Read our article in the Cayman Financial Review Magazine, eversion
In celebration of Earth Day 2012, the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Environment (DOE) will be hosting the Living Green Fair on Friday, 20 April 2012. The event will take place from 11:00am to 6:00pm on the lawns of the Governor’s residence and all are encouraged to attend.
goal of the fair is to highlight the many business and private sector initiatves which are available on island who provide green services.
Both the DOT and DOE are dedicated to promoting environmentally friendly best practices throughout the tourism industry in the Cayman Islands and to achieve this, the Cayman Islands
Environmental Program for the Tourism Sector (CEPTS) program has been initiated.
CEPTS is designed to encourage the implementation of environmental best practices and improve the overall environmental performance of attractions/accommodations and suppliers within the
tourism industry. Through CEPTS, the DOE and DOT educate other Government agencies and the private sector on environmentally friendly best practices which can be adopted in the work place and at home.
One goal of CEPTS is to have tourism partners throughout the Cayman Islands earn Green Globe Certification, which is the international accredited certification that recognizes corporate environmental responsibility for the travel and tourism industry.
Three of the partners who have earned Green Globe status will be participating in the fair - Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, Cobalt Coast and Compass Point. The CEPTS programme is now in its second phase and DOT and DOE are delighted to announce that the following businesses will be assessed and audited in order to gain Green Globe certification:
- Atlantis Submarines,
- Divetech,
- Webster Tours, Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink
- Ocean Frontiers, and the
- Mission House.
DOT and DOE plan to continue to build the CEPTS programme by enabling more businesses and tourism partners to become Green Globe certified, and ultimately showcasing the Cayman Islands as a green destination. DOT also supports Cayman Automotive Ltd. and their pursuit of renting electric cars in the Cayman Islands. This initiative makes the Cayman Islands
the first country in the Caribbean that rents electric cars and will be an excellent eco-friendly incentive for visitors who prioritise destinations that have a focus on being green.
Leading by example, the Department of Tourism has also adapted various green initiatives within their offices as well. The Department has replaced all of their light bulbs with LED bulbs, instituted an aluminum can recycling programme, installed automatic lighting in the bathrooms that turn on only when someone comes in, and manually turns off the air-conditioning at 5:30pm. Staff are also encouraged to turn off their computers and monitors at the end of the day to conserve energy.
The Department of Tourism is also involved with Cayman BECOME, a group of both private and public sector partners who create awareness about the environment and different ways to encourage the public to go green. The most recent programme of Cayman Become is the ‘bring your own bag’ when you shop at local grocery stores.
Another highlight of the fair will be the entries of the Disney Planet Challenge 2012. This challenge is an environmental tourism awareness building programme for students in the Primary Schools.
This year’s winning project entitled “Save the Wetlands” will be on display and a presentation will be made by the winning Year 6 class of Triple C School.
For more info
T: (345) 949-0623
E: cepts@caymanislands.ky