Aruba Each year for the last 19 years, visitors and residents of Aruba, along with environmentalists, have come together for the Aruba Reef Care Project.
The event, started in 1994 by the Aruba Tourism Authority, creates awareness and improves the marine life of the island. So while visitors are enjoying one of the island’s beautiful beach rentals, they can also make a difference.
“Tourists flock to our island for its beauty,” says Matthew Smillie, owner of Aruba Villa Vacation Homes, offering outstanding rentals. “During the project, cleanup sites dot the coast from Baby Beach to Arashi Beach. Volunteers pick up debris on the beach while scuba divers retrieve debris in the water to keep it from harming our marine life.”
During the cleanup, everyone comes together for one simple mission to keep Aruba’s beaches and waters pristine for years to come.
The project quickly gained support from the locals, including the many hotels and resorts that dot the island, who provide boxed lunches and prizes for volunteers.
This year’s event will take place on Sept. 29. Those interested in helping should make their accommodations to visit the island and help preserve the beautiful white sandy beaches.
“Aruba has recently seen a tremendous increase in wanting to preserve our beautiful island,” says Smillie, who offers luxury vacation rentals in Aruba and can help visitors plan every aspect of their stay. “The Aruba Reef Care Project helps us promote ecotourism. This project ensures our island will stay beautiful for future generations to enjoy.”
Ecotourism has seen more popularity as travelers wish to not only visit beautiful locations, but to give back while they are there. Ecotourism is “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people.” Travelers abide by rules, such as minimizing the impact on the area they are visiting, building environmental and cultural awareness and respect, and providing direct financial benefits for conservation.
Each year scuba divers and eco-tourists flock to Aruba for the island’s beauty. The waters off the coast of the island offer some of the best diving opportunities with several wrecks and coral reef tracts.
“We rely heavily on the great tourists who visit our island,” says Smillie. “But that tourism can take a toll if visitors are not conscious of the fragility of our ecosystems. We are proud of the work our tourism authority and residents are doing every day to educate visitors on what they can do to help us keep our island beautiful.”
The Aruba Reef Care Project offers a unique opportunity for visitors and residents to work together to preserve the beauty of Aruba’s marine life. Participants experience the excitement of the island’s best dive spots, coupled with knowing they are ensuring scuba divers for years to come will have the same chance.
For travelers looking to explore some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, and scuba divers looking for interesting dive sites, while being able to give something back, the Aruba Reef Care Project provides the perfect opportunity. And Matthew Smillie and his team at Aruba Villa Vacation Homes are only a phone call away, waiting to help visitors plan the perfect eco-tourism getaway.
2013 Sinai Marketing and Aruba Villa Vacation Homes. Authorization to post is granted, with the stipulation that Sinai Marketing and Aruba Villa Vacation Homes are credited as sole source. Linking to other sites from this document is strictly prohibited, with the exception of herein imbedded links.