We can happily report that the Caribbean is, in fact, getting greener. Whether it’s the regular debut of a new solar park, the frequent launch of a new wind farm or a renewed regional focus on sustainability.
While more work of course has to be done, one way to forward that is to celebrate those who are already working to protect and strengthen this beautiful corner of the world.
And when it comes to the Caribbean travel industry, there are so many who are now doing their part to make the region cleaner, greener, stronger, more resilient and more sustainable for their people.
Because the word green means so many things today: it means energy that is renewable, it means tourism philosophies that focus on the local and the sustainable; it means production and consumption that consider the environment; it means strategies that consider the climate; it means thinking about how what we do impacts the ecosystem and the community; and for the Caribbean, it means an ethos that remembers that the natural world of this region is one of the earth’s most treasured resources.
And that’s precisely the point of the inaugural Green Caribbean Awards, a celebration of those making a difference right now.
Green Destination of the Year: Bonaire
Lots of islands talk regularly about their plans to go fully green, or carbon neutral, or energy independent. But as you look around the region, one island is closer to those dreams than any other: the Dutch Caribbean paradise of Bonaire, where wind power alone generates almost 90 percent of the island’s peak energy needs, with a growing solar component as well. But it’s not just the energy that’s the story.
Bonaire has long been at the forefront of Caribbean conservation efforts, with perhaps the region’s most aggressively protected — and well managed — marine park – and a new push to make itself “blue” by using ocean resources for growth, wellbeing and ocean health. But we happen to think that’s pretty green, too.
Green Resort of the Year: Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort, Belize Being green is one thing. But channeling green practices into the entire guest experience is quite another. But that’s exactly what the team at the Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort in Belize have achieved. The Green Globe-certified beachfront resort has an aggressive eco-friendly program covering everything from energy-efficient lighting to green purchasing policies to sustainable construction and, most recently, eliminating the use of single-use plastics. But that’s just the beginning. Hamanasi has its own “Green Team” at the resort, encourages its guests on how they, too, can be greener, and the resort’s signature programming is all about experiencing, protecting and understanding the natural world. It’s a hotel philosophy we hope turns into a movement.
Green Boutique Hotel of the Year: Lumina Point, The Bahamas When you’re on a tiny island in the middle of The Bahamas, sustainability is existential. And if you make the journey to Stocking Island, tucked away in the heart of the brilliantly beautiful Exuma archipelago, you’ll find a boutique hotel that’s a model for sustainable hotel development. There are just 12 villas here, all with views of the Bahamian blue, powered by solar energy, where the food is locally sourced, where the entire philosophy is about reducing environmental impact. It’s a place where being green isn’t a slogan, or a gimmick — it’s essential to the experience.
Galley Bay in Antigua.
Green All-Inclusive Resort of the Year Galley Bay, Antigua While the words “all-inclusive” and green don’t typically go together, this Antigua signature has long been bucking that trend. The Green Globe-certified resort has made green and eco-friendly practices a fundament of its operation, from its own reverse osmosis water plant to resort-wide recycling to a commitment to low waste and an on-site organic garden. It’s even home to its own sea turtle sanctuary.
Green Hotelier of the Year: Eroline Lamontagne, Saint Lucia Going green is not just about the environment. It’s about people. It’s about culture. And in the travel industry, that means recognizing the role of a hotel in its community, about understanding the power of tourism to educate travelers and locals and to inspire. For years, Saint Lucia’s Eroline Lamontagne has been living that philosophy with the Fond Doux Plantation and Resort in Soufriere, a hotel totally immersed in its local environment and culture, set on a centuries-old working plantation, home to an organic spa and a fresh cacao. Lamontagne has turned this boutique hotel into a beacon for sustainable tourism in the Caribbean.
Conservation Program of the Year: Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire It’s no secret that coral reefs are threatened around the world, particularly in the Caribbean. But one group is looking not just to mitigate that trend, but reverse it. The Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire is actively working on programs to actually regrow coral reefs through restoration and planting, constantly innovating with new ways to turn the reef situation into one not just of repair but of rebirth.
Caribbean Nature Park of the Year: The Tobago Main Ridge Forest Reserve Set on nearly 10,000 acres in the northeast of Tobago, this isn’t just one of the natural wonders of the Caribbean; it’s the oldest protected rainforest in the western hemisphere. That means it’s a living example of the power of conservation and one whose continued stewardship sends a daily message to the rest of the region. It’s also one of the most remarkable places to visit in the region, a haven of biodiversity and a portal into the natural splendor of this gem of the Southern Caribbean.
Guana Island in the BVI.
Green Tourism Board of the Year: The British Virgin Islands The BVI’s response to the storms of 2017 was nothing short of extraordinary, something that was only underscored by the aggressive, innovative reaction by the destination’s tourism officials. But that was just the beginning for the BVI, whose tourism officials soon launched a program called Seeds of Love aiming to replant the trees and vegetation that were lost, and have regularly organized cleanup programs across the territory, part of an admirable focus on making its tourism industry meaningful for the entire community — in other words, making it sustainable.
Green Airport of the Year VC Bird International Airport, Antigua It’s the most state-of-the-art airport in the Caribbean right now, but Antigua’s VC Bird International Airport isn’t just beautiful. It’s green, too. Indeed, one of the largest solar projects in the Caribbean is set right at the airport, with a 3MWp plant that is part of a wider drive in Antigua and Barbuda to make the country greener and reduce its carbon footprint. Indeed, the VC Bird plant saves millions of tons of carbon each year.
The Neisson distillery in Le Carbet.
Green Rum Company of the Year: Rhum Neisson, Martinique You don’t think we’d do a slate of Caribbean awards without rum, did you? As appreciation for rum continues to grow, it’s important for the Caribbean’s most famous export to move with the times and be an example for the spirits world at large. And no rum company has been more laser focused on sustainability and green practices than the boutique rhum distillery in Martinique’s Le Carbet: Rhum Neisson. Led by intrepid CEO Gregory Vernant, Neisson now produces the world’s first certified organic rum, a rum project that is now seeing the world’s first aged organic rum, too. When you make rhum agricole, that’s no small feat — but for Vernant, it’s been a passion project – but one he sees as paramount for the future of rummaking.