Business View Caribbean - April 2015 9
Aruba Wins National Geographic
World Legacy Award
Praised for its unparalleled sustainability efforts, Aru-
ba was named the National Geographic World Legacy
Award Winner for “Destination Leadership” at ITB Ber-
lin, the world’s largest tourism convention.
The World Legacy Awards launched in 2014 to rec-
ognize the leading travel and tour-
ism companies, organizations and
destinations who are transforming
sustainable tourism. More than 150
award entries were received, repre-
senting 56 countries and six conti-
nents. Finalists in five categories
were selected by an international
team of 18 sustainable travel ex-
perts, who conducted thorough on-
site inspections before choosing the
winners in each category.
As the “Destination Leadership”
winner, Aruba immediately stood
out to judges for its world-leading
green energy initiative. In 2012, Aru-
ba partnered with Sir Richard Branson’s Carbon War
Room, founded to fight climate change, and other key
entities such as Harvard. Due to the island’s natural
solar/wind resources and aggressive plan supported
by partners, Aruba is on track to be the world’s first
country to fully transition off fossil fuels by 2020.
Aruba’s government is actively promoting the use of
renewable energy through wind farms, airport solar
park, waste-to-energy plant, smart communities and
a $1 billion island investment largely focused on eco-
tourism. A new, award-winning trolley through down-
town Oranjestad is the world’s first municipal streetcar
system using hydrogen fuel cell technology that runs
off a battery charged through wind/solar energy. Aruba
has saved $50 million per year through sustainability
efforts and in 2014, six Caribbean islands committed
to follow the “Aruba Model” by signing with Carbon War
Room as part of a 10 Island Renewable Challenge to
transition 100 percent off fossil fuels.
“It is an honor to be recognized by the National Geo-
graphic Society for our unwavering pursuit of total sus-
tainability,” said Oslin B. Sevinger, Aruba minister of
integration, infrastructure and environment, who ac-
cepted the award at ITB Berlin. “Over the past several
years, we have worked closely with the world’s most in-
novative thought leaders on this subject and are proud
to see our ever-evolving efforts paving the way for oth-
er Caribbean islands. This is just the beginning.”
