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The Associated Press if reporting violent strikes on the French Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe have prompted thousands of tourists to cancel their trips to the islands. According to the report, tourists are not only canceling this week but also for all the months of February, March and April. However, Martinique’s annual Carnival will still take place as scheduled, despite the chaos, announced Serge Letchimy, mayor of Fort de France.
In fact, the Martinique Promotion Bureau reported late Tuesday afternoon that key segments of the island’s tourism infrastructure continue to operate normally despite an the strike. We first reported on the ongoing story earlier in the week when Air France announced it was taking measures for all passengers flying to Martinique and Guadeloupe, which is also in the midst of labor strikes.
According to a release by the Martinique Promotion Bureau, Martinique’s Aimé Césaire International Airport is open and operating normally; all hotels and resorts in Martinique are open and accommodating guests; all beaches in Martinique are open and remain accessible; car rental companies in Martinique are open and providing fuel to customers; roughly 50 percent of Martinique’s gas stations are open; banks across Martinique are closed, but ATM machines are functioning normally and all emergency services (police, fire rescue, ambulance) in Martinique are operating normally. The strike, according to our source, started in Guadeloupe a little more than a month ago but has spread to Martinique as recently as 12 days ago. We’ll keep you updated with any further developments.