Atmosphere Hotels ramps up sustainable tourism initiatives

09 June, 2021

Sustainability is a way of life at Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts since the beginning. From earning Green Globe Certifications for all six resorts to building an impressive solar power setup, the company has been steadily introducing impactful green initiatives at its properties.

The internationally recognised Green Globe Certification for environmental sustainability involves an intense journey of working through 44 core environmental criteria and up to 380 compliance indicators, depending on the destination.

“Sustainability is at the heart of our business and the experience we offer. Our guests are increasingly looking at eco-friendly travel, and we as a company are equally invested in sustainable operations that reduce our environmental footprint. We implement initiatives and action plans in all our resorts to optimise energy and water use, as well as effectively manage waste,” Salil Panigrahi, Founder and Managing Director of Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts, said.

Leading in solar energy infrastructure

The group is among the leading hospitality companies having largest solar power generation capacity in the Maldives.

They have an extensive solar power installation, with 6274 solar panels across resorts, boasting of a total capacity of 2.17 MW. Their Floating Solar Installation at OZEN LIFE MAADHOO is the largest in the destination.

The company sources 10 per cent of its total energy from solar – effectively reducing carbon emissions by about 2,000 tons per year.

With several ongoing solar projects nearing completion, the Atmosphere Group is all set to become the company with largest production capacity in Maldives for solar energy generation soon.

Optimising energy consumption

Energy efficiency is built into all levels of operations at the Atmosphere resorts.

LED lights are installed in indoor and outdoor areas with timers for optimised energy usage.

Villas feature inverter technology air conditioning, and majority are fitted with efficient key-card based energy management systems.

Most of the hot water demand (80 per cent) is catered from renewable resources, such as waste heat from gensets (via heat exchange) or solar heaters.

Battery-operated vehicles and bicycles are used for transport on the island, to reduce the environmental impact.

Responsible waste management

All resorts use twin chamber incinerators for effective combustion of waste with minimal environmental impact. And, the use of state-of-the-art compactors and bottle crushers reduces the waste to minimum prior to organised disposal.

Equal importance is placed on disposing wastewater responsibly, with an inhouse water treatment plant. The treated wastewater is reused for irrigation and gardening, in an energy-efficient process.

Green operations for safe, eco-friendly stay

Staying strong to its sustainable luxury ethos, the company has implemented a host of green initiatives in resort operations.

The potable water comes from an in-house saltwater desalination plant and drinking quality water is sourced through on-site water bottling plants, served in the attractive reusable glass water bottles. This initiative significantly reduces plastic waste – the company avoids the disposal of more than 100,000 plastic water bottles from each resort per year.

In addition, sustainable practices are found across the resorts. For example, only bio-degradable chemicals are used for cleaning in the villas, laundry, kitchens, and other operational areas.

Guests will find plastic-based amenities replaced with biodegradable alternatives – from bamboo toothbrushes to paper straws. Even the miniature toiletry bottles are replaced with larger, pump-topped bottles in all the villas.

Atmosphere resorts practice strict Covid-19 protocols in line with the laws and regulations set forth by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) of Maldives. The company has also partnered with Diversey for highly reliable cleaning and hygiene solutions.

All aspects of operations have been elevated, to ensure the resort is safe to welcome guests for a pure and serene stay.

Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts is a dynamic and fast-growing Indian Ocean hospitality brand with extensive resort development and management experience.

Set in some of the most beautiful Maldivian islands, the group operates five best in class resorts ranging from luxury to classic properties in two sub-brands, White Label Set by Atmosphere, and The Selection of OBLU by Atmosphere.

Atmosphere’s first property, Atmosphere Kanifushi, opened its doors in December 2013, followed by three resorts: OBLU by Atmosphere at Helengeli, OBLU SELECT at Sangeli, and the newest addition, VARU by Atmosphere.

The expansion continues with OBLU XPErience Ailafushi and OBLU SELECT Lobigili – set to open in the Male Atoll in the summer of 2021.

OBLU SELECT at Tangalle, scheduled to open in 2023, will take the brand to the south coast of Sri Lanka.

Renowned for their impeccable service and world-class dining experiences, Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts offer guest-centric holiday experiences through first-of-its-kind resort plans inspired by the brand’s core philosophy, ‘Joy of Giving’.

From elegantly designed beach villas and overwater villas to a range of all-encompassing experiences – guests enjoy a truly relaxing and carefree holiday at each resort, elevated by warm and personalised hospitality.