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RT&T SPOTLIGHT
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RESPONSIBLE TOURISM IN BARBADOS
Casuarina )
Casuarina was built in 1981 in an area of Barbados called the Dover woods. In an ecosystem of its own, the hotel was built in the original woods without actually disturbing the existing habitat.) Due to the considerable foliage that surrounds the resort, Casuarina has a lot more wildlife than other resorts. They have 15 species of birds living in the trees as well as other migratory birds that visit.
In addition, they have their own species of butterfly, bats, crabs and also feature the indigenous Barbados monkey- the green monkey. A beautiful feature of Casuarina is their art collection. They are one of the biggest collectors of local art in the Caribbean owing to their policy of buying one new piece every month. Casuarina also showcases local artists by having an art and craft market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. This gives guests an opportunity to meet and interact with local artists and to also purchase their work.
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The resort is also very proactive in other responsible initiatives like waste management, recycling and beach preservation. The resort has won numerous environmental awards and much of the credit for the excellent program they have in place goes to their environmental manager, Loreto Duffy-Mayers. A GREEN GLOBE 21 certified hotel, Casuarina leads the Barbados hospitality industry in practices of responsible and sustainable tourism.
Almond Beach Village 
The Almond Beach village located on the west coast of Barbados started the process of getting certified by GREEN GLOBE 21 in 1999. They hired a consultant to advise them on the process of developing an environmental management system. The Village has a strong program and physically measure improvements in energy use, solid waste generation, water consumption, chemical use and paper use. The Village also has a great social program and is very involved in the local community. Their activities include a program in which they support local farmers. Dexter Cummings, Environmental Manager at the Village says "...practicing responsible tourism in an ongoing program that needs to be worked on continuously. We have seen the benefits of implementing sustainable initiatives and will try and pass the message on to guests at the Village so that they make responsible choices in the future". The Village truly has a wonderful program and tourists who are keen on making a positive impact on the local destination by visiting will not be disappointed.
The Accra Beach Hotel and Resort 
The Accra started their green initiative in Sep 2002. They have 21 members of staff on their green committee and meet once a month to discuss new and existing initiatives. Some sustainable initiatives have been implemented in their housekeeping and maintenance departments. The resort also has a strong recycling program where they recycle paper and plastic. The resort also involves itself in beach and street clean-ups.
They have also adopted a school and are working closely with local children educating them about the benefits of responsible and sustainable initiatives. The children also help the resort maintain and keep their beach clean. The resort advertises its environmental policy and endeavors at the front desk itself so visitors are aware of the program in place and have opportunities to assist if they should desire to. For a resort that has only recently started practicing responsible tourism, they have already won the BHTA award for environmental best practices in 2003-04. Isola Giddings, their executive assistant manager makes it clear that her green team is just beginning and expects many more such awards in the future.
Bougainvillea Beach Resort 
The Bougainvillea Beach Resort is proceeding to get certified by GREEN GLOBE 21 for the third consecutive time. They have many responsible practice in place ranging from recycling, energy saving programs, water management and community work. The resort has adopted two of the secondary schools in the parish where they hold workshops for students on the concept of sustainable tourism and environmental responsibility. The resort also involves itself in beach and street clean-ups. Guests are welcome to join in many of the responsible initiatives implemented by the resort.
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