The Bahamas Is Making a Big Sustainability Push – Caribbean Journal
From coral farms to carbon credits, The Bahamas is reshaping its tourism future by placing environmental sustainability at the center of its national agenda.
With 700 islands and cays spanning more than 100,000 square miles of ocean, the archipelago has made sustainability not only a policy priority—but a defining principle of its long-term tourism strategy. That focus comes as the destination continues to grow: The Bahamas welcomed 11.22 million international visitors in 2024, a 16.2 percent increase over 2023 and a 54.7 percent jump over pre-pandemic 2019.
“Our country’s leadership is rigorously focused on sustainability,” said the Hon. I. Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister 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.”
Marine Restoration, Climate Action and Biodiversity
The Bahamas has aligned its strategy with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, launching a portfolio of programs to protect biodiversity, restore ecosystems, and address the realities of climate change.
Among its most ambitious initiatives is the Bahamas Sustainable Investment Programme, which emphasizes financing mechanisms like Blue Carbon Credits—leveraging the carbon-absorbing power of the country’s extensive seagrass meadows.
On the ground, marine conservation is advancing through a number of local and national efforts. In Grand Bahama, Mangrove Mania, a community-led initiative launched by Waterkeepers Bahamas, is helping to restore mangrove systems destroyed by Hurricane Dorian in 2019. The island is also home to Coral Vita, a commercial coral farm using cutting-edge methods to accelerate coral growth and increase climate resilience.
Another major project—the work of the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust—focuses on protecting native species through habitat conservation. In partnership with local agencies, the initiative has led to the creation of five new national parks and the expansion of a sixth, preserving bonefish ecosystems that generate $169 million annually for the Bahamian economy.
Resorts and Hotels Embrace Sustainable Design
In the hospitality sector, both boutique properties and large-scale resorts are integrating sustainability into design, operations, and development planning.
On Andros Island, Tiamo Resort runs on solar energy, collects rainwater, and features 11 villas built with sustainably sourced pine and designed for passive cooling. In Eleuthera, The Other Side—a solar-powered luxury glamping resort—offers beachfront tents and hillside shacks with minimal impact construction and panoramic ocean views.
In Nassau, Atlantis Paradise Island continues to expand its environmental programming through the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, which supports marine habitat conservation, ecosystem restoration and environmental education across the country. The foundation’s work has helped protect more than 1 million acres of marine environments and contributed to the development of Marine Protected Areas throughout the archipelago.
That’s along with a unique property in Eleuthera that we’ve previously called the most sustainable hotel in the Caribbean: The Retreat.
A Long-Term Commitment to Sustainability
While tourism remains the largest sector of the Bahamian economy, officials say sustainability is critical to preserving the very resources that fuel that industry.
From investment incentives to grassroots restoration programs, The Bahamas is taking a two-way approach—developing its economy while safeguarding its ecosystems. For a country built on the ocean, that balance has become a blueprint for tourism resilience in the Caribbean.
Even better? Later this month, The Bahamas and Caribbean Journal will be launching the third edition of The Bahamas Travel and Sustainability Awards.
