The Caribbean is filled with Green Globe-certified hotels, properties doing their part to work toward a sustainable future.

The certification covers everything from operations to green energy to water use, with a total of 44 core criteria supported by more than 380 different compliance indicators. 

And while Green Globe has also certified golf courses, businesses, attractions and restaurants, it’s never covered an airport. 

Until now. 

The Queen Beatrix International Airport in Aruba has made history as the world’s first-ever Green Globe-certified airport.

“As a busy tourism hub, Aruba Airport has set the benchmark for the Caribbean aviation industry,” said Green Globe CEO Birte Pelayo. “Airport operations can greatly contribute to lowering emissions through on-ground innovations and supporting better flight planning. And as an essential transport infrastructure, the economic and social contributions that airports make are vital to economies underpinned by travel and tourism.”

The certification comes as the airport has made a significant push on sustainability, including pilot waste projects, reduction of energy consumption, lowering of carbon emissions and even changing its purchasing policies. 

“Aruba Airport is taking the lead, not only in the Caribbean, but globally, being the first airport to be certified under the Green Globe International Standard for Travel andTourism, the highest level of certification for operation and management of a travel and tourism business,” Pelayo said.” Aruba Airport has indelible connections to the prosperity of Aruba and its sustainable success will deliver tangible and measurable benefits for all in the community.”

The Airport also has an initiative called Wings of Hope, a workgroup focused on social community projects to help the local community in Aruba, in accordance with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals. 

“When Aruba Airport Authority set out its sustainability goals and objectives, we expected and aimed to be able to reach certain levels of certification in the two years ahead,” said Joost Meijs, CEO of Aruba Airport Authority. “We set ambitious goals and in such a short period of time, was able to become the first airport in the world to have achieved Green Globe certification, exceeding our initial expectations. This shows the enormous commitment of our staff and other partners to conduct business with respect to our environment.”