A continued legacy of purpose-driven hospitality rooted in care for Aruba’s people, nature, and identity
AHATA Impact Awards for the categories Championing Cultural Heritage and Environmental Conservation, a meaningful acknowledgment of the resort’s ongoing commitment to Aruba’s people, planet, and place. Presented annually by the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association (AHATA), the awards celebrate the tourism industry’s most impactful contributions to the island’s future. As a local, family-owned resort rooted in purpose, Bucuti & Tara continues to welcome guests who seek more than a picturesque escape. Its enduring appeal lies in offering experiences that are sustainable, authentic, and meaningful.
This year’s winners were selected by an independent panel including Daniel Tecklenborg (CEDE), Edjean Semeleer (GoCultura), Francielle Lacle and Rosabelle Illes (University of Aruba), and Jan Noordzij (Advance HR). This dual win marks a heartfelt milestone in what has already been an exceptional year for Bucuti & Tara and serves as a source of immense pride for the entire team.
Environmental Excellence and Global Leadership
Bucuti & Tara’s recognition in the Environmental Conservation category is especially meaningful, having previously received the inaugural AHATA Impact Award for Environmental Protection in 2023. Rather than resting on that milestone, the resort’s latest submission focused on how it has continued to evolve as a local and global leader, moving beyond carbon neutrality toward becoming Net Zero in Scopes 1 and 2.
Unlike many organizations that rely heavily on carbon credits, Bucuti & Tara has prioritized eliminating emissions at the source. Through energy efficiency, renewable energy, and operational innovation, the resort continues to reduce its carbon footprint in measurable ways, an approach that the United Nations has coined as “highly replicable and scalable” for the global hospitality industry.
Since becoming the Caribbean’s first certified carbon-neutral hotel in 2018, Bucuti & Tara has steadily advanced its environmental program. The resort has transitioned to a fully electric, fossil-fuel-free kitchen, upgraded to energy-efficient VRF air-conditioning, applied MIG insulating coatings to reduce energy use, and replaced its entire fleet with electric vehicles. It also became the first in Aruba to replace LPG water heaters with heat pump systems that use ambient heat instead of gas. Additionally, in food & beverage operations, the resort implemented a zero-waste system, ensuring nothing is sent to the landfill.
The resort also introduced Green Loans for its Associates, offering financial support to invest in solar panels, inverter systems, electric vehicles, insulating coating, or other sustainable solutions. This initiative underscores our commitment to protecting the environment not only within our resort, but throughout our community by empowering our team to lead sustainable lives at home.
Alongside these achievements, Bucuti & Tara remains the only certified CarbonNeutral® in the Caribbean and the eco-certified hotel, holding certifications for Green Globe Platinum, Travelife Gold, and LEED Gold. In 2024, it became the first hotel in the world to earn two consecutive perfect 100% audit scores from Green Globe, a rare feat, with the global average at just 63%.
