"I don't want this to be the failure of my life": Judith Talmann clings to save the O'Pub bar-restaurant in downtown Fort-de-France that she bought in January 2020, two months before the Covid crisis.

"It's difficult, in the morning, we wonder if we will be able to get to work, if we will have something to serve our customers because the stores are empty, our suppliers find themselves stranded on the road," she explains.

In 2019, Martinique welcomed a million tourists, half as many in 2020 and plans 304,000 for this year, according to François Baltus-Languedoc, director general of the Martinique tourism committee.

"The Covid crisis plus the social crisis, our visibility is taking a hit for 2022", he assures from his office overlooking the boats of the Transat Jacques Vabre, who had chosen Martinique for the first time as the line of arrived this year.

Curfews, dams, unvaccinated population ... In November, Judith Talmann lost "only 40%" of turnover instead of the 50% of the previous month, thanks to the skippers of the famous race that left Le Havre .

A patient with Covid-19 under respiratory assistance in the intensive care unit of the Pierre Zobda-Quitman CHU, December 1, 2021 in Fort-de-France, Martinique ALAIN JOCARD AFP

"But we had anticipated an incredible event", she explains "they had announced 90,000 visitors over ten days, we had made stocks, considered special menus, events within the establishment", and the roadblocks were are installed.

- "Only crises" -

"Social movements will surely have an impact that we do not yet feel because there were already tourists on the island" before the conflict broke out, according to Celia Saintville, in charge of tourism at the Clément rum factory in The French.

This is the case of Anne, 72, and her husband, crossed on a beach in Carnet, west of Fort-de-France.

"As soon as there were problems, we experienced another confinement, we remained quiet. We did not move," she told AFP.

"But it's so beautiful here that we are not going to complain", nuances the vacationer.

On this same black sand beach, Pierre and Amélie, a 49-year-old father and 19-year-old daughter, had booked their vacations for several weeks and did not change their plans despite the conflict.

"We had a little apprehension" before coming, they assure in heart.

"We felt the conflict at petrol stations and supermarkets," explains Pierre, who was only blocked once by a roadblock forcing him to just turn around.

Célia Saintville's concern remains the "impact" of this conflict on the image of the island.

"What relay are we going to have on the national media? The metropolis is our main market," she explains.

A man sitting next to a burning barricade in Fort-de-France, November 26, 2021 LOIC VENANCE AFP

The rum factory welcomed 200,000 visitors a year before the pandemic.

They were half as much in 2021 and are expected to drop another 15% this year.

"For two days we have recorded cancellations for the second half of December, which is worrying since the season really begins before the holidays", explains Mr. Baltus-Languedoc.

"On the airlines, we have cancellation figures between 10 and 15% and for the hotel industry we are at minus 20%", according to him.

The company Air Belgium has also postponed the opening of the line to Martinique to the month of January because cruises do not resume but also because of fear of the new wave of Covid.

"One crisis is chasing another, for 20 months, we have only managed crises. It is quite heavy for professionals," explains Mr. Baltus-Languedoc.

Tourism (hotels, activities ...) represents 12% of the GDP, according to him.

"If there is the variant, it will mean that the season is completely dead. We keep our fingers crossed," worries Jean-Yves Bonnaire, president of an association of business leaders.

© 2021 AFP