Martinique national football team Martinique national football team The Martinique national football team () represents the French overseas department and region of Martinique in international football. The team is controlled by the Ligue de Football de la Martinique (), a local branch of French Football Federation (). On 7 August 2010, the national team adopted the nickname "Les Matinino", which pays tribute to the history of the island. As an overseas department of the French Republic, Martinique is not a member of FIFA and is therefore not eligible to enter the FIFA World Cup or any competition organised first-hand by the organisation. Martiniquais, being
Tourism in the Caribbean weeks or months at a time. The Caribbean islands were colonies of European countries, and early tourists went to their nation's colonies. Barbados and Jamaica were visited by the English, Curaçao by the Dutch, and Martinique by the French. American tourists traveled to The Bahamas and Cuba. In the 1920s, tourists visited the Caribbean for pleasurable, sun-bathing vacations. Sun exposure was considered healthy at that time and tans were a symbol of "spontaneity and sensuality" among the wealthy. Before World War II, more than 100,000 tourists visited the region a year. Tourism became an economically important industry as Caribbean bananas,