Bocachica is an under-served village on an undeveloped island. The roads are not paved and there is still no running water. Access to education is limited, unemployment is high, and those lucky enough to find work must often support entire families on the Colombian minimum wage of less than $10 a day.
But like all people, all over, Bocachiqueros are proud, charming, hard working and ambitious for themselves, their families and their community. As one of the only sources of formal employment in the area, Blue Apple's goal as a business is to offer guests the best experience possible, while also creating opportunities for our neighbours and being a respectful and contributive member of the community.
We employ local people where we can, from Bocachica and from other villages on Tierra Bomba and the islands around Cartagena. Most of the tours and activities we offer are owned and run by local people. Our staff is all on contract, with all the associated social security and benefits, and we offer subsidised English lessons.
We are constantly reviewing and improving our supply chain, choosing local and independent suppliers wherever we can and considering the environmental and social impact of every peso we spend. We buy fish locally when it makes sense, but we are careful not to overfish the area's water or encourage irresponsible fishing methods.
When you visit Blue Apple, you are making a difference to a local community
one step further
In 2018, we started an independent not-for-profit which assists not only Blue Apple, but several other hotels, bars and restaurants in Cartagena in being more environmentally aware and responsible. We are proud to have created 5 jobs and diverted nearly 100 tonnes of waste from landfill so far.