EAGLE BEACH – From the widest, most protected shoreline of Eagle Beach to global recognition, Ewald Biemans has shaped a legacy defined by purpose, care and action. On Friday, April 24, 2026, the Kingdom of the Netherlands honored Ewald Biemans, the founder and owner of Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, with the royal distinction of joining the Order of Orange-Nassau during the annual “Ribbon Rain,” a key highlight of the King’s Day ceremony celebrated across the Dutch Kingdom.
Conferred by His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, the honor of Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau recognizes individuals whose contributions create lasting impact across society. Over more than five decades, Biemans has shaped Aruba and the Caribbean tourism industry through executing a vision grounded in long-term responsibility, strengthening the island’s economy, community and environmental stewardship while helping define how sustainable hospitality is practiced worldwide.
Shaping Sustainable Travel Through Action
Biemans has always approached his work as a lifelong student, driven by curiosity and a commitment to raising standards. That mindset has earned recognition at the highest international levels, grounded in measurable impact. Bucuti & Tara became the Caribbean’s first and Certified CarbonNeutral® hotel in 2018, the result of a comprehensive sustainability program developed over decades, defying what many believed was possible to achieve.
In 2020, the United Nations recognized that work with its Global UN Climate Action Award, marking the first and only time a hotel has received this distinction. Upon presenting the award, the UN affirmed Bucuti & Tara’s sustainability program as “highly replicable and scalable,” encouraging hotels worldwide to emulate its approach. Long committed to sharing these solutions across the industry, Biemans has been guided by his belief that every business can take meaningful steps toward carbon neutrality, advancing a model for more sustainable global hospitality.
A Commitment to Think Global, Act Local
Biemans’ commitment to conservation spans decades, from supporting sea turtle protection on Bucuti’s beach, where vulnerable Leatherback sea turtles continue to return to their natal shores as some of the island’s earliest visitors, to safeguarding Aruba’s coastal ecosystems. More than 40 years ago, he also founded the island’s first hotel-led cleanup initiative, uniting the tourism sector around environmental stewardship. Today, the resort’s monthly beach cleanups bring together staff, community members and guests, removing an average of 1,500 pounds of debris annually while fostering shared responsibility and connection.
Together with Yesenia Arends, he also founded Stimami Sterilisami, the resort’s nonprofit and the program’s largest funder, supporting spay and neuter procedures for more than 47,000 dogs and cats and significantly improving animal welfare across the island.
In 2022, marking the resort’s 35th anniversary, Biemans, together with his dear friend Grete Marie Case and Bucuti & Tara, donated 30 acres to establish The Bucuti Tara – GMC Nature Preserve in Noord. Today, the 32-acre/13-hectare protected area stands as a lasting give-back to Aruba’s future generations, being reforested with already more than 1,200 indigenous trees planted and enhanced with nature trails through year-round efforts by guests, staff and the community. The preserve restores biodiversity while creating a vital carbon sink that contributes to Aruba’s climate resilience and reflects a model for conservation beyond the island. Bucuti & Tara guests, who are often visiting as couples at the adults-only resort, are now invited to Plant a Tree of Love in the nature preserve where they can return on future visits to see how their “love” continues to grow.
