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. Each atoll is exclusive, made by the gradual erosion of volcanic islands which depart a hoop of coral islands surrounded by the clear blue waters which might be synonymous with this luxurious vacation vacation spot. With greater than 250 species of laborious coral and 1100 species of fish calling the Maldives residence, we should be collectively accountable for their survival. Tourism remains to be rising within the Maldives and with new resorts opening every yr, it’s now extra vital than ever to advertise and assist sustainable tourism initiatives.
It’s our duty as international travellers to make sustainable selections wherever potential. Of course, our actions in flying all over the world have enormous impression, but when we want to journey that’s sort of inconceivable to keep away from and positively impractical to succeed in each nook of this enchanting planet. What we will do nevertheless, is to hunt out motels and resorts in our chosen vacation spot which might be making efforts to develop sustainable practices, and work in the direction of decreasing the impression that journey and tourism creates. Anyone who has been lucky sufficient to go to the Maldives, will admire simply how distinctive the setting is, with coral atolls, pristine reefs and considerable marine life highlighting the pure magnificence. It’s inside fragile eco programs like these the place the necessity for sustainable practices is paramount, and the place efforts to be extra sustainable can have probably the most impression. With tourism persevering with to develop exponentially within the Maldives, there has by no means been a extra vital time for the tourism business to ‘do the right thing’ and for vacationers and travellers to assist these resort that achieve this.
Six Senses Kanuhura
It was no shock that the latest Six Senses resort within the Maldives had sustainable tourism as considered one of their core values. The merely beautiful Six Senses Kanuhura has embraced the idea and have a number of initiatives which might be obvious if you discover the pristine island. From fruits, greens and mushrooms which might be grown on the island to shifting in the direction of menus that might be 40% plant based mostly, and from interplay with group and conservation efforts to declaring that Maldivian seagrass meadows must be protected, each effort is made to make sure that the sustainability objectives of Six Senses are achieved and exceeded. Whilst some resorts select to take away the seagrass and the ecosystem providers they supply as a way 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 is able to additional promote the optimistic impression 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 ‘fun’ for his or her friends he spoke passionately about Earth Lab. At every Six Senses resort, that is the place friends are invited to affix interactive workshops which might be each academic and enjoyable. Whether that’s studying how one can make your individual pure toothpaste, zero waste candles and regionally sourced coconut oil or studying about coral restoration, recycling and composting, there are lessons and actions for all that can most actually make you concentrate on how one can scale back our impression on the planet. Looking ahead, he talked about group huge initiatives together with a ‘bioblitz’ the place citizen science might be used to doc biodiversity, and a seed saving program that can 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 Hotels & 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. General Manager, Jason Kruse talked about how “sustainability is very important 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 potential are produced on the island. Both of those initiatives scale back pointless packaging and the destructive impression of meals miles. In addition to those, by providing friends in depth vegetarian, vegan and plant based mostly meals choices via their modern and resort huge ‘Wellness Your Way’ menus they’re additional including to their sustainability initiatives and decreasing the impression of tourism at JA Manafaru.
You received’t discover plastic water bottles or plastic straws at JA Manafaru, even the toothbrushes and razors are constituted of sustainable bamboo. Every side of life is being continuously scrutinised, in an effort to seek out new methods to reduce the environmental impression. Refillable dispensers in every lavatory include regionally produced, natural and paraben free facilities which might be each plant based mostly and reef pleasant, eliminating the necessity for single use plastic. Jason Kruse additionally spoke of current 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 optimistic 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 the direction of decreasing the necessity for single use plastic at JA Manafaru.
The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort
As a part of Marriott International, the sustainability initiatives at The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort comply with the group huge 2025 Sustainability and Social Impact Goals. These objectives tackle the truth that as the biggest resort operator on this planet, they’ve a fair larger 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 Garden’ the place an array of contemporary 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 mission in August 2024 has already supplied the specified outcomes eradicating greater than 77,000kg of CO2 emissions within the first 3 months of operation. General Manager, Mr Vijay Kumar commented “sustainability is key and we are committed to creating solutions to minimise the impact we have on this beautiful eco-system, our new panels will serve to harness the sunshine we are blessed with in the Maldives and reduce our reliance on energy sources such as diesel.”
The bottled water plant at The Westin Maldives produces 500 to 1000 litres every day, that means that the water wants of all visitor rooms and eating retailers are met. Seawater is desalinated and filtered via water therapy programs and reverse osmosis membranes to take away the salt and different impurities. The purified water is then sterilised, mineralised, and bottled beneath hygienic situations in biodegradable glass bottles. This supplies an eco pleasant and important various to imported bottled water and removes using single use plastic water bottles totally. Carbon emissions are diminished 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 right this moment. In 2024 there are actually 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 International 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 following massive factor permitting future generations to take pleasure in every thing that the Maldives has to supply.
Paul Eyers
Paul Eyers is co-founder of Vegan Food Quest who write about luxurious motels and resorts in Southeast Asia with a give attention to sustainable journey, eco journey and vegan journey. Currently based mostly in Malaysia, Paul additionally writes about sporting occasions and a few of the most interesting golf programs all through the area.
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