1st a little history. Timeshares became popular in the 70s and 80s, not because they were a good investment but because they assured you that you could vacation at the time of year you wanted and at a resort you liked as well as the flexibility to exchange for other vacation places that you may also want to enjoy.
A good concept but just like condo fees in the US and other places, the Maintenance Fees got higher and higher and soon it became about the same cost to maintain a timeshare as a conventional rental in many resort locations.

Enter the internet. where people can sell their timeshare at discount prices to get out from under a maintenance fee commitment. In the case of SXM, most timeshares are walkaway agreements since they are Antilles based contracts but some timeshare resort managements chose to create bogus exit fees or termination charges and owners who don't take the time to review their original timeshare agreements will pay to exit.

I personally feel that now Sint Maarten/Saint Martin is at an equal situation between standard rental or timeshare rental for your vacation. Irma has had an impact but the effort to recover levels the bar to people that desire the unparalleled cuisine and the friendliness of SXM.

Been going to SXM for 30+ years. Every year (including Luis) for 30+ years. First miss was post Irma so I feel qualified to "Speak my Mind", like Queenie.