(NEWS) BERLIN, 2026-Jul-2 — /Travel PR News/ — Island destinations face a particular waste challenge: tourism can bring vital economic activity, but it also increases pressure on limited landfill capacity, coastal ecosystems and local recycling systems.
The TUI Care Foundation is launching the next phase of Destination Zero Waste Curaçao in partnership with local organisation Green Phenix, according to a press release published by TUI Care Foundation. The initiative aims to expand plastic collection, recycling and upcycling across Curaçao while involving more tourism and hospitality businesses in circular economy solutions.
The first phase of the project established collection systems with more than 40 businesses and helped collect over 50 tonnes of waste. Revenue generated from upcycled products contributed to operational costs while supporting inclusive employment opportunities for women, young people and people with limited access to the labour market.
The second two-year phase will expand participation to nearly 100 tourism and hospitality businesses across the island. The project aims to manage 25 tonnes of plastic waste and 30 tonnes of other waste materials through collection, sorting, recycling and upcycling.
Collected plastics will be sorted at a dedicated facility and directed through different pathways depending on the material. Some will be recycled or upcycled by Green Phenix, some processed by partners, some returned into international recycling value chains, and some tested for local applications such as building materials.
The initiative also adds a regional knowledge-sharing element across the six Dutch Caribbean islands, allowing the Curaçao model to be shared with other island destinations seeking practical circular economy solutions.
The programme forms part of TUI Care Foundation’s wider Destination Zero Waste initiative, which supports waste reduction, reuse and circular economy projects in tourism destinations including Zanzibar, Mauritius, Cyprus, Greece, Menorca, Sicily and Mexico.
