ORANJESTAD – The situation at the St. Eustatius Tourism Office has reached a critical point, with nearly the entire staff, including the Director of Tourism, having left. Alarmingly, the office now operates with just one remaining employee.

The exact reasons behind this mass departure remain unclear, but the implications are deeply troubling for an office that oversees one of the island’s most vital economic sectors. The lack of a finalized tourism plan, coupled with a reduced budget and the absence of leadership, leaves the office in a state of disarray.

Serious concerns have also been raised about the Board of the Tourism Office. Not only have board members overstayed their maximum term, but none of them come from the tourism sector, raising questions about their competency. “They don’t know anything about tourism at all,” a source told The BES-Reporter.

Criticism has also been directed at former Commissioner of Tourism, Arlene Spanner-Smith. “Since becoming Commissioner, she’s been a completely different person compared to when she was a policy advisor. Her involvement has been significantly detrimental to the tourism plan and budget,” another source shared with The BES-Reporter.

Director’s Departure Raises Eyebrows

The sudden departure of former Director of Tourism, Charles Lindo, has only added to the turmoil. According to information obtained by The BES-Reporter, Lindo abruptly used all his vacation days and never returned to the office, eventually taking up a new position at the GvP school. Disturbingly, it appears the board was never informed of his intentions or decisions.

Unspent Funds Amid Budget Cuts

While funds from the Region Deal—amounting to $800,000—were allocated to boost the island’s tourism promotion, the reality is starkly different. The Tourism Office’s budget has been slashed to a mere $190,000 annually, a figure confirmed in a government letter dated December 29, 2023. This amount, intended to cover all staffing and office expenses, is shockingly low. For comparison, the Tourism Corporation Bonaire operates on a budget of around $2 million per year.

Silence

Adding to the concerns, the Government of St. Eustatius has remained conspicuously silent on the crisis at the Tourism Office. No statements or updates on plans, strategies, or projects have been shared with the public or the press, leaving the future of the island’s tourism sector in a state of uncertainty.

Lack of anticipation

The private sector is deeply concerned about the current situation. “This is not a new issue. Since 2021, following the COVID crisis, we have repeatedly voiced our concerns to the Government Commissioners, but it seems our feedback was not taken seriously,” says Paul Boetekees, Director of Old Gin House and co-owner of various properties on the island. “The government appears to believe this is solely the responsibility of the private sector, but it should actually be a collaborative effort between the private sector, the local government, and Dutch Ministries. I’m also disappointed in the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs—they could and should be doing much more to support economic development in St. Eustatius, including tourism.”

Hotelier Sybolt ten Hoopen shares similar sentiments as Boetekees. “I believe the government has failed to anticipate developments. Even before the opening of the Golden Rock Resort, St. Eustatius’s marketing budget should have been significantly increased. Instead of increasing it, however, the budget was cut multiple times. Charles Lindo, as the director of the Tourism Office, had certain ideas, but due to a lack of funding, he could never fully implement them.” Ten Hoopen adds that no island can double its number of hotel rooms while keeping its marketing budget unchanged; let alone reduced.

Ten Hoopen also notes that between 2008 and 2012, a vision was established to diversify the island’s economy through investment in Tourism. “But in reality, it seems Tourism is not considered important, and we’ve been regressing for a few years now. The years between 2017 and 2019 were good for Statia tourism, but recently we’ve only seen negative trend.” Then Hoopen ads that when the Sector raises concern, this is being met by a defensive attitude on the side of Local Government.

Decline

Both Boetekees and Ten Hoopen observe a decline in the sector, with fluctuating occupancy rates, and the closure of several restaurants and properties. Both say to be looking out for the vision of the recently appointed Commissioner of Tourism, Rechelline Leerdam.