Nassau, The Bahamas, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With more than 700 islands and cays, including 16 unique Out Island destinations, The Bahamas is proactive and visionary on its environmental responsibilities, following a two-way path to sustainability by protecting both its natural surroundings and the durability of its tourism economy.
“Our country’s leadership is rigorously focused on sustainability,” said the Hon. I. Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation. “As a forward-thinking and progressive government, it is our mandate to ensure the well-being of our entire ecosystem, for the Bahamian community and visitors, while exercising best practices to sensibly grow a world-class tourism product.”
Putting that philosophy to work, the archipelagic nation spread across 100,000 square miles of calm, crystal-blue ocean, has implemented numerous initiatives for environmental protection. From its shorelines, addressing evolving climate-related challenges and promoting ecological biodiversity, The Bahamas is equally committed to encouraging continued tourism growth, its primary industry that saw 11.22 million international visitors in 2024, a 16.2 percent increase over 2023, and a record-breaking 54.7 percent jump in tourism figures from 2019.
SUSTAINABILITY OBJECTIVES
Guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and inspired by its extraordinary natural beauty and rich culture, The Bahamas has embraced critical and overarching objectives to promote continued prosperity in the destination while protecting the natural resources driving its leading position in tourism in the Caribbean. Those include protecting biodiversity and marine life; taking urgent proactive action to combat climate change and its broader impacts; and protecting, restoring and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, ethically stewarding national forests, combating desertification and halting and reversing land degradation and biodiversity loss.
Among key sustainability efforts is the Bahamas Sustainable Investment Programme. This programme emphasises innovative financing solutions and the creation of Blue Carbon Credits by leveraging the carbon-absorbing capacity of seagrass meadows.
Marine Conservation and Sustainability Projects are also on the front burner. Mangrove Mania, a competition spearheaded by Waterkeepers Bahamas is another initiative to engage the local community to help restore and replenish mangroves in and around Grand Bahama that were devastated by Category 5 Hurricane Dorian in 2019. Also, in Grand Bahama for instance, is the commercial coral farm Coral Vita. Coral Vita cultivates two-dozen types of indigenous coral through innovative techniques that speed up growth by 50 percent and make the coral more resistant to rising temperatures and acidity. In addition, there is also the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust which is working with numerous partners to ensure successful management of native bonefish. The work has seen the establishment of five new national parks and expansion of an existing one, all protective of the vital bonefish habitat across the destination. The sport generates $169 million annually for the Bahamian economy.
HOSPITALITY INNOVATES FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Recognising the significance of maintaining natural wonders of The Bahamas, hospitality owners and stakeholders from local boutique hotels to global resort brands are prioritising innovative sustainability initiatives when proposing new developments in the destination.
Harmonising luxury with environmental responsibility, Tiamo Resort on Andros Island operates on solar power, practices rainwater collection, and features 11 sustainably built villas using locally sourced pine structures raised on stilts for natural cooling. In Eleuthera, The Other Side, an upscale glamping resort of Little Island Hotels, combines sustainability with comfort with solar-powered beachfront tents with hardwood floors, four-poster king beds, and modern bathrooms, as well as hilltop shacks offering ocean views. In Nassau, Atlantis Paradise Island demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability through initiatives focused on marine conservation, ecosystem restoration, and environmental education, with the non-profit Atlantis Blue Project Foundation funding scientific research, conservation programmes and community outreach efforts, ultimately contributing to the preservation of over 1 million acres of marine habitats and supporting the creation of Marine Protected Areas.
Future hotel and resort openings making news for their commitments to sustainable practices include Six Senses Grand Bahama, which is focused on beach restoration, using native plants and sourcing construction materials locally; and Montage Cay in The Abacos set to be the first private island development from Montage Hotels & Resorts which will have a full-service spa made with sustainably sourced materials.
CRUISE PORTS AND MARINAS
At present, there are nine major cruise ports throughout The Bahamas.According to the Central Bank of The Bahamas, the island nation welcomed 8.5 million arrivals by sea during the first 11 months of 2024, up nearly 20 percent from the previous year.
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism sees the cruise industry as vital for tourism as well as commercially poised for sustainability. The Nassau Cruise Port, reopened in May 2023 following a $300 million transformation. The cruise port reveals a significant direction for The Bahamas, with multiple initiatives to empower the community and protect the environment. Among the projects is its annual International Coastal Cleanup, a global initiative dedicated to preserving oceans and waterways, with Port team members working with community volunteers to remove trash from coastlines and promote sustainable practices.
Elisabeth Island a development by Zaha Hadid Architects, is intended to make environmental sustainability a cornerstone. The development will entail a new state-of-the-art superyacht marina on a site surrounded by 20,000 acres of Abaco National Park. The project will include hurricane-proof infrastructure integrated into the design to withstand the risks of severe weather.
The MSC Foundation, the non-profit arm of MSC Cruises, is heavily involved in marine restoration through its Super Coral Programme at the newly opened MSC Conservation Center at Ocean Cay in Bimini. The programme, launched in 2019, employs scientific research to identify resilient coral genotypes that can withstand thermal stress caused by climate change. Successes include the growth of 298 coral fragments in the coral nursery and a 100 percent survival rate even during a severe marine heatwave that impacted The Bahamas in the summer of 2023.
About The Bahamas
The Bahamas has over 700 islands and cays, including 16 unique island destinations. Located only 50 miles off the coast of Florida, it offers a quick and easy way for international travellers to escape their everyday. The island nation also boasts world-class fishing, diving, boating and thousands of miles of the Earth's most spectacular beaches for families, couples and adventurers to explore. See why It’s Better in The Bahamas at www.bahamas.com or on Facebook, YouTube or Instagram.
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Anita Johnson Patty The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism ajohnson@bahamas.com Bahamas USA FINN Bahamas Bahamasusa@finnpartners.com