Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — The Maldives is not an ordinary destination. As the lowest country in the world, water makes up 99% of its area, and more than a thousand islands spread across an area of 90,000 km.
The majority of the more than 160 Maldives resorts are located on individual islands, which means they must go to great lengths to minimize their impact on the country’s fragile environment.
But do tourists really care about the resorts’ sustainability certifications?
The answer is increasingly “yes”, says marine biologist Samuel Dixon, who worked with Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi more than five years before it opened.
Credit: Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi
As the luxury resort’s Sustainability Director, Dixon oversees all environmental initiatives at the 120-villa hotel, from protecting coral reefs to implementing special energy-saving strategies.
“We’re now seeing an exponential rise in the number of green travelers, particularly in the luxury hospitality market,” Dixon told CNN.
Credit: Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi
Dixon oversaw the installation of a new facility at the resort called the Sustainability Lab, which provides guests with a closer look at one of the biggest challenges facing the Maldives, plastic waste.
The center opened in early 2022 and is the first of its kind in the country.
Housed in a building made from recycled shipping containers, the center is filled with specialized machines that turn plastic waste into souvenirs, furniture and supplies for local schools.
Credit: Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi
The lab is also working to recycle discarded nets that are discarded from fishing boats, as they are particularly harmful to sea turtles.
“We remove 3-5kg of trash in the morning from this resort alone, and about 1-2kg of plastic. We collect it and take trips to other uninhabited islands as well,” Dixon explained.
Credit: Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi
Thanks to the lab, guests will not only be able to hear about the hotel’s plastic recycling efforts. “They can come and see it. They can visualize it, and actually be part of the process. And we try to make it as fun as possible,” Dixon noted.
Art installation and coral reef habitat
Credit: Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi
An additional resort facility that focuses on environmental protection is the Coralarium, located just a few meters off the coast of the main beach area.
The huge metal statue acts as a coral garden for the local wildlife, and guests can dive and explore the depths.
Credit: Fairmont Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi
“The Corralarium is intended to be a center for education and conservation,” Dixon said, adding that it is “made entirely of a material that has a neutral pH, so it is non-toxic to marine life and contains no harmful pollutants.”
The statue has been transformed into a “mini-habitat for marine life” with 120 species of fish moving into it.
Director of Sustainability Dixon feels very empowered to see that guests, young and old, are so interested in these previously neglected issues: “I feel proud when I think about how we have really adapted, being able to create a more sustainable environment within this hotel.”
2023-06-13 12:30:10
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