Nestled in a valley among lush mountains and the cobalt-blue Caribbean Sea, Sandals Saint Vincent and The Grenadines opens new island for Sandals Resorts guests. It is scheduled to open on March 27, 2024.
At first glance, the resort looks like a postcard from a dream vacation. Is locating an international all-inclusive resort in a tropical paradise good for the island’s residents and the environment? The recent launch of Sandals in Curacao may shed some light on this important issue.
Future goals
Ahead of the opening of Sandals Royal Curacao in June 2022, the resort has partnered with Amsterdam soccer team AFC Ajax and local recycling company Limpi to develop the Future Goals soccer program. The program provided approximately 100 goals and more than 600 soccer balls to children on the island. The program, which focuses on recycling, team building, and community development, has impacted nearly 50 schools across the island.
During the development of the program, Sandals Resort International Executive Chairman Adam Stewart said: “Curacao is a new island for Sandals and a new opportunity to expand our influence, and ‘football’ is the soul of the Caribbean.”
The soccer goals were made from ocean fishing nets and recycled plastic waste. Fishing nets lost at sea, also known as ghost nets, makeup nearly half of the world’s “plastic soup,” a term for the accumulation of waste, including plastic, that ends up in the ocean and marine environment. Curacao beaches.
Stewart continued: “If we can give children the tools to play and in the process teach them to protect our planet, that in itself is a ‘goal.’ Since its inception in 1981, Sandals Resorts has taken an unparalleled approach to supporting the communities in which it operates.
Sandals launched its operations in Curacao through its charitable arm Sandal Foundation. The foundation operates in three key areas: education, environment, and community. Sustainable projects include coral reef restoration, tree and mangrove planting, marine reserves beach cleaning. As of June 2022, they have helped rid the planet of more than 440 tons of trash.
Sandal Foundation
“The Future Goals brilliantly reflect Sandals’ unwavering commitment to empowering our islands in the Caribbean,” said Heidi Clark, executive director of the Sandals Foundation. “Immersing myself in the destination was part of the plan when we implemented plans Sandals Royal Curacao — and a sign of our promise to future generations.”
In particular, over the past year, the Sandals Foundation has focused much of its efforts on food security throughout the Caribbean. Globally, food security remains a concern, and this is even more pressing in the Caribbean as import-dependent economies are sensitive to international challenges in food supply chains.
Climate change has negatively impacted traditional farming methods. To create a sustainable future, the Sandals Foundation strives to provide the skills and tools to build sustainable food systems and food forests in local schools and communities by providing necessary equipment and training and investing in climate-smart farming practices.
Island meals with meals included
The resort aimed to provide a completely new experience that would take customers beyond the resort. One such program is Island Inclusive Dining, which provides qualifying guests with a $250 dining credit at select Curacao restaurants.
Luke Mathot, Vice President of Food and Beverage Innovation at Sandals, explains the motivation behind the Island Inclusive Dining initiative, saying: “We want our guests to experience the same magic we felt when choosing Curacao as Sandals’ new home – with its landscapes, its tastes, its people – and everyone knows that one of the most effective ways to truly understand a destination and its culture is through food.”
Kome, one of the participating restaurants, states its sustainability practices on its website. Web site“We take our commitment to sustainability seriously, using organic ingredients and working directly with local farmers and artisans to reduce waste and provide the freshest, highest quality ingredients for our dishes.”
Luuk Gerritsen, CEO of Kome, explains how they demonstrate this commitment by working with as many local product suppliers as possible, e.g. Hofi Kas Kora and Zen Farms. They only serve local fish from self-employed fishermen. Most of their cleaning materials are organic and eco-friendly, and they avoid single-use plastics.
These options aren’t always the cheapest, but the little things add up. “We have been part of this program since its inception. [Island Inclusive Dining]” says Gerritsen. “This allows us to reach an inclusive public with a higher spending budget.”
“Sandal Effect”
According to Curaçao, it is heavily dependent on the tourism sector, with 81% of its workforce working in the service sector. Country reports. The growth of tourism has an impact on the livelihoods of local residents, as the increase in the number of visitors not only provides more jobs but also opportunities for growth within organizations. As teams grow to support more clients, additional management capabilities become available.
The influx of tourism spending around the island of Curacao is boosting the economy and Curacao is on its way to making history. In July 2023, a year after the opening of Sandals Royal Curacao, the island experienced its best-ever month, putting it on track to reach the historic milestone of half a million annual visitors. It is noteworthy that in 2023, for the first time, the number of arrivals with accommodation exceeded 300,000 in the first seven months of the year.
The opening of the resort affects almost every aspect of the island’s economy: from additional business for taxi drivers to the supply chain. Many publications have called it the “sandal effect” because the company is trying to integrate into the community. This impacts the entire island, from youth football to job creation, increased arrivals and much more. Judging by the impact on Curacao, the sandals will help preserve the beauty and abundance of St. Vincent and the Grenadines for future generations.
This article originally appeared on Media Decision.
