Why a Promise to Aruba and What is it For?
Make your promise to the One happy island of Aruba.
Maybe you’ve seen our recently launched awareness campaign ‘My Promise to Aruba’ advertised in a magazine, or while scrolling through your timeline on social media. The promise to Aruba is simple: if you act as an ecologically and socially responsible visitor you will actively contribute to Aruba’s future. So by making your promise you help our small island in a big way.
Aruba is proud to be called One happy island, as it captures what we are most known for: warm hospitality and friendly people that are not shy of a good laugh and are always in the mood to celebrate life. We want you to experience our island to the fullest and warmly welcome you to our home, that hopefully already is - or in time will become - your home away from home.
However, Aruba island also has a delicate eco-system with a limited space for all who live and co-exist here. Continuing on with ever-growing visitor numbers and an expanding local population while numbers of indigenous flora and fauna are declining and coral reefs are disappearing, we need to do something. Urgently.
Using our dirt roads on the North Coast for instance as a natural racetrack is not ok, as it is disruptive to both nature and to people that live in neighborhoods along popular island tour routes.
Our beaches and crystal clear ocean are beautiful and mesmerizing, we get that, but that doesn’t mean you have to bring your motorized vehicle onto the beach or even into the ocean (believe it, this happens) to get a closer look or a better experience. And turtles lay their eggs on our beaches, so be careful where you go when enjoying a day of sun and sand.
We’d love to see you use only durable products, but when using plastic, make sure you hold on to it, as Aruba’s strong wind will blow them right into the ocean where they will damage marine life and birds. Collect your trash always, and dispose properly.
The exotic wildlife in Aruba makes for perfect picture opportunities and yes, it is amazing to have your photo taken with a flamingo, a bright-green iguana, a swimming turtle that passes you by while snorkeling, or a donkey in the wild. These are the one-of-a-kind experiences you came to Aruba for and you should engage in these moments, but with care for these animals and with common sense. Please don’t chase them, touch them or invade their space, as this will stress them out. Don’t feed iguanas as these vegetarians can’t stomach your food, and most importantly, do not pick up starfish for a selfie or other photo opp, as they won’t survive even a few seconds above water.
Keep this in mind while exploring Aruba and enjoying your unique experiences to the fullest, so we can keep our island a happy and healthy place for generations to come.
Here are a few guidelines that support harm-free behaviour and at the same time create a carefree yet sustainable vacation experience for you.
