SHERATON MALDIVES FULL MOON RESORT & SPA OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY

BY MOHAMED EL AGHOURY, GENERAL MANAGER, SHERATON MALDIVES FULL MOON RESORT & SPA

Sustainability has become a business requirement within the hospitality industry, as today's travelers are increasingly concerned about the impact of their actions on the environment. Hotels and resorts around the globe have realized the importance of adopting sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprint, minimize waste, and encourage rehabilitation. As the General Manager of Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa, I am delighted to share some of our eco-initiatives that demonstrate our commitment to protecting the natural beauty of our island for future generations.

Located on Furanafushi Island, among the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean, just a short 15 minute speedboat ride from Velana International Airport, the resort has undertaken a series of initiatives that align with Marriott International's Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction and Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy. This aims to create opportunities for guests to forge firsthand connections with local communities and the environment during their stay, promoting both cultural understanding and positive change.

Our role is pivotal in the context of sustainable tourism, and we have adopted several initiatives to promote responsible travel and leisure. A key step towards increasing our sustainability efforts is the implementation of our ‘Adopt A Coral’ initiative –introduced in collaboration with Reefscapers, a coral propagation organization appointed by the Maldivian Government. This program invites guests to participate in a coral fragment planting activity in an effort to promote reef habitats and generate new coral colonies.

Maldives’ coral reefs are unique ecosystems that provide vital support for marine life and play a critical role in maintaining the tropical marine environment through their contribution to the food web, creation of habitat, and the carbon cycle. The aim of coral restoration is to ensure a proactive approach to transplanting more coral fragments on the frames that will spawn and, once matured, rehabilitate coral reefs around the islands. Coral spawning increases genetic diversity and – when successful – indicates that reefs are slowly recovering from previous, large-scale bleaching events. Through the coral propagation program, the resort’s team has rescued over 6,000 coral fragments from 15 different coral species, providing them with a second chance to thrive in the seventh largest coral reef in the world. Since its inception, we witnessed several successful coral spawning events, a key milestone in the sustainability of our project. We encourage our guests to participate in the 'Adopt A Coral' program, with the assistance of an on-site a marine biologist who educates them on and guides them through the restoration process for reef habitats and the production of new coral colonies.

For years, tons of plastic end up in the world’s oceans, severely and often fatally impacting the sur- rounding marine life. With the resort being in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa has a unique opportunity to care for plant and animal species in the sea. To do this, we have taken a significant step towards reducing plastic waste by implementing a complete ban on single-use plastic including plastic straws and stirrers, plastic bath amenity bottles. We also operate a fully functional, innovative water bottling plant, eliminating the use of plastic water bottles. Our state-of-the-art water bottling plant uses reverse osmosis technology to purify seawater, which is then bottled in reusable glass containers – eliminating the need for water transportation from the mainland.

At Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa, we take pride in cultivating various plant species directly on the island – like Chikoo (Sapodilla) trees and Traveller’s Palms. Additionally, we have over 630 Coconut Palm Trees, the national tree of the Maldives. We use every part of these grown coconut trees for various purposes, making it a valuable resource for the resort. A 200-year-old Banyan tree thrives on the island, and a 40-year-old Tulip Tree among others, adding further historical significance to our vegetation. With over 30 varieties of plants imported from India and Sri Lanka, the plant life and lush vegetation is a unique feature of our resort, heavily assisting with the combat of global warming whilst absorbing great amounts of carbon dioxide.

The resort team is dedicated to making its operations as sustainable as possible over the years. We also use the wood from fallen branches to aid in the construction of boats, furniture and other items around the island including the tables and plaques in the Honeymoon Garden. Our outdoor gym, Coco Fit is made entirely of upcycled items found on the island, with equipment made from tree branches. This allows us to minimize waste and limit the need to import construction materials, significantly reducing our carbon footprint. The use of local materials enhances the resort's unique charm, highlighting the natural beauty of the island and bringing character to our facilities. Another exciting, new addition to our self-sustainable strategy is our plan to grow vegetables, herbs, and other produce on the island, further reducing the need for transportation from the mainland. By sourcing our ingredients from the resort’s own nursery, we believe that we can elevate the quality of our cuisine while continuing to promote sustainability and selfsufficiency.

Although hotels and resorts have faced challenges when raising awareness around sustainable tourism among travelling populations, Sheraton Maldives Resort & Spa attempts to bring guests into the conversation. We give them an opportunity to feel like they’re making a difference – because they are. Our ‘Adopt a Coral’ program, for example, does exactly this. Our ecoinitiatives have had a positive impact – not only on the environment, but also on the local community and the visitors who stay at the resort.

Hotels worldwide can benefit from adopting sustainable practices, using renewable energy sources, implementing water conservation measures, and reducing waste generation. At Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa, we are committed to constantly finding new ways to increase our sustainability efforts. This is both as a resort and as part of Marriott International. Sustainability is not a destination, but a journey, and we are continuously exploring new solutions to refine our approach at the resort. We believe that every step, no matter how small, can make a difference in preserving our natural island for generations to come. We hope to inspire others in the hospitality industry to join us in our sustainability journey – one eco-initiative at a time.