Letter to the Editor: By Roddy Heyliger
Dear Editor,
The unnecessary United States-Israel Iran conflict has disrupted the global state of affairs. Our direct impact at the moment is being seen with high fuel pump prices for vehicles and the increase in the fuel clause for electricity generation which directly impacts consumer households and businesses.
This has a spillover effect on goods and services on incomes which already have to endure a high cost of living and doing business on the island. While the political establishment battles with potential relief options, life goes on.
Over the horizon, there is a surge of interests in the Caribbean as travel to the Middle East continues to be disrupted by the perceive threat of war breaking out once again since there is no set ceasefire in place between the United States-Israel and Iran.
According to United Nations (UN) World Tourism Organization (WTO), the Middle East accounted for nearly 100 million international arrivals in 2025 – around seven percent of global tourism.
The WTO estimates that, depending on the disruption to travel in the Middle East, between 12 to 28 million international travelers could look for new travel destinations and the Caribbean is emerging as one of the key regions to visit in the coming months.
Search data indicate online searches for Caribbean holidays surged by 81 per cent, according to the United Kingdom platform TravelSupermarket.
There could be some indirect tourism benefits for the Caribbean and Sint Maarten if conflict in the Middle East makes travelers, cruise lines, airlines, tour operators, or investors more cautious about travel to that region. However, the benefits are not automatic, and they must be weighed against serious risks such as higher fuel prices, higher airfares, inflation, weaker consumer confidence, and possible global travel uncertainty.
When geopolitical tensions rise in the Middle East, some travelers may postpone or cancel trips to destinations perceived as closer to the conflict zone. This can create a substitution effect, where travelers look for alternative warm-weather, luxury, beach, cruise, wedding, family, and leisure destinations.
The Caribbean can benefit because it offers: Warm climate and beach tourism; Strong resort infrastructure; Cruise accessibility; English-speaking and multilingual destinations; Proximity to North America; Perception of distance from the conflict zone; Established air connections from major U.S. and European gateways.
For Sint Maarten, this could mean increased interest from travelers who may otherwise have considered destinations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Türkiye, or Red Sea cruise itineraries.
The Caribbean’s biggest advantage in a period of global instability is its proximity to North America. U.S. and Canadian travelers may prefer shorter-haul vacations rather than long-haul travel to regions perceived as uncertain.
Sint Maarten can use this moment to reinforce its brand as a safe, welcoming, accessible Caribbean destination, especially because it is a dual-nation island with strong international connectivity and a mature tourism economy.
If conflict affects cruise deployment in or near the Middle East, Red Sea, Eastern Mediterranean, or Suez-related routes, cruise companies may look to reposition ships to safer and more predictable regions. The Caribbean is one of the world’s most established cruise regions and could benefit from: Additional calls; Longer seasonal deployment; More homeporting or turnaround opportunities; Increased demand for shore excursions; Higher cruise passenger volumes; Greater port revenue.
For Sint Maarten specifically, this is important because the destination is a major cruise port. Any shift of cruise capacity from conflict-sensitive regions toward the Caribbean could strengthen port activity, taxi operations, tours, retail, restaurants, attractions, and marine services.
MSC Cruises is one cruise line that has already cancelled its Arabian Gulf winter program for MSC World Europa cruise ship redeploying it to the Caribbean for the 2026-2027 season. The ship is capable of carrying 7,000 passengers.
The Middle East conflict could create tourism opportunities for the Caribbean and Sint Maarten through travel substitution, stronger demand for safe destinations, cruise redeployment, and increased interest from high-end travelers. Sint Maarten’s strengths — air access, cruise infrastructure, beaches, shopping, dining, nightlife, and its Dutch-French island identity — make it well positioned.
However, the biggest threat is higher fuel prices, which can raise airfares, cruise costs, import costs, and reduce traveler spending. Therefore, Sint Maarten should treat this as a strategic opportunity with economic risk, not a guaranteed benefit.
Roddy Heyliger
