KRALENDIJK- Bonaire is starting to actively recruit a crew of eco-minded individuals for its newly launched Earthonauts campaign. Equal parts volunteer opportunity and wide-eyed exploration, the program invites visitors to experience one of our planet’s last remaining untouched frontiers: Bonaire.
As the whole world looks toward space as the next trend in travel, this initiative was developed as a reminder that there are still places left to explore on our own planet – such as Bonaire.
To support this mission, Bonaire is targeting billionaire space tourists through an awareness campaign that invites the likes of Elon Musk, Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos to put their astro-aspirations on hold and encourage people to focus on exploring Earth in a responsible way. Through highly-targeted media placements, these leaders in space tourism are being invited to join the inaugural Earthonauts mission by way of billboards outside of their private launch sites (Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic and SpaceX) and offices.
“We are using these very specific ad spaces to get the attention of some of the world’s most influential people who could help the campaign strike the right chord,” said Troy Dunn, Founder and President of Dunn&Co, Bonaire’s advertising agency of record. “All three of these billionaires have contributed to the Earth in their own ways and we’re asking them to bring that same energy to Bonaire. This is an invitation to experience the final frontier on our home planet.”
While Musk, Bezos and Branson are receiving personal invitations to join the mission, any interested travelers can apply by submitting a video on JoinTheEarthonauts.com. Five Earthonauts will be carefully selected to receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Bonaire to assist with local conservation efforts while exploring this unspoiled destination. An island known for protecting its natural environment for decades, the Earthonauts will aid in furthering Bonaire’s Blue Destination mission.
“We know that our planet still has things to teach us, secrets to share, and new wonders for us to behold,” said Miles B. M. Mercera, Tourism Corporation Bonaire CEO. “That’s why we’re launching the Earthonauts program and sending eco-conscious travelers to the island. We want to create awareness of the natural beauty that is in everyone’s “backyard” and encourage more travelers to be part of responsibly exploring and enjoying it.”
The Earthonauts’ mission, if they choose to accept it, will include participating in supporting projects such as opening the mangrove channels in Lac Bay with the Mangrove Maniacs, a reef restoration program comprised of local dive shops facilitating a restoration dive, maintaining the Bonaire Donkey Sanctuary, partaking in youth projects like musical instrument building with Mangazina di Rei, and assisting marine biologists in the island’s national park with their coral research.
Sustaining
The ultimate goal of the Earthonauts program is to not only show the world just how deeply Bonaire is invested in the future of our planet, but how important it is for its visitors to be a part of sustaining this beautiful island (and the world beyond) for generations to come. This initiative also comes on the heels of the island launching its destination pledge, The Bonaire Bond, on Earth Day earlier this year, a program designed to serve as a reminder of how critical sustainable tourism is to the livelihood of its local community.
The deadline to apply to join the Earthonauts’ mission is October 1, 2022. The five finalists will be announced on October 10, 2022, and embark on a five-day journey to the island in November 2022. To qualify, applicants must be a U.S. citizen, 18 years or older, able to travel in mid-November 2022, and physically capable of assisting local conservation groups. A diver’s certification is a plus, but not required.
