Gustavia. The Road to the Industrial Zone of the Town

The camera at the Saint-Jean airport shows us the traffic through the gorge leading to the west coast of the island. Just beyond the hill, the territory of the so-called Industrial Zone of Gustavia begins, also known as the Publique District. This area is the most densely populated on the whole island of Saint-Barthelemy. There are offices of many companies, most of which are connected with the tourism industry.

On the shore of the Industrial Zone, in Publique Bay, there are cargo ships berths. Saint-Barthelemy, largely due to its good geographical location, builds its economy on the tourism industry. Weaver’s hats and bags made of palm leaves, known all over the world, are produced in the Corossol district.

Due to the peculiarities of the landscape, agricultural production is poorly developed in Saint-Barthelemy, so the cargo port in the Industrial Zone is a vital object for the whole island. The official currency on the island is the Euro (€).

Despite high prices, about 70,000 tourists come here every year; they stay in luxury villas and hotels. And about 130,000 visit the island on their own boats.