The President of the La Réunion region, Huguette Bello, spoke out against the sale of a 6.8 hectare parcel of land hosting a luxury hotel to the private Mauritian group IBL, calling it an act of extreme seriousness. The Lux Saint-Gilles hotel, located on a beautiful white sand beach with views of the Hermitage lagoon, employs over 250 people and is a key part of the island’s tourism offering. The collectivity led by Bello passed a motion on September 6 denouncing the sale to an external actor as turning its back on the interests of La Réunion and France. Bello announced that legal action would be taken to prevent the sale of this strategic and iconic location to a foreign country for an estimated 28 million euros.
This is not the first time that Huguette Bello has championed Reunionese economic patriotism, having previously opposed the merger of the French airlines Air Austral and Corsair in 2022. She argues that the economic decisions being made in La Réunion are increasingly benefiting external actors, with major local companies in various sectors falling into the hands of Mauritian investors. Despite Bello’s efforts to promote local economic patriotism, some members of the business community remain cautious, fearing potential autonomous aspirations and isolation of La Réunion.
Bello’s stance on economic patriotism extends beyond the hotel sector and applies to various industries in La Réunion, including the retail, construction, and water sectors. The absorption of the local sugar group Quartier Français by the French giant Tereos and the ownership of many local brands by the Antillean group Hayot exemplify the shifting economic landscape in the region. The counselor of Bello notes that economic decisions are increasingly being made outside of La Réunion, resulting in profits leaving the island.
As Bello continues to advocate for local economic patriotism, she faces opposition from some who question her motives and fear potential negative consequences of a more closed-off approach for La Réunion. The theme of protecting local strategic interests and promoting Reunionese economic patriotism may not be universally convincing within the island’s economic circles, as concerns about potential autonomous ambitions and economic isolation linger. Despite this, Bello remains committed to defending the economic autonomy of La Réunion and preventing key assets from falling into the hands of foreign entities.
