{"id":60022,"date":"2024-07-16T01:48:52","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T00:48:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/?p=60022"},"modified":"2024-07-16T15:42:44","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T14:42:44","slug":"fort-de-france-le-cri-dalarme-dune-hoteliere-sur-le-tourisme-en-centre-ville","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/fort-de-france-le-cri-dalarme-dune-hoteliere-sur-le-tourisme-en-centre-ville\/","title":{"rendered":"Fort-de-France: A Hotel Owner Sounds the Alarm About Downtown Tourism\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this poignant op-ed, Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique Dispagne,<\/span> The manager of the Patio Foyalais in Fort-de-France raises crucial questions about the future of tourism in the \u00abcapital city.\u00bb Following a recent fire that disrupted hotel operations, Ms. Dispagne offers an unflinching assessment of the challenges facing tourism professionals in Fort-de-France. From safety concerns to infrastructure issues and a lack of entertainment options, she highlights the many obstacles hindering the city\u2019s tourism development. While outlining these difficulties, the author proposes solutions and calls on local authorities to take concerted action to revitalize the city center and support tourism stakeholders.<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n

Is it still possible to engage in tourism in downtown Fort-de-France?<\/span> <\/strong><\/h2>\n

My WhatsApp is vibrating. He\u2019s right. This is important news for two reasons: the state of downtown businesses and the success of tourism in Foyal.<\/p>\n

\u00abA fire broke out overnight in the heart of downtown Fort-de-France\"<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The fire broke out overnight (July 14\u201315) in a vacant storefront. Guests at the Imp\u00e9ratrice Hotel were evacuated.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

A fire broke out last night on Antoine Siger Street in Fort-de-France around 2:40 a.m. According to our sources, it appears to have been a motorcycle fire that spread to a building at number 10, a vacant storefront (\u2026) Firefighters who responded had to prevent the fire from spreading, particularly toward the H\u00f4tel l\u2019Imp\u00e9ratrice on Rue de la Libert\u00e9.\u00bb<\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

My immediate thought is: the hoteliers handled it\u2014just as we innkeepers and shop owners so often do.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve dealt with problems that aren\u2019t our responsibility, and we\u2019ve dealt with the problems specific to our geographic location: Fort-de-France, and especially its city center.<\/p>\n

I myself manage a vacation rental in Fort-de-France, at 19 Rue Ach\u00e9en (formerly Rue Gallieni): Le Patio Foyalais. How much longer will we, as tourism providers, have to deal with problems that aren\u2019t our responsibility and that fall under the jurisdiction of our city?<\/p>\n

Why does a tourist choose to visit Downtown? It\u2019s a valid question, especially since many Martinicans avoid going there. Based on my seven years of experience, I think I can offer some possible answers to this question. I even strive to provide a sustainable and constructive solution for every obstacle.<\/p>\n

Tourists come to Downtown to be halfway between southern and northern Martinique,<\/strong> not to mention its Center.<\/p>\n

For example, if a tourist stays for two weeks, they can take advantage of the ferry service to explore our beaches during the first week. They might rent a car to travel to the north during the second week.<\/p>\n

These ferry services go on strike very frequently. These are not sporadic strikes, but long and seemingly endless ones\u2014strikes that cannot be ignored by citizens and\/or tourism professionals.<\/p>\n

Our tourist, who had imagined the City Center as HIS main route to Les Trois-Ilets or Anses d\u2019Arlet by sea\u2026 had completely misjudged the situation. Too bad for us, who were counting on this major thoroughfare for Foyal tourism\u2014and now our tourist is holding it against us. We, the tourism hosts.<\/p>\n

The solution exists\u2014or rather, it\u2019s easy to implement: each hotel should set up alternative shuttle services with strictly scheduled departures. It\u2019s a no-brainer. Legal and regular tourist taxis.<\/p>\n

The shuttles would pick up guests from hotels in Foyal in the morning and drop them off in the late afternoon. On both the outbound and return trips, there would be virtually no traffic congestion, as we would be traveling in the opposite direction of traffic.<\/p>\n

Many tourists don\u2019t want to rent cars to get to the island\u2019s beaches. Calling all innovative Martinicans: How about a round-trip to Les Salines, Tartane, or Les Trois-Ilets by minibus for my tourists? I\u2019ll sign on the dotted line right away with any entrepreneur who offers me this alternative.<\/p>\n

Tourists come to Downtown to experience a certain urban atmosphere<\/strong>, to enjoy the world and do so safely. This brings us to the issue of uncontrolled loitering, which inconveniences locals and tourists every day\u2014and which earned me this \u201ckind\u201d review on Booking: \u00abA neighborhood with a lot of homelessness\u2014we were harassed and followed.\u00bb<\/em><\/p>\n

Another customer explained this to me while cutting his stay short: \u00abI love your patio, but not your city. I'm heading to Schoelcher right now\u2014it'll be quieter and cleaner there.\u00bb<\/em><\/p>\n

Homelessness... how many complaints, feelings of insecurity, and actual dangers, disturbances, aggressive begging, and frequent insults are there?.<\/p>\n

While talking with other business owners, particularly hoteliers, one of them wondered about the long-term viability of keeping his terrace open, which overlooks downtown.<\/p>\n

The solution? It\u2019s simple and purely a matter of public health and policy: managing homelessness and mental illness, addressing drug addiction, and establishing treatment centers to care for our fellow citizens in need in the North, the South, and the Center.<\/p>\n

