ROYAL CARIBBEAN ANNOUNCES PUBLIC CONSULTATION IN EARLY JUNE FOR ROYAL BEACH CLUB PROJECT

The Cruise Line Touts Government’s Strict Environmental Regulations

MIAMI, May 15, 2023 – Royal Caribbean International has announced that it will hold an additional public consultation in conjunction with The Bahamas’ Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP) on June 8 at 6:30 p.m. The consultation will provide the community the opportunity to ask questions regarding its 17-acre Royal Beach Club at Paradise Island as part of the process defined by DEPP.

Now that the company has received ‘approval in principle’ from the National Economic Council (NEC) – subject to appropriate environmental review – it is eager to address the environmental questions raised by the local community. Further details regarding the public consultation meeting will be announced in the coming days.

Jay Schneider, Chief Product Innovation Officer, Royal Caribbean International, following a recent visit to Nassau, lauded Government’s strict environmental protection and planning policies. He acknowledged that questions already raised by the community would be addressed and that any discussions before NEC’s conditional approval would have been premature.

Once the public consultation period has closed – in line with the DEPP process – Royal Caribbean will publish a detailed Environmental Management Plan (EMP) that outlines how the company will thoughtfully restore the long-neglected stretch of land on the western end of Paradise Island.

“The majority of the 13 acres we have purchased is far from pristine. There are remnants of abandoned and neglected buildings and houses — many built more than half a century ago with no restrictions on infrastructure. Today, what remains are crumbling structures, protruding rusting metal rebar, broken glass, furniture that has been tossed out and exposed to the elements, and debris and trash along with overgrown invasive vegetation,” said Schneider.

While clearing and clean-up will be one of the first steps in creating the beach experience, Royal Caribbean will go above and beyond the requirements of the environmental management process related to land use and marine life by monitoring bird activity, noise levels and regular reporting of coral reef health. Recently, the cruise line released its six environmental pillars for the development of the Royal Beach Club, that go above and beyond any other land-based tourism development in The Bahamas, including: zero waste-to-landfill, 100% renewable energy by 2030, best-in-class wastewater treatment, no dredging and no overwater cabanas, protecting the surrounding habitat, and local environmental monitoring.

“We are looking forward to creating a beach experience that will be a beautiful, environmentally conscientious experience owned in part by Bahamians and operated and enjoyed by Bahamians. The Royal Beach Club will dramatically restore and enhance the western stretch of Paradise Island and we invite others who seem concerned to follow us on our journey of restoration and inclusion,” said Schneider.

Crafted in close collaboration with Government, the Royal Beach Club will feature an unprecedented public-private partnership in which Bahamians will be invited to own up to 49% equity. The new project also will create opportunities for local businesses and entrepreneurs to manage the vast majority of the experience as well as hundreds of jobs for Bahamians across its construction and long-term operation. The 17-acre beach club will be made up of 13 acres of land owned by the cruise line and 4 acres of Crown Land. The Crown Land will be contributed as equity in the new venture to ensure a share of the profits return to the government and the Bahamian people in a first-of-its-kind agreement in The Bahamas. This, in addition to a new tourism levy, will go into reinvesting in the local community.