The archipelago off the coast of Sri Lanka is quickly becoming the Dubai of the ocean, but at what cost?
The gimmick hotel has gone global: Treehouse hotels in Costa Rica ; igloo inns in Sweden; bed and breakfasts for cave dwellers in New Mexico; a king-sized bed and minibar just don’t do it anymore for many travellers. While these unique lodgings can make for unforgettable experiences, sometimes the idea doesn’t hold much water. For an underwater hotel room in the Maldives—and, the juggernaut luxury industry taking over the islands—it can mean environmental disaster.
“With an average elevation of about 4 feet, and with literally zero hills or mountains, the Maldives is the world’s lowest-lying country. It will not survive the sea level rise caused by anthropogenic climate change,” remarks environmental writer Stephanie Bernhard in a piece for Slate. So why do resorts host expensive underwater hotel rooms, below sea level wine cellars and overwater golf courses in a region with delicate reefs and rising ocean temperatures, yet do not advocate an environmental mission?
According to the last census, a little less than 30,000 Maldivians work in resorts, which is only 14% of the total workforce. And even those employed face pay discrimination; the Tourism Employees Association of the Maldives demanded last year the monthly minimum wage be raised to $600 , and that 80% of tourism jobs be set aside for Maldivians.
Their executive chef, Cory Campbell, said, “Whilst I am driven by fresh food and my craft, my passion for Kokomo doesn’t start in the kitchen, it begins with the island community from the fishermen and farmers and then works its way into the kitchen. Sustainability is key and I’ll be looking to pave the way for the future of Kokomo by preservation.”
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