Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba, Leads as World’s First Hotel to Earn Two Perfect 100% Scores from Green Globe
Green Globe has named Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba, as the world’s first hotel to earn two perfect 100% compliance scores. The Green Globe- certified property was recertified as Platinum on November 20th, 2024. Bucuti & Tara joined Green Globe as a charter member of the world’s leading certification for sustainability in travel and tourism. Upon receiving Green Globe’s first-ever perfect score in 2016, it acclaimed Bucuti & Tara as the World’s Most Sustainable Hotel/Resort, an honor the property continues to hold with this most recent perfect score.
Green Globe CEO Birte Pelayo said, “Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort needs to be commended for its unprecedented performance with successive perfect 100% compliance scores, along with its PLATINUM status representing 20 years of certified sustainability. Over this time the resort has launched a wealth of initiatives, both local and global. Green Globe would like to highlight Bucuti’s promotion of carbon- neutral vacations, which have clearly demonstrated that a tourism business, with the enthusiastic support of its guests, can lead the way with direct action on climate challenges.
Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba, receiving their Platinum Certification from Nathaly Stanley, Senior Certification & Membership Care Manager at Green Globe Certification.
“Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort has been a forerunner in sustainable tourism in both the Caribbean and on the world stage, aligning its management with the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals, while regularly organizing beach clean-up and many other local initiatives. We recommend tourism businesses world-wide look to Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort for inspiration and instruction in tourism practices that are the future of our industry,” added CEO Pelayo.
Water Purification
Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort remains committed to a high level of environmental stewardship and continually strives for even greater sustainability goals. The resort’s proactive updates and initiatives highlight a well-rounded approach to ecological responsibility while also enhancing guest experience.
UV light filtration technology has long been in use for water purification, eliminating the need for chlorine and improving overall water quality to include the sanitation of gray water that is repurposed for irrigation. Additionally, the 2024 installation of two 13,000-gallon water storage tanks enhances the resort’s resilience, safeguarding against potential interruptions in municipal water supply. These developments reflect a forward-thinking approach to sustainability and resource management, ensuring the resort remains a leader in environmental responsibility.
Responsible Design and Beverages
Bucuti & Tara began the new year with the opening of a new gift shop boutique. It features even more relevant and eco-conscious items, including coral reef-safe sunscreen to protect the local marine environment. The resort switched to this eco-friendly sunscreen years ago, which helped lead to an island-wide ban of sunscreens containing oxybenzone by 2020.
In the recently renovated Tara Lounge, the addition of local handcrafted furniture and energy-efficient lighting reflects thoughtful design choices that prioritize sustainability. Ongoing interior design updates to Bucuti & Tara’s building rooms include area rugs and materials sourced with 100% recycled content, along with its extensive art collection by Artist-in-Residence, local resident Elisa LeJuez. These are just a part of the resort’s extensive responsible procurement policy.
Across the property, increased efforts have been made to source locally produced goods, particularly with the new food and beverage team driving progress within the resort’s already heralded, and studied, planet-forward dining experience. For example, an Organic Tea Service is now on offer with an array of teas that incorporate locally sourced dried leaves and fruits. These efforts reduce the resort’s carbon footprint, support the local economy and exemplify its wellness approach to people, place and planet.
Positive Sustainability Outcomes
Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort’s green efforts extend beyond its shores. Groundbreaking social initiatives that benefit the local community include the preservation of local ecosystems. The resort team works in tandem with staff, the community and even guests. Standout highlights for Bucuti & Tara’s most recent Green Globe audit include its extensive results with The Bucuti Tara - GMC Nature Preserve, its monthly beach clean-ups and its island-wide solution to pet overpopulation.
In late 2022, the resort, in part, gifted Aruba and its future generations with a 32-acre/13-hectare stretch of land that is now protected forever and is being reforested to also double as a carbon sink. Active designing, planting and building out efforts, also include research work with local university students to identify and confirm plant species and their carbon sequestration rates. These skills not only conserve biodiversity but could translate to careers in any number of fields in the future for the students.
The resort’s 32-year history of monthly beach clean ups invites staff, guests and even the community to help protect life on land and marine life. In addition to removing more than 1,000 lbs of debris annually, this initiative raises awareness of environmental protection in the local community and globally.
In line with the resort’s ESG initiatives, Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort founded and is the major funder of the Stimami Sterilisami Foundation (local Papiamento for “Love me, Sterilize me) whose mission is to address Aruba’s stray animal crisis by humanely reducing numbers and promoting responsible pet ownership. The foundation oversees a national spay and neuter program, which has funded and facilitated the sterilization of almost 40,000 cats and dogs. By spaying and neutering, unwanted litters of animals are prevented and the health of furry companions is improved by decreasing the risks of reproductive illnesses and cancers. Aggressive and roaming behaviors are also curbed. Significant outcomes for people and animals living on the island.
Contact
Amy Kerr
Revel Concepts
E: amykerr@revelconcepts.com
T: US (757) 634-9207
Helena Chang
Public Relations Manager
Green Globe Certification
1223 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 925
Santa Monica, CA 90403 / U.S.A.
Phone +1-310-377-3000
hchang@greenglobe.com
www.greenglobe.com
