St. Maarten Tourism Bureau Director May-Ling Chun (left) and Minister of TEATT, Grisha Heyliger-Marten (right) unveil the “Salt and Soul” Magazine cover, as Editor-in-Chief Luis Hurtault (far left) looks on. (Robert Luckock photo)
PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten Tourism Bureau (STB) launched its inaugural edition of “Salt & Soul” magazine at a gathering in their main office on Front Street on Friday evening.
Joining the tourism bureau staff for the celebration was Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten, magazine publisher Emile Culcier, invited guests and sponsors.
In her congratulatory remarks, Heyliger-Marten described the magazine as more than just a publication, “but as a mirror to who we are as a people and destination.”
“The title 'Salt' could not be more specific because St. Maarten has always been shaped by salt, the sea, trade, history, culture and resilience," she said. “St. Maarten is not just visited, it is felt. What sets us apart is what keeps people coming back: the stories, the flavours, the music, the warmth of our people. Today’s traveller is not looking just for sun and sand, but true meaning, authenticity and connection.”
She added: “I firmly believe our future lies in telling our own stories. A platform like “Salt & Soul” is doing just that. It elevates local narratives, supports businesses, and positions St. Maarten not only as a destination, but as a brand with depth and pride. Thank you to the whole Salt & Soul team, creatives and contributors, for creating something that represents us.”
Tourism Bureau Director May-Ling Chun said from the beginning she would only do a magazine if she could have a complete say in how it is done, in other words it must focus on history, heritage and culture.
“That is the direction we started with. It's finally an opportunity now that we can have a magazine come out every year with different stories, stories about people. This is the first, but every year it will get better and better. This is a magazine we want the community to cherish but also the visitors.”
Also speaking was former Minister of Culture, Clara Reyes, who made a guest appearance.
Marketing Officer Luis Hurtault was part of the team behind the magazine and was widely praised for his role in its creation and design, and is the Editor-in-Chief.
“I stand here with immense pride and gratitude. The journey started in March 2025, the vision was simple, yet profound,” he said. “It was to create a magazine that would showcase St. Maarten to be more than a destination. We wanted to build a resource, a cultural archive, a creative platform that celebrates our heritage. Ten months later here we are. Sometimes the vision felt too big but what carried us through was belief in the mission.”
The first print run is 2,500 copies and it is available to read online. The free magazine will be distributed at Port St. Maarten, Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA), and in school libraries. The 125-page magazine is divided into three chapters, the history of St. Maarten, St. Maarten people and culture, and lifestyle. The chapters are colour-coded for ease of finding the desired chapter. The second edition will come out in January 2027.
The evening was complemented by steel pan music, a rendition of the national anthem by Benjamin Bell, and students from the Charlotte Brookson Academy of Performing Arts who sang a song.
Emcee for the evening was STB’s Marketing & Product Development Assistant, Claudia Arrindell.
