Want to stay on Corona Island? Beer brand opens eco-tourism destination to public

Back in 2021, Corona acquired the eco-protected island, adopting it for the use of “friends and family of the brand,” according to its vice-president, Clarissa Pantoja.

Back then, the world was in the grip of the similarly named Coronavirus, but several years on, the paradise has been opened up to public bookings via Airbnb, Expedia and Booking.com.

Corona Island sits 12 miles off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia. Its isolation means it needs to offer an all-round hospitality experience and, impressively, it has done so with eco-tourism in mind. It’s badged with marine conservation charity Oceanic Global’s three-star plastic-free Blue Seal for eliminating single-use plastics, making it the first and only island to do so.

Meanwhile, solar energy powers the operation and traditional building techniques such as bahareque have been employed, alongside the use of native plants such as guadua.

On offer, in addition to well-stocked supplies of Corona, are waterfront bungalows for two, each with its own jacuzzi, fresh local food and experiences that include yoga and stand-up paddle boarding. You can also take part in snorkeling coral reef restoration projects and planting mangroves, known for their carbon-capturing properties.

“It’s more than just relaxing; it’s remembering how important it is to live in harmony with nature and the programs you can choose from include making food with natural ingredients, which helps connect us to the natural world,” says Pantoja.

While the experience is choreographed to blend sustainable practices with a reconnection to the natural world, Pantoja is also keen to link this back to the product, which is “brewed with 100% natural ingredients,” she says.

“The island, for us, is an example to the world of what we believe in as there’s nothing more natural than protecting and being connected to nature,” she adds.

Corona is all in with the endeavor and although it hasn’t bought the island, it has leased it, so it does very much belong to the company – for now, at least.

Is Corona really a sustainably minded brand?

As with any projects of this nature, drawing attention to sustainably minded endeavors should really be a chance for a company to illuminate its attitude to environmental, social and governance (ESG) as a whole rather than demonstrate one project in isolation.

The actions that will really dictate the environmental impact of Corona and its parent company, AB InBev, take place across the whole lifecycle and supply chain of the product. Corona was not able to provide any figures on further efforts the brand is making to reduce its environmental impact, in particular around any journey towards net zero or the environmental impact of its factories, production and distribution.

However, since 2021, it has achieved a net zero plastic footprint by recovering more plastic from the environment than it uses.

Pantoja also reminds us that all of its bottles have always been glass, with only the ingredients label on the back made of plastic, and that the brand has used engraved bottles for 100 years.

She also answered that all-important question: lime in the top of the bottle or no lime? “Lime,” she says. “When the lime drops in, you’re in relaxation mode. The lime has become an icon itself.”