Homeless people come from all over Martinique and hope that by spending time in the city, they\u2019ll see more foot traffic and have better luck begging. In a well-managed society, the streets are not where they belong. We are failing our homeless people, our fellow citizens struggling with addiction: our government has abandoned them. At present, we offer them no support system worthy of their humanity. This is, without a doubt, a local responsibility shared by the three EPCIs and falling to the CTM, which must serve as the undisputed leader in this effort.<\/p>\n

Tourists come to Downtown to enjoy a wide variety of restaurants and food shops<\/strong>. For now, and to satisfy him, I\u2019m proud to be able to mention Garnier Pag\u00e8s Street. It\u2019s a start, you have to admit. But other than that? My customers complain that they can\u2019t find restaurants or much choice in downtown Fort-de-France, especially in the evening\u2014and don\u2019t even get me started on Sundays. Whose fault is that? Tourists constantly ask me about the opening of the wooden huts that are supposed to breathe new life into Fort-de-France on its Savane.<\/p>\n

Many of them complain that their dollars are not accepted in stores.<\/p>\n

Perhaps color-coded systems to make it easier for tourists to get around, so they can easily identify each street in the downtown area. When might that happen?<\/p>\n

The solution is so simple: the streetscape of Garnier Pag\u00e8s Street took shape in just a few months.<\/p>\n

Why not expand this successful concept to at least five streets\u2014the busiest and most strategic ones\u2014to add color and vibrancy to Fort-de-France?<\/p>\n

Aren't the City of Fort-de-France's community outreach teams paid to carry out these outreach activities?<\/p>\n

A call to all Foyalais community volunteers: it is by launching more initiatives like those of the shopkeepers on Rue Garnier Pag\u00e8s that we will succeed.<\/p>\n

Tourists stay at tourist accommodations to have access to water<\/strong> in their rooms and bathroom amenities. Let\u2019s talk about our recurring, unplanned outages\u2026 Almost as frequent as Christmas. Nevertheless, is it a \u201cgift\u201d to see our guests storm in furious and demand refunds for their stays because they\u2019re ALSO paying to take a shower? Don\u2019t these outages make running a business even more complicated? Isn\u2019t the necessary use of water an integral part of the production process for restaurant owners? For tourism accommodation providers who, in addition to their rooms, also offer a restaurant\u2014and let\u2019s go completely overboard: a spa\u2014aren\u2019t they, in fact, subject to regulatory health requirements? How can they manage restricted access to restrooms in dining areas during these times of water shutoffs?<\/p>\n

And I'm still wondering about our compensation as a facility open to the public (ERP).<\/p>\n

Where on earth is that so-and-so who used to lecture me on tourism quality and has now left me on my own, to be yelled at as the person responsible for ensuring the quality of my establishment?<\/p>\n

The water bills arrive a few weeks later, with no sign of a discount.<\/p>\n

At the very least, where are the words of apology and respect for the residents, citizens, lodging providers, restaurant owners, and shopkeepers\u2014words that would cost nothing more than a little humility and good manners on the part of all these officials who are so full of empty rhetoric?<\/p>\n

The solution is also simple while we wait for our elected officials to reach an effective agreement: the City should fund the installation of water tanks and substantial water reserves for all these public buildings.<\/p>\n

Sometimes I\u2019m tempted\u2014just a wave of a magic wand\u2014and I\u2019d instantly transport the Patio Foyalais to Trois-\u00celets or Le Diamant. Okay, I\u2019ll pull myself together\u2026 I tell myself every day Come on, you can do something for your city.<\/em>..<\/p>\n

Frustrated by these circumstances beyond my control\u2014beyond my sphere of influence\u2014I stare in disbelief at my comments on social media, and I mourn this i, well, like that<\/em> mandatory and located in the downtown area.<\/p>\n

Today is July 15. The fire broke out overnight (July 14\u201315) in an abandoned store. The guests at the Imp\u00e9ratrice Hotel were evacuated.<\/p>\n

I sympathize with this hotelier, who is facing an additional challenge that is completely unfamiliar to him.<\/p>\n

L'Imp\u00e9ratrice, a 3-star hotel at 15 rue de la Freedom<\/em>, in Fort-de-France.<\/p>\n

What kind of freedom? The freedom of peaceful trade? Certainly not.<\/p>\n

Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique DISPAGNE<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Manager of Patio Foyalais, who will not resign<\/p>\n

 <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dans cette tribune poignante, Fr\u00e9d\u00e9rique Dispagne, g\u00e9rante du Patio Foyalais \u00e0 Fort-de-France, soul\u00e8ve des questions cruciales sur l’avenir du tourisme dans la \u00ab\u00a0Ville Capitale\u00a0\u00bb. Suite \u00e0 un r\u00e9cent incendie ayant perturb\u00e9 l’activit\u00e9 h\u00f4teli\u00e8re, Mme Dispagne dresse un constat sans concession des d\u00e9fis auxquels font face les professionnels du tourisme \u00e0 Fort-de-France. De l’ins\u00e9curit\u00e9 aux probl\u00e8mes<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":60023,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":"","rank_math_focus_keyword":"","rank_math_title":"","rank_math_description":"","rank_math_canonical_url":"","rank_math_robots":null,"rank_math_facebook_title":"","rank_math_facebook_description":"","rank_math_twitter_title":"","rank_math_twitter_description":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-60022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-latribune"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60022","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60022"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60022\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60023"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60022"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60022"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/antilla-martinique.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60022"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}