WILLEMSTAD - The Curaçao government has announced plans to implement a licensing system for Klein Curaçao, an uninhabited island located about 11 kilometers southeast of Curaçao. The move is aimed at steering tourism and recreational activities on the island toward sustainable development. 

To ensure the success of the project, the GMN ministry has engaged two organizations, Carmabi and EcoSense, to conduct a total of four studies into the sustainable development of Klein Curaçao. These studies will include the monitoring of the ecosystem and will be carried out with funding from the European Union. The project is set to last for 12 months. 

Klein Curaçao was designated a Ramsar area in 2018. The Ramsar Convention is the oldest international treaty in the field of nature conservation, and it makes a significant contribution to the conservation of wetlands, which in turn is important for biodiversity. The implementation of a licensing system for Klein Curaçao will help to ensure that tourism and recreational activities on the island are conducted in a sustainable manner that is respectful of the island's fragile ecosystem. 

The move to implement a licensing system for Klein Curaçao comes at a time when many destinations around the world are grappling with over-tourism and its associated negative impacts. By putting measures in place to manage tourism and recreational activities on the island, the Curaçao government is taking a proactive approach to ensure that the island's unique natural environment is preserved for future generations.