Experience the Caribbean
T
his region is a treasure trove of eco-
attractions where you can frolic with friendly
dolphins, hand-feed fearsome sharks and
The
swim with curious stingrays.
Alternatively view thousands of whales as they
Natural
swim past the islands on their migratory trail,
watch the night-time parade of turtles as they
crawl up beaches to lay their eggs and admire the
antics of mischievous monkeys!
Several islands have designated national parks.
Tobago claims to be the forerunner - its Roxborough
Rainforest is said to be the world’s oldest legally-
Environment
protected rainforest dating from 1776.
The Bahamas alone has 25 national parks and
protected areas, administered by the country’s
own National Trust. These include the Exuma Cays
Land and Sea Park, said to be the world’s first
Responsible tourism is a
national park that is partially beneath the sea.
vitally important part of the
Caribbean countries have woken up to the
importance of their natural surroundings and
Caribbean’s approach to
many hotels and local tourism companies have
bringing visitors closer to the adopted environmentally-friendly practices.
destination, its people and its
The Blue Flag campaign, which governs clean
environment.
beaches, has been adopted by Caribbean
countries that have been the most proactive in
keeping their beaches clean. Some islands have
also used their natural attractions to raise money
from tourists to preserve the local environment.
For instance whale and dolphin-watching trips
off hotspots such as the Dominican Republic, Turks
C
OM
PETITION
ENTR
Y
:
and Caicos, US Virgin Islands and Guadeloupe
,
St
Lucia
- Gr
aham
Bolney
raises money to help protect marine-life.
McK
enzie,
W
est
Sussex
A growth in eco lodges, home stay
accommodations, use of local produce and meet
the people programmes are all part of the positive
efforts made to preserve the environment, culture
and livelihood of the region. The Caribbean Tourism
Organisation holds an annual Sustainable Tourism
Conference each year, in the region, to focus on
keeping the right balance between communities,
environments and economies. Whilst very few
countries can claim to be entirely eco-friendly, the
Caribbean is heading in the right direction.
p•16-17_Eco_Bus.indd 12 22/8/07 18:04:18
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52