Oceanic Global is thrilled to have collaborated with Corona’s dedicated team to bring Corona Island in Colombia to life and for the chance to inspire positive change in the lives of all who visit and create a powerful case study of sustainable tourism for the industry to follow. Corona Island is not only the the first Blue Verified island, it has also earned our highest level of recognition possible through the program, the three-star plastic-free Blue Seal. From the design and construction through to the daily operations and guest experiences, sustainability has been top of mind in every element.
“On Corona Island, we are celebrating the majesty and beauty of the outdoors by getting guests engaged in protecting paradise,” said Felipe Ambra, Global Vice President for Corona. “Everyone on the team, from our chefs to our architects contributed to creating a truly single-use plastic-free paradise. We look forward to welcoming visitors, rekindling their relationship with nature and hopefully creating more advocates to protect our natural world.”
“Oceanic Global is honored to help develop the Corona Island experience and applauds Corona’s sector-leading sustainability efforts,” said Lea d’Auriol, Founder and Executive Director at Oceanic Global. “We’re proud to have worked with Corona from the beginning of the project to ensure that this sustainable destination demonstrates how travelers can experience paradise for both leisure and educational purposes, while leaving a minimal trace behind.”
While a primary criteria of the Blue Standard is to eliminate single-use plastics, which was achieved throughout the island from the boat you arrive on, to the kitchen, bungalows and the guest activities, plastics are just a starting point for these comprehensive efforts. Oceanic Global also considered the sourcing of materials for the construction, the design work handmade by local artisans, and the chef’s menu with responsible low-impact ingredients. All aspects of operations from the energy produced by solar panels, to the responsible wastewater infrastructure, to the separation and collection of recycling and composting, to the drinking water stored and delivered in reusable containers have been considered at length to meet the criteria of the Blue Standard.
Corona Island is not just a sustainable place to stay, it’s also an opportunity to learn how to coexist with nature as we ourselves are a part of nature. The educational experiences Oceanic Global co-created with the Corona team and local community as part of the “Blue School” brings that concept to life. Guests will have the opportunity to plant mangroves and snorkel to visit coral restoration projects that contribute to protecting these critical ecosystems.
Corona Island is an example of how we can rethink our relationship with our planet. A project born from the respect for nature, that can inspire others to protect it, and show everyone that small actions can transform the world and that our choices do matter.