"Green Destinations Story Award" to Barbados

Caribbean island takes steps towards climate protection

Barbados is setting a good example in the Caribbean when it comes to climate protection: from 2030, the island state, which left the Commonwealth in 2022, wants to stop using fossil fuels and expand renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy as well as biofuels. Barbados has also concluded a "Debt-for-Nature" transaction with the Bank for International Development and The Nature Conservancy, under which the TNC is guaranteeing around EUR 140 million of a loan to finance the protection of 30 percent of the island's marine and coastal areas.

Government employees can purchase electric vehicles up to EURO 46,000 interest-free, and all other "Bajans" do not have to pay VAT if they purchase such a vehicle before April 2024. For all these efforts, ITB has now presented Barbados with the "Green Destinations Story Award" in the "Climate and Environment" category.

The country was the only Caribbean destination to be nominated for the award, beating competitors such as the Portuguese city of Cascais and Bago City in the Philippines. "We are delighted that the inspiration for sustainable tourism development comes from Barbados this year," said Ian Gooding-Edghillan, Minister of Tourism and International Transport. "To counteract the advancing climate change, we committed to a sustainable climate policy back in 2019." This has apparently paid off.