Caribbean Heavenly Beauty on Earth

SINT MAARTEN (COMMENTARY - By Cdr. Bud Slabbaert) - Paradise is a place of exceptional happiness and delight, and the eye doesn’t get tired looking at the surroundings. Beautification is the process of creating a near paradise by improving the appearance of a location.

The objective is to create a thriving environment that anyone loves spending time in. This most often emphasizes planting trees, shrubbery, and especially flowering plants. An island beautification program does more than just make the tourist destination look picturesque. It can be the basis of the way residents see themselves and boost feeling confident and attractive.

It is an insufferable arrogance of some human beings to ignore the beauty of nature as if it was conceivable that their location was solely made for their financial benefit and merely to ripen business opportunities. Having articulated that, let’s knock off the symposium and get to activities.

A beautification program isn’t a single event (“Fix-Up or Clean-Up Day”), but rather a strategy to maintain, enhance, and/or change the character of a location with the focus on the long term. There is more about how prettification can be implemented by adding feel-well-and-happy enhancement.

A Beautification Awards program can encourage beautification activities and at the same time be a way of saying “thank you” for taking pride in a property and keeping it beautified. Private entities like banks or other businesses could sponsor the awards. It would be their way of contributing to island-beautification.

Several Caribbean islands have a national flower. Twenty plus islands in the region, but only seven have a national flower. A sense of pride may be associated with the national flower being chosen to represent the people or a meaningful value. Besides beauty and gorgeousness, it could be a symbol of warm welcoming hospitality. In Hawaii, a ‘Lei’ is a garland or necklace of flowers given to guests as a token of welcome or farewell.

Let flowers transform the island’s environment into a wash of color. There are about 30 beautiful types of Caribbean flowers. The region’s tropical climate supports a diverse range of stunning, brightly colored, exotic-looking blossoms. In joy and in sadness, flowers are our constant friends. The bridal bouquet is part of the happiest day of a couple. The flowers at a cemetery are a show of everlasting love and respect. Roses are red and violets are blue but never underestimate what flower power can do.

Studies have found that women engage in beautification behaviors to increase both assertiveness and mood. Let adornment be applied to a destination and turned into social capital of value and admiration. What if the destination gets the reputation of being the ‘Caribbean Beauty Salon’? How about travel journalists describing it as the ‘Exotic Oasis’ that reflects the beauty of the island. However, appearance-enhancing products and quality must go in before the brand goes on.

Often the word heritage is mentioned in destination promotions. If one is proud of one’s heritage and local cultural landmarks, it is worth pointing to the treasure with a brief explanation. Historical markers are signs that tell stories of places, illustrious persons, and exceptional events or achievements in history. They can also link local present and future generations to the previous generations. When there is no space for a free-standing sign, a commemorative plaque can be attached to a wall or any vertical surface.

Wayfinding signage to guide and direct visitors is nothing new. Decorative street signs, away from standard can upgrade the look and feel of the natural as well as the suburban landscape. It can improve the visual aesthetic of a community. Let local artists be inspired by heritage or culture to design wayfinding signs that are boosting appeal.

Streetscape is the scenery of the street or pedestrian zone. Various objects like planters can contribute to an interesting streetscape that entices people to linger or explore. A bench initiative increases the amount of public seating on streets and retail corridors, encouraging pedestrians to hang back, rest, and observe the street activity. Pedestrian friendliness should make walking on foot enjoyable. Especially in the natural landscape there should be a bench for a short rest to enjoy the vibrance of the environment.

A positive change in the physical attractiveness of a destination will have a profound positive effect on residents’ self-image and the way they are perceived by guests and visitors. When residents notice the beautification, they develop pride about their community. If they’ve been part of the change, they’ll take ownership of it and work to sustain it over time. They may feel motivated to change other things in their lives as well.

Beautification will boost tourism and lead to economic development and cultural opportunities. It will create a truly inclusive community held together by the strong web of social capital. A location with those characteristics is more than a place to live or stayover: it is proud possession of a beloved home and a feeling of empowerment.

Compared with the stress of human civilization, on a paradisic island there is presumed to be only peace, contentment, and ever-lasting bliss and fulfillment. A location for people looking for inspiration in a quiet lifestyle. Offering privacy, serenity, and the chance to relax properly during vacation or residence. The highest level of loyalty to a destination is manifested by the intention of tourists to repeat their visits or make recommendations to third parties.

Yet, there are some believe in developing an island that is like an amusement park and a place where visitors can gallivant or do the funky rhinoceros in a disco in the pursuit of pleasure or entertainment.

Not only is there free choice of which destination concept one prefers, yet it may also signal the image and reputation the destination has.

In order for a destination to be successful, sustainable and viable, it is important to identify the attributes that lead tourists to choose one destination over another. There are two sure facts. Beautiful natural landscapes or unique flora and fauna are the main drivers of tourism. And, we are guardians, protecting and keeping safe what we have been entrusted.