Times of the Islands Winter 2023/24

At the same conference, keynote speaker Doug
Lansky, a global tourism and travel expert, challenged
stakeholders to find creative ways to incorporate sustainability
into tourism operations. In an earlier interview, he
colorfully summed up the problem of overdevelopment
with another food analogy:
“What we need to do is to redefine what success is
in tourism. If I ask people what is success, they just
think more visitors than we had last year. That’s a
failed metric. It’s like one scoop of ice cream is good,
and two scoops, maybe three, you could say is better,
but 34 scoops isn’t better. It just ends up on the
sidewalk and gives you a stomachache. There’s a
finite amount of space to get into the key attractions,
to walk on the street without feeling like you are in
Times Square, to lay on the beach in a reasonable
way.”
TCI’s catchy slogan “Beautiful by Nature” certainly
reflects the scenic charm of the Islands. What if those
words could also invoke a deeper beauty that embraces
the spirit of this exceptional archipelago? What if the
blessings of luxury tourism could also be directly linked
to protecting the environment and lifting up the most
vulnerable in society—an approach that itself becomes
the basis for enticing the cream of affluent visitors.
Multiple studies indicate that luxury travelers are prioritizing
environmental and social sustainability when
booking trips—a more fitting target market for TCI. A
2022 American Express Global Travel Trends Report
notes that 81% of travelers want the money they spend
while traveling to go back to the local community.
According to a 2023 report by the International Luxury
Hotel Association, “One of the most significant trends is a
renewed interest in sustainable travel, as people become
more aware of the impact of tourism on the environment
and local communities.”
For TCI that means embracing a “Green Economy”
that complements the spectacular beaches and turquoise
water. This course of action requires a pivot away from
unbridled development, but the reboot need not be
expensive or even require a major transformation. Most
of the infrastructure for expanded environmental programs
and social responsibility is already in place.
Below are various possibilities for keeping and elevating
TCI’s enchantment through minimal impact, ranging
from the quick and easy to the bold and daring. While far
from complete, these ideas can broaden TCI’s appeal to
the discerning traveler—tourists who support and appreciate
eco-friendly/environmental sustainability* initiatives
and social responsibility programs and are willing to pay
a premium.
Small changes/big impact
Ban the sale of non-reef-safe sunscreens, specifically sunscreens
containing harmful chemicals like oxybenzone
and octinoxate, among the ingredients. Several tropical
locations have already either prohibited their sale and
distribution or banned them outright because of the damage
to marine life, particularly coral reefs. These include
Hawaii, Key West, Florida, Palau, US Virgin Islands, Aruba,
Bonaire, and Mexico.
In TCI, several charter boat operators, such as Big
Blue and Caicos Catalyst, already forbid non-reef-safe
sunscreens on their boats and provide alternatives for
their guests. In fact, TCI even has its own locally created
reef-safe sunscreen, Wildflower, that is available for purchase,
along with other mineral-based sunscreens such
as Stream2Sea. Such a measure would immediately signal
to every visitor that TCI takes protection of its marine life
seriously and invite them to share in that goal.
Expand the parks next to the beaches, as well as add
new ones in all the Islands. Improvements could include
native plants and shady trees landscaped to form lovely
gardens for locals and tourists to enjoy. Sculptures by
local artists could be included to further enhance ambiance.
Parks catch the eye and offer a place for convivial
gatherings and reflection that enhance TCI’s tranquility.
Set up a daily open-air farmer’s market in Grace Bay
modeled after the one in Kew Town. Both locals and tourists
could take advantage of purchasing directly from
local farmers that in turn could spur more farming in
TCI. Tourists tend to delight in this kind of activity that
facilitates greater interaction with locals, and 100% of the
money spent remains in TCI.
Bolster eco-friendly activities
TCI already offers excellent scuba diving, snorkeling,
bonefishing, and various tours around the Islands. Now,
*Eco-tourism and sustainable tourism are sometimes confused, though they both stand for environmental protection. Industry consensus
agrees ecotourism is more focused on ecological conservation and educating travelers on local environments and natural
surroundings, whereas sustainable tourism focuses on travel that has minimal impact on the environment and local communities.
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