The certification confirms that the resort has participated in Green Fins training on environmentally friendly diving and snorkeling, and has undergone an assessment of compliance with the Green Fins Code of Conduct.
Green Fins is a programme of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Reef-World Foundation and is managed in Maldives by a national team led by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Ministry of Environment and Energy.
“Environmental protection has always been a main policy of Centara in Maldives,” says
Voytek Klasicki, the resort’s general manager, and area manager for Centara in Maldives.
“Centara Grand Island was our first Maldives resort, and our first overseas property. We now have two resorts in Maldives and will shortly be opening a third. We have rigorously applied our conservation policies to all three properties.
“We are therefore delighted to be receiving the Green Fins certification, and special congratulations go to the dive specialists at our PADI dive center on the island.”
The certification was jointly presented by Jerker Tamelander, head of the Coral Reef Unit at the Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems Branch of the UNEP, and Ibrahim Naeem, director general of the Environmental Protection Agency at the Ministry of Environment and Energy.
Maldives is amongst the world’s premier scuba diving destinations, with an abundance of white sand beaches, coral reefs and clear warm waters, and many visitors to the islands are there specifically for the scuba diving and snorkeling.
“We have our own house reef and dedicated shipwreck, and this forms one of our outstanding attractions,” says Mr. Klasicki.
“We tend the reef very carefully and have this year embarked upon a programme to grow new coral in our lagoon to replace the coral on the reef that has died.”
Green Fins promotes environmental stewardship within the diving and snorkeling industry by providing incentives and guidance for businesses to comply with environmental standards. Green Fins believes that while diving does present a risk to the environment, if it is done responsibly it is an extremely powerful tool for environmental protection by educating and raising awareness to marine conservation.
Along with Maldives, the organization is also active in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives is located in the South Ari Atoll, and is a five-star property offering the ultimate in barefoot luxury along with a range of activities that appeal to couples and families. The resort, which has 112 suites and villas, is within easy distance of the top dive spots in Maldives.
Centara Hotels & Resorts is Thailand’s leading operator of hotels, with 48 deluxe and first-class properties covering all the major tourist destinations in the Kingdom. A further 26 resorts in Maldives, Vietnam, Bali, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Ethiopia, Qatar, Laos and Oman brings the present total to 74 properties. Brands and properties within Centara ensure that specific categories such as couples, families, individuals, and meetings and incentives groups will all find a hotel or resort that is appropriate to their needs. Centara operates 30 branches of Spa Cenvaree, one of Thailand’s most luxurious and innovative spa brands, together with 7 branches of the value brand Cense by Spa Cenvaree, which provides core spa services for busy travelers. The company’s Kids’ Club is available at all the family-friendly resorts to ensure that the youngsters and teens have their own leisure zone. Centara also operates three state-of-the-art convention centers in Bangkok, and two in northeastern Thailand, one being located in Undo Thane and the other in Khan Kane. The latest Centara brand is named COSI Hotels, an affordable lifestyle brand designed for travelers who predominantly make their bookings via the Internet and who want comfort and convenience at affordable prices; the brand is under development with the first property due to open in 2016.
Green Fins is a program of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Reef-World Foundation and is managed in Maldives by a national team led by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Ministry of Environment and Energy.
For more information and reservations, please contact tel. +96 0668 8000 or e-mail to [email protected] or website www.centarahotelsresorts.com/cirm
Facebook: www.facebook.com/centarahotelsresorts
Twitter: www.twitter.com/MyCentara
PHOTO: Voytek Klasicki (3rd left), area general manager for Centara Hotels & Resorts Maldives, and Mohamed Shaan (2nd left), Best Dives operational manager for Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives, receive Green Fins certification from James Harvey (far left), Green Fins international coordinator, confirming that the resort has participated in training on environmentally friendly diving and snorkeling, and has undergone an assessment of compliance with the organization’s code of conduct. The resort is the first in the South Ari Atoll to receive this certification. Photo shows from left: James Harvey; Mohamed Shaan; Voytek Klasicki; Akila de Silva, executive housekeeper; Krizan Rathnayake, chief engineer; Kris Panya, resident manager; Misfa Marikar, food and beverage manager; and Best Dives team holding the Green Fins banner.
Centara is a member of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) .
WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:
- Green Fins is a programme of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Reef-World Foundation and is managed in Maldives by a national team led by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Ministry of Environment and Energy.
- The certification was jointly presented by Jerker Tamelander, head of the Coral Reef Unit at the Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems Branch of the UNEP, and Ibrahim Naeem, director general of the Environmental Protection Agency at the Ministry of Environment and Energy.
- Green Fins is a program of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Reef-World Foundation and is managed in Maldives by a national team led by the Environmental Protection Agency under the….
