The Ritz-Carlton Langkawi has embarked on a commendable programme to offer guests an opportunity to forge first-hand connections with local communities and the environment during their stay at the resort.
It is part of their “Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy” initiative which focuses on three distinct pillars: Environmental Protection, Community Engagement, and Marine Conservation.
It is vital to note that the people of Langkawi have long used sea cucumbers for medicinal purposes.
Still, over-farming is causing an adverse effect on the local marine ecology, including the rise of coral bleaching.
The resort is inviting guests to join their marine biologist in a hands-on experience that will support the sustainability of these unique creatures while directly increasing local sea cucumber populations in the Andaman Sea through the asexual technique.
The sea cucumber nursery is located at the resort’s private beach entrance, and the program is led by the resort’s in-house Marine Biologist, Fadzli Luqman.
Guests can experience hands-on projects to learn more about the program during their stay.
They will also have the chance to learn more about the asexual technique and releasing the mature sea cucumber with a kayak session out in the open sea. In addition, young guests will understand the importance of this sea animal and its ecosystem.
“One of the growing trends we are observing is how conscious people are about their impact on the environment and the destinations they visit,” said resort general manager Ms Ellen Franke.
“The Sea Cucumber Reproduction Project offered at The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, provides an
excellent opportunity for our guests to connect with the environment, allowing them to give back
while staying with us. We are excited to introduce the Sea Cucumber Reproduction Project as part of Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy and look forward to bringing truly meaningful travel to guests staying with us.” added Franke.
The experience is complimentary for resort guests and available for guests to experience from 11am to 12.00 noon, from Friday to Sunday. To make a booking, an in-house guest may reach out to their in-house Marine Biologist, Fadzli on the resort grounds.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi joins close to 100 hotels and resorts across the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio in Asia Pacific to offer Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy experiences. Piloted in 2021, Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy is now set to deliver richer and wider choices of meaningful experiences that promote both cultural understanding and positive, sustainable change.
Each experience connects guests with local experts and NGOs at the destinations they visit, while promoting and deepening cultural understanding. Experiences range from planting mangrove seeds in the forests of Langkawi to restore the wetland, to joining a temple preservation in India to mitigate the destructive effects of sandstorms on its façade, to caring for fish species in Qiandao Lake in China to help improve water quality.