With our global community becoming hyper-connected and increasingly aware of how our individual actions impact the planet at large, ecotourism is increasingly at the forefront of travel decision-making.
According to a study published in March 2021, ecotourism spends worldwide accounted for 181.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2019 and is forecasted to reach 333.8 billion U.S. dollars by 2027, accounting for 14.% growth. If you’re one of the travelers choosing to invest in ecologically sound travel, the Maldives is a destination where sustainability isn’t just a buzzword, but vital to the continued evolution of the world’s lowest-lying country.
Here at SmartFlyer, we’re always looking for exciting and enriching ways to travel while still being able to make a positive impact. If you’re looking for a spot that checks all those boxes, look no further than Patina Maldives, Fari Islands, the inaugural flagship property from sophisticated new lifestyle brand Patina Hotels & Resorts. Set in the North Malé Atoll’s Fari Islands archipelago, guests can immerse themselves in a new expression of island life. The brand interprets “perpetuality” as the choice we each make can create lasting change.
Here are four ways Patina makes the Maldives the go-to place to engage with Planet Earth.
- Ocean conservation comes first, always
- The conscious cuisine choices are exceptional
- This is a place built on R(enewability) & R(eusability)
- They’re empowering an eco-conscious generation
1. Ocean conservation comes first, always
The resort will collect, clean, and repurpose ten kilograms of marine plastic into Parley ocean plastic material for every stay.
An incredible amount of ocean-based ecology protects these Maldives’s twenty atolls so that it remains one of the world’s best vacation spots. In detail, Patina Maldives is making strides to keep this ecotourism paradise safe for generations to come. For example, the property has set ambitious goals to tackle marine plastic pollution and implement a comprehensive coral propagation project. This will help establish the Fari Islands as a new standard-bearer for marine conservation in the Maldives.
Halevai Founder and longtime Parley for the Oceans crew member Frank Heidinger is also collaborating with Fari Islands to bring a disruptive creativity to guest programming to raise environmental awareness within the archipelago. For example, the resort will lead regular guest and team beach clean-ups both on-resort and on neighboring local islands. The resort will collect, clean, and repurpose ten kilograms of marine plastic into Parley ocean plastic material for every stay.
Patina Maldives also formed a strategic alliance with the Olive Ridley Project, a charitable organization that provides rehabilitation to injured turtles from the Indian Ocean. Sea turtles experience ill-health and malnutrition because they are vulnerable to ghost nets and mistakenly consumable plastic waste. Therefore, guests are encouraged to adopt a turtle during their stay at the resort, strengthening the connection between guests and their surrounding environment as well as helping the Olive Ridley Project dive deeper into researching and understanding the threats to these peaceful ocean dwellers.
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2. The conscious cuisine choices are exceptional
Patina Maldives’s many signature dining experiences – is the manifestation of the latter: a conscientious lifestyle and plant-based concept…
Patina Maldives is the ideal ecotourism destination to experience what every ecologically sound diet should look like. The culinary concept is based on the nose-to-tail, root-to-leaf principle which minimizes waste and advocates a plant-based diet’s benefits. Roots – one of Patina Maldives’s many signature dining experiences – is the manifestation of the latter: a conscientious lifestyle and plant-based concept that was created responsibly for curious foodies seeking nutritional food and drink without compromising flavor and quality.
Patina Maldives’s on-island organic permaculture garden makes this all possible. This is where departments all across the island get fresh produce, reducing greenhouse gas emissions during the supply chain process. Guests can also explore and even forage their own variety of vegetables and herbs available within the garden. All drinking water on the island is produced and bottled in-house with the help of their on-island Nordaq water bottling plant. Additionally, every cocktail and spirit served at Patina Maldives will begin using distribution tech ecoSPIRITS to distribute low-carbon low-waste mixes to begin eradicating packaging and class waste from their supply chain.
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3. This is a place built on R(enewability) & R(eusability)
“Our archipelago at Fari Islands provides us with a scalable opportunity to positively impact our construction…and most importantly, community, directly.”
Patina knows how important it is to build in an environmentally conscious way for an authentic Maldives ecotourism experience. During construction, the resort used prefabricated materials to significantly reduce energy consumption, waste, and carbon emissions versus conventional construction methods. The resort also used locally sourced, biodegradable, and reusable materials wherever possible. They also source the timber from 100 percent transparent supply chains. And as construction continued, all workers were provided with reusable water bottles to reduce plastic waste.
Patina Maldives also uses its sun-kissed surroundings to its advantage to chart the future of ecotourism travel. As part of the resort’s commitment towards reliance on renewable energy, plans are in place to expand its Swimsol solar plant to provide fifty percent of the resort’s energy needs by 2030. This includes power to a fully solar-powered transportation fleet that will continue to usher guests all across this island paradise. “Patina Maldives, Fari Islands, is well aware of the global challenges that are affecting the worldwide carbon footprint,” says Marco den Ouden, General Manager of the resort. “Our archipelago at Fari Islands provides us with a scalable opportunity to positively impact our construction, supply chain, operational standards, marine biosphere, and most importantly, community, directly.”
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4. They’re empowering an eco-conscious generation
…kids can indulge their hungry young minds in crafting dishes to help discover…the best of sustainable plant-based cuisine.
Every moment traveling is an opportunity for young ones to learn about the world around them. And this Maldives ecotourism destination takes that to a new level with its educational programming. The array of solar panels found all across the Maldives power their pioneering kids center Footprints. At Fab Lab, kids can turn recycled ocean plastic into 3D-printed models, similar to how the resort’s villas were made. In their culinary studio, kids can craft dishes to help discover the benefits of local, organic sourcing, as well as enjoy the best of sustainable plant-based cuisine.
Families raising budding marine biologists can sign up for free diving lessons. Patina also offers free PADI dive certifications for local Maldivian children. Additionally, a percentage of Patina Maldives’s profits funds a range of charitable initiatives. These initiatives support Maldivian women and children, as well as neighboring local communities heavily impacted by global climate change.
