, a 55% occupancy was recorded with a total room count of 3,963 and 65,390 nights used.
Source: The Daily Herald
