BONAIRE, DUTCH CARIBBEAN—Harbour Village, a charming boutique resort set on Bonaire’s only private beach, has been recognized by the Bonaire Chamber of Commerce as a Blue Destination, which is awarded to resorts that have shown a strong dedication to sustainability. The resort has held a long-standing commitment to leading the way in eco-forward efforts on the island of Bonaire and plays a vital role in maintaining the destination’s environmentally sound initiatives.
“We are honored to have our efforts recognized by the community. Ensuring that our tropical paradise can be enjoyed for decades to come has been a top priority for the resort since the beginning,” said Harbour Village Managing Director Francisco Gonzalez. “Our team continues to create new and innovative ways to preserve the beautiful island of Bonaire through technologies and resources available, which is something our guests appreciate.”
The 10-tiered criteria process, which includes evaluating resorts on eco-forward methods across a multitude of staff well-being, purchasing, nature and wildlife, energy and climate, and more, is part of an overall push for the entire island to maintain its status as the world’s first Blue Destination. As part of this recognition, Bonaire has also identified Harbour Village as committed to pushing forward responsible tourism by awarding the resort the Good Travel Seal, the island’s ecolabel for recommended resorts. Both the certification and seal signify Harbour Village as the environmentally conscious option for responsible tourism.
Harbour Village leads the way in innovative sustainability programs as the only resort in the world advancing coral preservation through a two-pronged approach. The resort’s coral nursery, currently home to 10 coral trees, focuses on care and replanting while the man-made Electrified Reef uses new technologies to increase reef regeneration. To more accurately assess and manage heat stress placed on the local reefs, Harbour Village has partnered with Aqualink to install a new monitoring system. Working with the Oceanic engineering organization allows the resort to better evaluate and respond to reef health and growth. Progress of the coral reef restoration and regeneration programs can be monitored via the resort’s new reef cam.
“Harbour Village was founded on the premise of sharing all the natural beauty and wonder the island of Bonaire has to offer,” continued Gonzalez. “Our team takes to heart a responsibility to ensure that the reasons why we love the tropical island are not diminished by our enjoyment but rather finds new ways to flourish.”
For more information on the resort, their sustainability and coral restoration efforts, visit www.harbourvillage.com.
