St. Martin to open on Nov 1, overnight stay banned until Dec

St. Martin’s Island will reopen to tourists on November 1 and remain open until February.

However, to protect the environment and preserve ecological balance, no more than 2,000 visitors will be allowed per day, and overnight stays will be banned for the first two months.

The announcement came at a press conference on Thursday (September 25), organised on the occasion of World Tourism Day.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin said a registration-based software has been developed to regulate entry, integrated with transportation systems. Tourists will be permitted to stay overnight only in January and February.

Earlier, the Ministry of Environment formed a joint committee to impose strict regulations on travel to the island, including mandatory registration. While a previous decision had suspended tourism at St. Martin’s for nine months, the new directive allows limited and controlled access.