As part of its ongoing commitment to responsible tourism, La Quinta Beach Resort dedicated its most recent Eagle’s Nest Gathering to a topic essential to our island: the protection of sea turtles. For this occasion, the resort invited Turtugaruba Foundation to connect directly with its members and stakeholders.
During the evening, Turtugaruba shared insights about their work, including beach monitoring, rescue efforts, scientific research, and community education. The message was clear: protecting sea turtles is not the responsibility of one organization alone, but a shared responsibility between the tourism sector, the local community, and visitors.
On March 1, the sea turtle nesting season on Aruba’s beaches officially began. Residents and visitors are encouraged to remain alert for turtle activity from March through September. Anyone who notices possible sea turtle movement can contact the Turtle Hotline (+297 592 9393) and share a photo or video together with the location where the activity was observed.
Artificial light—including phone screens, camera flashes, and vehicle lights—can disorient sea turtles, especially hatchlings. When visiting the beach at night, it is important to maintain darkness and respect the natural nesting process.
La Quinta has taken concrete steps by adapting all exterior lighting to meet sea turtle protection standards, reducing artificial light impact on the beach and supporting conservation of the species.
Sea turtles do something extraordinary: every two to five years, they return to the same beach where they were born to lay their eggs. Just as locals feel pride for Aruba, these turtles return to their birthplace to continue their life cycle on our island.
The resort continues to strengthen its role as an ally in the survival of this species and encourages hotels and establishments located near Aruba’s beaches to implement similar practices. Those interested can also contact Turtugaruba directly for guidance or to become a volunteer.
According to data shared by the Turtugaruba Foundation, only one out of every 1,000 hatchlings survives to reach adulthood. A simple change in lighting can therefore make the difference between life or death, conservation or extinction.
