Courtesy of: Aruba Daily
Owner of Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts Ewald Biemans is well known on this island as being an environmental preservation pioneer. His Eagle Beach property has won countless awards for green practices and is the first resort in the Americas to be certified ISO 14001- a classification that requires superior environmental management. So it was no wonder that our “green guru” was invited to share his extensive knowledge and benchmark green practices as a keynote speaker at the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s 14th annual Sustainable Tourism Conference recently held in Port of Spain at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad. The conference attracted hundreds of participants from 32 islands including international media, interested stakeholders and environmental experts and practitioners. The theme of this year’s event was “KEEPING THE RIGHT BALANCE: Enhancing Destination Sustainability through Products, Partnerships & Profitability”.
Multiple presentations, workshops and interactive events took place over the week-long conference and participants were also invited to visit and explore Trinidad and Tobago’s eco-attractions, projects, and activities.
Mr Biemans says, “Though I was delighted to be invited to speak at this important gathering, I was also eager to attend to increase my own knowledge and learn from what others are doing in this arena. Though we can be highly competitive as island destinations seeking to garner our share of the tourism product, when it comes to preserving our collective paradises, we are really all in it together as global citizens. When one does well in this field, we all benefit, including future generations.”
Mr Biemans’ presentation included information on how his resort uses reclaimed water for landscaping needs, energy efficient lighting and air conditioning, solar and wind power wherever possible, recyclable and recycled materials, limited use of plastics and many more innovative solutions to reduce the environmental footprint while still maintaining a world class visitor experience. He also pointed out that operating green does not necessarily mean sacrificing luxury. “You have to be creative.” he says, “You must find ways to increase a guest’s sense of VIP treatment while at the same time expand their consciousness about their environmental responsibility. And I have found that the more guests realize that they are contributing to the wellbeing of the planet and are welcome to get involved in community efforts, the more they enjoy their vacation. It’s win-win.”
Beyond being benchmark green, Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts also maintains an enviable 90% capacity year-round, an impressive feat for any hotel. They are also considered to be one of the most romantic spots to stay in the region, and as the island’s only adult-only boutique resort they are also in constant demand as an ideal destination wedding location and offer eco-wedding services for those who would like to tie the knot in an environmentally friendly way.
