Effects of Tourism on St. Maarten
The progress that the government have made in order promote tourism in St. Maarten has affected the development of St. Maarten. The development however good it is to the only economic mainframe known to St. Maarten, tourism, will soon be its environmental and cultural downfall. The smallest island in the world ever to have been partitioned between two different nations, St.Martin/St. Maarten has been shared by the French and the Dutch in a spirit of neighbourly cooperation and mutual friendship for almost 350 years. All the same, each side has managed to retain much of the distinctiveness of its own national culture. The French tend to emphasize comfort and elegance. The beaches are secluded, the luxury resorts provide lavish accommodations, and the restaurants offer the finest dining experiences anywhere in the Caribbean. The latest French fashions can be found in many of the shops, and the smell of fresh croissants and pastries mixes everywhere with the spicy aromas of West Indian cooking. Small cafés and charming bistros add a decidedly Gaelic and cosmopolitan flair to the place. On the whole the atmosphere remains very relaxed. On the other hand, St. Maarten with its busy cruise port and bustling commercial district has long been an active centre for trade and tourism. More developed and at the same time more informal, it is very Dutch in flavour and still has strong ties with fellow compatriots in the other Netherlands Antilles. Between the two different cultures in St. Martin and St. Maarten, vacationers will be able to find just about every kind of activity they might want for a perfect holiday in the sun. Though this island is the perfect spot for vacation for many tourists, it is also a home to many residents from sixty different countries around the world. Tourism might have given st.martin/St.maarten a global recognition and it helps bring in foreign exchange. This foreign exchange is then used by the government as finance for the development of