PHILIPSBURG:--- In light of the upcoming Soul Beach Festival scheduled in St. Maarten and the growing interest of this event within our community, MP Omar Ottley sent some critical questions to the Minister of Tourism Grisha Heyliger Marten regarding the Aruba Soul Music Fest and its implications on our tourism strategy seeing that this festival is scheduled the same time as St. Maarten’s Soul Beach Festival.
"With a significant investment and $700,000.00 and expectations tied to our cultural tourism, it is my responsibility as a member of parliament to ensure transparency and clarity. I am calling upon Minister Heyliger Marten to answer several pressing questions," stated MP Ottley.
1. Are you aware of the Aruba Soul Music Fest and its potential impact on our tourism sector?
2. Who are the promoters behind the Aruba Soul Music Fest, and what is their track record in hosting similar events?
3. Can we be 100% certain that the promoter for the Soul Beach Festival is not the same promoter for the Aruba Music Fest? Clarity on this matter is crucial.
4. Are we aware that this connection may be a reason Aruba has chosen to no longer host the Soul Beach Festival?
5. With $700,000 allocated for this initiative, how precisely do we plan to attract the audience that historically attends events in Aruba?
6. We are just two months away from the proposed beach festival, yet there has been no advertising thus far. Given Aruba's proactive marketing, what is our plan to ensure visibility and attendance for our event?
7. Does the delay in the 2025 budget affect the St. Maarten Soul Beach project, and if so, how?
8. Considering the above concerns and uncertainties, will you continue to support and invest in the Soul Beach project?
MP Ottley expressed importance of these questions to ensure that the country’s budget is utilized wisely. $700,000.00 is no small amount and if misused can be a detriment to St. Maarten's tourism industry. He urges Minister Heyliger Marten to address these matters promptly and provide the people of St. Maarten with the clarity as Aruba has started mass promotion and ticket sales whilst we have yet to see any promotion on our end.
