Seventeen resorts across the Maldives have come together to pledge their commitment to safeguarding the country’s crucial seagrass habitats. This important initiative, known as the Circle, is driven by a collaboration between Maldives Resilient Reefs (MRR) and Blue Marine Foundation.

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At the opening ceremony held on Dhiffushi Island, the participating resorts were recognised for their leadership in marine conservation and sustainable tourism.

Seagrass meadows are vital for the Maldives - supporting fisheries, protecting coastlines by buffering wave energy, burying carbon and producing oxygen and contributing to tourism by providing shelter and habitat to critical marine species such as green turtles. However, they are undervalued and threatened in the Maldives through active removal for developmental activities such as tourism and land reclamation. This has caused localised retreats in seagrass extent in many areas.

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Recognising the importance of seagrass for people, nature, and the Maldives’ tourism industry the project asks that resorts pledge to protect a minimum of 80% of their baseline seagrass area. The 17 early adopter resorts have committed to recognising the importance of seagrass meadows in maintaining healthy marine biodiversity and to ceasing activities that damage these underwater ecosystems. It also positions them at the forefront of sustainable tourism, paving the way for other resorts to follow and signalling their commitment to ocean conservation and delivering change. 

Since 2019, Maldives Resilient Reefs and the Blue Marine Foundation have been at the forefront of efforts to conserve the Maldives’ seagrass habitats. This project is designed to showcase seagrass as an incredible natural asset for the tourism industry and a powerful ally against climate change. This collaborative effort represents a major step forward for marine conservation and sustainable tourism in the Maldives.

The early-adopter resorts involved in this collective commitment include:

• Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort
• Anantara Veli Maldives
• Naladhu Private Island Maldives
• Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru
• Dhawa Ihuru
• Angsana Velavaru
• Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu
• Coco Bodu Hithi
• Gili Lankanfushi Maldives
• Kurumba Maldives
• LUX* South Ari Atoll
• Niyama Private Islands Maldives
• Siyam World Maldives
• Six Senses Laamu
• Six Senses Kanuhura
• Taj Exotica Resort & Spa
• Taj Coral Reef Resort & Spa

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Quotes from key people:

Lawrence Menz, Director of Sustainability at Six Senses Laamu, a resort that has been pioneering seagrass conservation since the campaign of 2019, said “Since we started protecting our seagrass meadows, we have seen almost a two-fold increase in the number of shark and turtle sightings. This has been a new experience for our guests, and it has now become a drawcard for visitors to come to Six Senses Laamu to see these animals. This has not only had a significant positive impact on the environment but has also created a positive feedback loop, where the resort generates more revenue because we are protecting seagrass.”

Shaha Hashim, the Executive Director of Maldives Resilient Reefs, said “With this new project, we are supporting participating resorts in mapping their seagrass meadows and developing engaging educational materials for staff and tourists to foster appreciation for seagrass. We will conduct annual reviews to monitor the fulfillment of pledges, and if resorts fail to meet their commitments, their logos will be removed from our website. We encourage more resorts to join us in making seagrass a valuable asset for their tourism businesses while contributing to marine protection.”

Muhusina Abdul Rahman, Director of Protected Areas at the Maldives’ Ministry of Tourism and Environment, said “While seagrass is not currently considered a key priority ecosystem for conservation, it plays a vital role in meeting the Maldives' 30x30 marine protection target as a member of the High Ambition Coalition. We often discuss this target in terms of area only, but when we examine the full text of the target, there are many details that need to be taken into consideration, such as ecological representativeness and connectivity. Ecological connectivity involves protecting all habitats used by a species, especially when considering endangered species protection. For example, if we are protecting a turtle nesting beach, the associated seagrass that they feed on should also be protected.”