Travel & Culture

The Sustainability Lab: A Pioneering New Project at Fairmont Maldives

Published

2 years ago

07/02/2022

MNN

Fairmont Maldives Sirru Fen Fushi, a private island in the remote Shaviyani atoll, has unveiled the latest in a series of pioneering environmental projects – the Sustainability Lab – the first of its kind in the archipelago. A hub of eco-education, the Sustainability Lab will turn plastic waste into bespoke souvenirs and unique products, educate guests and empower local communities. With the launch of our Sustainability Lab project, we aspire to be as close to zero waste as we can using current and future technology improvements to allow us to find better ways to reduce, reuse, recycle and upcycle our waste, whilst inspiring others globally to help secure a better future for our oceans and communities.

As tourism continues to grow and develop in the Maldives, so too does concern regarding single-use plastics and its impact on the pristine ecosystems – experts claim that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. Fairmont Maldives’ mission? To fully recycle all the plastic, waste generated by the resort and surrounding local communities, and ultimately, remove ocean plastic from the Maldivian environment.

Minister Aminath Shauna (Maldives’ Minister of Environment), Minister Mariya Ahmed Didi (Maldives’ Minister of Defence), and Ms. Sabra Ibrahim Noordeen (Maldives’ Special Envoy for Climate Change) were present during the ribbon-cutting ceremony held last 3rd February 2022.

Turning Waste into Wonder

Specialised machinery in the Sustainability Lab will transform and repurpose plastic waste into beautiful bespoke souvenirs, including luggage tags in the shape of turtles, mantas and sharks. After plastic has been collected from the beach, reef, and ocean, they are separated alongside glass and aluminium, before a series of machines are used to shred, melt, shape and press it into various products – an extruder melts plastic into moulds to create unique shapes, a sheet press will make custom designed furniture and low-grade plastic, glass and sand will be transformed into recycled plastic building bricks. The resort has already processed over 725 kg of plastic in the lab to date, turning the waste into exquisite and unique furniture, useful stationary for local schools including rulers, clipboards, and carabiner hooks, as well as turtle-shaped luggage tags for guests.

Community Upliftment

Community upliftment is part of Fairmont’s DNA, and the Sustainability Lab will eventually become a recycling centre in the atoll and beyond, creating a culture of sustainability and accountability in local communities. Surrounding islands will be encouraged to collect, sort, and recycle their plastic waste by sending it to Fairmont Maldives rather than leaving it to landfill or to be disposed of in the ocean.

What’s more, the resort has partnered with seven local schools in Shaviyani Atoll for the Fairmont Award Scheme, whereby the sustainability team will visit the schools to teach classes and host workshops on recycling, marine biodiversity, climate change and ocean conservation. Local children are also invited to visit the resort to witness the Sustainability Lab in action in addition to the island’s other conservation projects; encouraging the next generation to care passionately about protecting their natural ecosystem.

Educating the Next Generation of Eco-Conscious Travellers

The Sustainability Lab will become the centre of Fairmont Maldives’ wider sustainability initiatives, offering a variety of educational programmes and activities to provide guests with first-hand experience in conservation research. Guests can join the sustainability team to collect plastic waste before learning how to use the machines and make their own products, learning the importance of segregating and recycling plastic and how it can be commoditised to make beautiful bespoke gifts and souvenirs.

Pioneering Programmes

One of the biggest problems facing sea turtles in the world today is the large quantity of plastic polluting the oceans. To emphasise the importance of tackling this issue, Fairmont Maldives has launched their Turtle Ranger Program, whereby guests can learn about the various conservation methods and techniques to better protect this endangered species, and help our marine biology department collect Photo ID tracking data, which we collect on behalf of our partner the Olive Ridley Project, a Maldives-based NGO focused on turtle research. Guests can join the Marine Biologist to protect turtle nests, assist hatchlings in their journey from nest to ocean, rescuing turtles entangled in ghost nets and collecting vital tracking data to monitor migration patterns.

As part of the programme, the resort now tracks over 50 resident Hawksbill turtles, and in 2021, they released over 1,200 baby green turtles born on the east coast of the resort. The Turtle Rangers also carry out workshops in the Sustainability Lab, converting plastic removed during beach cleaning into turtle shaped products using the innovative recycling machines.

These initiatives are part of Fairmont Maldives’ Save the Ocean programme which is split into three key projects; reef conservation and protection, the Sustainability Lab, and an educational awareness campaign to resort guests and the local community. Each project focuses on different aspects of a sustainable way of saving the ocean and protecting marine biodiversity in the Maldives.

Source: Visit Maldives

Travel & Culture

Maldives welcomes nearly 100,000 tourists from China

Published

18 hours ago

16/05/2024

Maldives has witnessed a remarkable surge in tourism, with nearly 100,000 tourists welcomed so far this year, spearheaded by a significant influx from China. While China ranked third in tourist arrivals last year, it has ascended to the top spot by May 14 of this year, with 92,773 visitors, comprising approximately 11.1% of total arrivals. Following closely behind is Russia, with 84,162 tourists.

