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At Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, sustainability is far from being a buzzword, rather, it is the beating heart of everything we do. That unwavering commitment was recently celebrated on the international stage as our Founder, Owner/CEO Ewald Biemans, received the prestigious Connoisseur Circle Special Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sustainable Hospitality during the 2025 Connoisseur Circle Hospitality Awards.
Hailed as a special category, this milestone award recognizes decades of pioneering work and dedication to proving that luxury travel and sustainability compatible, elevating one another. As Mr. Biemans so simply and powerfully put it:
“Masha danki! Thank you for the distinguished honor… Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba, proves that memorable vacations and sustainability go hand in hand. Better tomorrows begin with each of us—right where we are standing.”
Mr. Biemans' journey began far from the shores of Aruba in a small mountain farm in Austria. There, surrounded by nature, he developed a deep respect for the environment that would shape his life’s work. When he opened Bucuti & Tara in 1987, sustainability was hardly a consideration in the hospitality world. Yet he envisioned something different: a serene, world-class resort built in harmony with the natural world.
Today, Bucuti & Tara is the Caribbean’s first and only certified carbon-neutral hotel, and we’re closing in on becoming Net Zero. The resort is a global model for regenerative tourism, one that the United Nations declared is “highly replicable and scalable,” urging hotels worldwide to adopt as their own approaches to responsible travel.
Today, more than 400 action points create the sustainability program at Bucuti & Tara, backed by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that power your vacation experience. Housing the island’s largest private sector solar energy system, zero waste dining at the newly reimagined Elements Restaurant, reforestation efforts, guest education initiatives such as monthly beach cleanups and sea turtle conservation, innovative building coatings that keep heat out and cool air in, and high-tech, hospital-grade sanitation that is completely nontoxic, these are just the tip. Built on a foundation of best-in-class certifications, the resort’s framework is guided by the stringent standards set forth by Green Globe Platinum, Travelife Gold, LEED Gold v 4.1 and CarbonNeutral. Mr. Biemans meticulously researched each before pursuing to ensure they would help achieve the finest results for guests, staff, the community and the planet. Choosing to vacation here is literally better for the environment than staying home, and Mr. Biemans is proud to provide a guilt-free vacation for every guest.
These initiatives have earned international awards, such as the United Nations Global Climate Action Award, where Bucuti & Tara is the only hotel in UN history to have achieved this pinnacle honor. He led the resort to earn the WTTC Climate Action Award, and was the first individual honored with the HSMAI/National Geographic Traveler Adrian Award for Sustainability. He is the first inductee in the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association’s Hall of Fame for Sustainability. By personal invitation from the UN, he has appeared at both COP26 and COP28.
Simultaneously, Mr. Biemans has led Bucuti & Tara to be one of Tripadvisor’s Top 25 Best Hotels in the World, a Forbes Travel Guide Recommended 2025 property, and an annual award winner with Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler, amongst many other accolades for romance and a superior guest experience.
Most of all, his approach, together with his team, has created an atmosphere where guests can experience tranquility, romance, wellness and environmental stewardship all in one stay.
In accepting this lifetime honor, Mr. Biemans said what he has long shared in conversation, case studies, textbook chapters and in advocating for regenerative travel initiatives: “We are not in the tourism business, we are in the nature business.”
This belief drives every decision made at Bucuti & Tara, and it continues to inspire a new generation of leadership.
Already stepping into her grandfather’s footsteps is Crescenzia Biemans, whose passion for the planet and innovation in luxury travel will guide the resort into its next chapter—embracing regenerative tourism with a fresh perspective and the same unwavering values.
This award marks more than a personal achievement, it is also a global call to action—proof that hospitality can be a force for good. We invite you to celebrate this meaningful milestone with us and experience firsthand what it means to vacation with purpose.
From all of us at Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, thank you for being a part of this shared journey. Together, we’re building a future where travel nurtures both people and the planet—right here in beautiful Aruba.