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Strikes in Martinique and Guadeloupe Cripple Area Hotels

Our brother site Jaunted has been keeping you up-to-date on the unrest in the French island paradises of Martinique and Guadeloupe, but in case you haven't kept up: essentially, protests over living costs have been plaguing the islands for weeks and have burned local businesses and tourism. In Guadeloupe, 50,000 residents have been participating in a three-week strike; in Martinique, 11,000 are on their seventh day of protests.

Because of the strikes, gas and food are running low — and hotels are hurting for supplies while guests are canceling reservations due to the political situation. According to the UK Guardian, "petrol stations and the port have been closed and barricaded, supermarkets, schools, banks and government offices have shut and the strikes have caused power cuts, limited water supplies and left the island's half-a-million residents facing food shortages." Also, several hotels on; not good) — reportedly, about 15,000 French tourists have already canceled their plans and even Club Med has shut its main hotel property.

Got any dirt on hotel closings or what the situation is like out there? Drop us a line.

Photo: [guillaumeo]