The Maldives is a group of 26 coral atolls within the Indian Ocean that’s globally famend for luxurious island resorts, over water bungalows, pristine white sand seashores and extraordinary marine life. Every atoll is exclusive, made by the sluggish erosion of volcanic islands which go away a hoop of coral islands surrounded by the clear blue waters which can be synonymous with this luxurious vacation vacation spot. With greater than 250 species of exhausting coral and 1100 species of fish calling the Maldives house, we have to be collectively accountable for their survival. Tourism continues to be rising within the Maldives and with new resorts opening each 12 months, it’s now extra necessary than ever to advertise and assist sustainable tourism initiatives.
It’s our accountability as international travellers to make sustainable decisions wherever doable. After all, our actions in flying all over the world have enormous influence, but when we want to journey that’s type of inconceivable to keep away from and definitely impractical to achieve each nook of this enchanting planet. What we will do nevertheless, is to hunt out inns and resorts in our chosen vacation spot which can be making efforts to develop sustainable practices, and work in direction of decreasing the influence that journey and tourism creates. Anybody who has been lucky sufficient to go to the Maldives, will admire simply how distinctive the setting is, with coral atolls, pristine reefs and ample marine life highlighting the pure magnificence. It’s inside fragile eco methods like these the place the necessity for sustainable practices is paramount, and the place efforts to be extra sustainable can have essentially the most influence. With tourism persevering with to develop exponentially within the Maldives, there has by no means been a extra necessary time for the tourism trade to ‘do the best factor’ and for vacationers and travellers to assist these resort that achieve this.
Six Senses Kanuhura
It was no shock that the most recent Six Senses resort within the Maldives had sustainable tourism as certainly one of their core values. The merely gorgeous Six Senses Kanuhura has embraced the idea and have a number of initiatives which can be obvious once you discover the pristine island. From fruits, greens and mushrooms which can be grown on the island to shifting in direction of menus that can be 40% plant based mostly, and from interplay with group and conservation efforts to declaring that Maldivian seagrass meadows ought to be protected, each effort is made to make sure that the sustainability targets of Six Senses are achieved and exceeded. While some resorts select to take away the seagrass and the ecosystem companies they supply in an effort to create ‘crystal clear lagoons’, the groups at Six Senses Kanuhura and Six Senses Laamu (each within the Maldives) have actively promoted their environmental significance within the area to different resorts. This marketing campaign has been endorsed and supported by the Maldives Ministry of Tourism which can additional promote the constructive influence from defending these endangered sea grass meadows.
When asking Jeff Smith (Vice President of Sustainability at Six Senses) how they make sustainable and accountable tourism ‘enjoyable’ for his or her company he spoke passionately about Earth Lab. At every Six Senses resort, that is the place company are invited to hitch interactive workshops which can be each instructional and enjoyable. Whether or not that’s studying methods to make your personal pure toothpaste, zero waste candles and domestically sourced coconut oil or studying about coral restoration, recycling and composting, there are courses and actions for all that may most definitely make you concentrate on methods to scale back our influence on the planet. Trying ahead, he talked about group large initiatives together with a ‘bioblitz’ the place citizen science can be used to doc biodiversity, and a seed saving program that may present a lot wanted seeds to the native farmers and communities.
JA Manafaru
As the primary resort within the Maldives from the Dubai based mostly JA Lodges & Resorts, it was nice to see that they’ve embraced sustainable tourism practices on the idyllic JA Manafaru which is situated within the pristine Haa Alif Atoll. Common Supervisor, Jason Kruse talked about how “sustainability is essential to JA Manafaru” and this was clear to see throughout our time on the island. The island gardens produce fruits, greens and mushrooms, while as many merchandise as doable are produced on the island. Each of those initiatives scale back pointless packaging and the adverse influence of meals miles. Along with these, by providing company intensive vegetarian, vegan and plant based mostly meals choices by way of their modern and resort large ‘Wellness Your Approach’ menus they’re additional including to their sustainability initiatives and decreasing the influence of tourism at JA Manafaru.
You received’t discover plastic water bottles or plastic straws at JA Manafaru, even the toothbrushes and razors are comprised of sustainable bamboo. Each facet of life is being always scrutinised, in an effort to search out new methods to reduce the environmental influence. Refillable dispensers in every lavatory comprise domestically produced, natural and paraben free facilities which can be each plant based mostly and reef pleasant, eliminating the necessity for single use plastic. Jason Kruse additionally spoke of present photo voltaic panels and a brand new waste administration system that’s in improvement, which alongside procuring produce with much less packaging and composting a lot of the meals waste will see additional constructive impacts. All ingesting water is desalinated on the island utilizing reverse osmosis, earlier than being remineralised and distributed all through the island in planet pleasant glass bottles, one other step in direction of decreasing the necessity for single use plastic at JA Manafaru.
The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort
As a part of Marriott Worldwide, the sustainability initiatives at The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort observe the group large 2025 Sustainability and Social Impression Targets. These targets deal with the truth that as the biggest resort operator on the planet, they’ve an excellent better obligation than most to function responsibly with their ever increasing international presence. Sustainability initiatives at The Westin Maldives embody a meals composting machine that makes use of meals waste to supply fertaliser for the 1200 sq. foot ‘Chef Backyard’ the place an array of recent produce are cultivated, offering natural farm to-table components to the resort’s eating places and bars. The completion of a formidable photo voltaic vitality undertaking in August 2024 has already supplied the specified outcomes eradicating greater than 77,000kg of CO2 emissions within the first 3 months of operation. Common Supervisor, Mr Vijay Kumar commented “sustainability is essential and we’re dedicated to creating options to minimise the influence we’ve on this lovely eco-system, our new panels will serve to harness the sunshine we’re blessed with within the Maldives and scale back our reliance on vitality sources akin to diesel.”
The bottled water plant at The Westin Maldives produces 500 to 1000 litres each day, that means that the water wants of all visitor rooms and eating shops are met. Seawater is desalinated and filtered by way of water therapy methods and reverse osmosis membranes to take away the salt and different impurities. The purified water is then sterilised, mineralised, and bottled beneath hygienic circumstances in biodegradable glass bottles. This gives an eco pleasant and important different to imported bottled water and removes the usage of single use plastic water bottles solely. Carbon emissions are lowered by eliminating the necessity to import water from the mainland and by integrating the lately put in photo voltaic panels, the carbon footprint is additional lowered.
When tourism launched in 1972 with the opening of Kurumba Maldives, it was inconceivable to foretell how tourism within the Maldives would look at present. In 2024 there at the moment are near 200 resorts and lots of different vacationer amenities together with visitor homes and dive vessels. The Noovilu Seaplane Terminal opened in 2023 which sees over 500 flights day by day, while the model new terminal at Male Worldwide Airport will have the ability to handle in extra of seven million passengers yearly. Tourism within the Maldives is really alive and kicking with continued international demand, so it’s solely proper that sustainable tourism within the Maldives turns into the subsequent massive factor permitting future generations to get pleasure from every little thing that the Maldives has to supply.
Paul Eyers
Paul Eyers is co-founder of Vegan Meals Quest who write about luxurious inns and resorts in Southeast Asia with a concentrate on sustainable journey, eco journey and vegan journey. At present based mostly in Malaysia, Paul additionally writes about sporting occasions and among the best golf programs all through the area.
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