PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The St. Maarten Hillside Plantation & Eco Resort was recently endorsed by Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunication (TEATT), the honourable Stuart Johnson, as “an innovative vehicle that lays the foundation for further diversification of St. Maarten’s tourism industry and the promotion of eco-friendliness.”
Johnson along representatives of the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau visited the Plantation and Eco Resort last week and was given a tour of the facility along with an outline of the developers’ plans. The Resort and holistic wellness facility is the brainchild of two specialists Agricultural Engineer and Aquaponics leader Joslyn Richardson and Dr Barb Tremlett, PhD, MBA< Specializing in holistic wellness, metaphysical and energy psychology.
The two specialists have combined agriculture, hiking and holistic wellness to create an Eco-Resort where visitors and residents can experience nature through hiking, yoga surrounded by nature, educational programs in food production, as well as you can sleep in one of the eco-lodges.
Johnson said he was very impressed with the creative talents of the creators of the Eco Resort. “Many Caribbean islands boast eco-tourism in many different forms, and it is something vacationers are asking for. What is interesting about this development is its unique way of creating something for everyone. Tourism in the Caribbean survived on the premise that our people were creative and did things that were unique and attracted visitors. This Eco-Resort concept is no different.”
While phase one of the development will focus on expanding the hiking trails in the hills and creating a juice bar that uses locally grown fruits and vegetables and a pavilion for relaxation and community events, phase two will deal more with holistic wellness through the establishment of a wellness centre.
The developers intend to build 15 eco-lodges, three one-bedroom units that can accommodate two people and twelve studios that can accommodate four people. There will be designated outdoor camping areas as well as a swimming pool created with local rock formation with waterfalls as well as a restaurant that uses plantation produce to prepare its dishes.
Johnson has hailed the project as “timely” saying that the Eco Resort through its efforts can contribute significantly to improving the health and wellness of our citizens.
