Business
Philipsburg shops may open on St. Maarten Day, Christmas and New Year's Day
Shops in Philipsburg will be allowed to open from 6 AM to 6:30 PM on November 11, December 25 and January 1 under a TEATT exemption, The Daily Herald reported.
By SXM Daily ยท
Reported 21 October 2026
Shops in Philipsburg will be allowed to open from 6:00 AM to 6:30 PM on St. Maarten Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day under an exemption from the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication (TEATT), The Daily Herald reported, citing a ministry notice.
The dates
The exemption will apply on November 11, 2026, December 25, 2026 and January 1, 2027, because of the number of cruise ships scheduled to call on those days. It covers shops in the Philipsburg area only. Businesses that open must comply with all labour regulations, the ministry said.
Already allowed to open
Under the National Ordinance on Shop Closure, places of business must normally close on public holidays. Some may already open, including pharmacies (for medicine and medical products), bars and restaurants, hotels and guesthouses, stores in hotels and at the airport and harbour, funeral parlours, gas stations, and bakeries.
Sources
- The Daily Herald: https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/shops-in-town-can-open-st-maarten-day-christmas-and-new-year-s-day