The Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort in Aruba, owned by entrepreneur Ewald Biemans, sets an example in the field of sustainability for other hoteliers. This became clear during the COP28 climate meeting of the United Nations, which was held in Dubai last month. The event had 70,000 participants. Biemans was the only independent hotelier invited to COP26 in 2021 to sign the Glasgow Declaration for the Climate Action in Tourism.
Two years later, at COP28, he was personally invited by the UNWTO to share the resort’s progress and inspire other hospitality entities to endorse the Glasgow Declaration. Most importantly, he helped them learn what actions to take and how to implement them. One of the goals is for participants from the hotel sector to work together on climate goals and to inspire and support each other. The hotel industry is a major player in global tourism. The sector accounts for 7.6% of global income (GDP) and 8% of the carbon footprint. Biemans was ahead of his time when he opened his hotel Bucuti in Aruba in 1987, now known as Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort Aruba. From the very beginning, Biemans has had an eye for sustainability in all aspects of his resort. He made sustainability his business model. In August 2018, Biemans and his team achieved a long-fought goal and were allowed to certify his resort as the first CO2-neutral hotel in the Caribbean. The United Nations Global UN Climate Action Award followed in 2020, citing his resort’s sustainability program as an example for hotels around the world. Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort is an adults-only hotel with 104 rooms. The resort. Now in its 36th anniversary, it emphasizes romance, well-being and sustainability. Bucuti has a year-round occupancy rate of over 97%. The hotel positions itself as the most eco-certified hotel in the Caribbean and strives for a negative CO2 footprint. Tripadvisor rated the resort as No. 1 hotel in the Caribbean and No. 18 in the world last year. Biemans considers the invitation from the United Nations to present its sustainability programme at COP28 as a highly appreciated recognition. “It marks our commitment to actively contribute to the global fight against climate change and provide support to fellow hotels in implementing robust solutions that are in line with the principles of the Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism.” Photo: Ewald Biemans.