The exponential increase in Chinese tourist arrivals marks a noteworthy shift in travel patterns, considering that China occupied the 27th spot in tourist arrival rankings in the previous year.

Statistics from the Ministry of Tourism reveal a robust uptick in tourism overall, with 833,728 tourists having visited the Maldives by this point in the year, reflecting an impressive 11.6% increase compared to the same period last year.

The top countries contributing to tourist arrivals in the Maldives include China, Russia, the UK, Italy, and Germany. On average, each tourist spends approximately seven days in the Maldives, with an average of 4,263 visitors arriving daily. This consistent influx has spurred the government to set an ambitious target of attracting 2 million tourists by year-end.

To achieve this goal, collaborative efforts between the government and the tourism industry are underway, with various promotional activities planned to showcase the Maldives as an irresistible destination for travelers worldwide.

Source(s): PsmNews

Travel & Culture

Maldives named ITB China 2024’s official partner destination

Published

2 days ago

15/05/2024

Maldives has been named as the Official Partner Destination of ITB China 2024.

ITB China 2024 will be held in Shanghai from May 27th to May 29th. Maldives will showcase its offerings ITB China’s largest national pavilion with more than 40 travel companies as co-exhibitors during the three-day B2B event.

The aim of the partnership is to attract more Chinese tourists – which currently stands as the top tourist market to the Maldives – and to put the island destination in the spotlight of China’s outbound travel market, as reported by Travel Trade Maldives (TTM).

Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC)’s CEO and Managing Director Fathimath Thaufeeg remarked that Maldives is honored to be designated the title.

“We are excited about the opportunity to engage with our global partners and the travel trade from China to share the latest updates about the Maldives, our tourism products and unparalleled offerings. This partnership allows us to showcase our destination’s unique beauty and reinforce our position as the top-of-mind destination for travelers from China and worldwide,” she added.

During the event, MMPRC will host various engaging activities within its booth to showcase and promote the wide range of tourism offerings. Attendees can participate in B2B meetings and insightful interviews to learn more about the island destination. They can also immerse themselves in gastronomical and cultural experiences to taste the authentic culture and heritage of the Maldives.

MMPRC will provide information about the latest products, services, and experiences through promotional materials and face-to-face meetings. They are also scheduled to hold a press conference on the first day of the event to provide the opportunity for engagement with and from attending media.

Source(s): sun.mv

Travel & Culture

Maldives sweeps WTAs with four titles in Indian Ocean category

Published

2 weeks ago

06/05/2024

Maldives has won four prestigious titles at the World Travel Awards (WTA) – Indian Ocean category, including the award for the region’s leading destination.

The WTA Indian Ocean awards were presented on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) at Dubai World Trade Center on Monday.

The Maldives won:

Indian Ocean’s Leading Destination 2024
Indian Ocean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination 2024
Indian Ocean’s Leading Green Destination 2024
Indian Ocean’s Leading Dive Destination 2024

The award for Indian Ocean’s Leading Destination was accepted by Tourism Minister Ibrahim Faisal, whole the award for Indian Ocean’s Leading Honeymoon Destination was accepted by Ayesha Nurain Janah, Chairperson of Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC).

Meanwhile, the award for Indian Ocean’s Leading Green Destination was accepted by MMPRC’s Managing Director Fathmath Thaufeeq, and the award for Indian Ocean’s Leading Dive Destination was accepted by Mohamed Khaleel, an advisor to the Maldivian president on tourism development.

In a statement announcing the achievement, MMPRC said the significance of the awards highlights the Maldives’ standing as an unparalleled tourist destination, showcases the country’s commitment to delivering unforgettable experiences to visitors from around the world, and reinforces the continued efforts of MMPRC in promoting and developing the nation’s tourism sector.

Maldives has dominated the WTA Indian Ocean awards since the category was introduced in 2003, winning the Leading Destination title 17 times, the Leading Honeymoon Destination title six times, and the Leading Dive Destination title nine times.

But this marks the first year the Maldives has been recognized as a Green Destination, highlighting the country’s commitment to sustainable tourism.

“Winning these awards will indeed enhance the image of the destination as a high-profile luxury destination among visitors. These awards indicate visitors’ love and confidence towards the Maldives, a huge step towards World’s Leading Destination!” reads the MMPRC’s statement.

Established in 1993, the WTA are widely regarded as one of the most respected and popular awards in the world of travel and tourism. Symbolizing the most outstanding endorsement in tourism, and the travel industry, the awards aim to recognize and reward achievements in all aspects of travel and tourism on a global scale.

Maldives was crowned the World’s Leading Destination for the fourth year running at the 2023 World Travel Awards.

The Indian Ocean destination recorded 1.8 million arrivals last year, and is eying a record 2 million visitors this year.

Source(s): sun.mv