Funworld October 2008

Atlantis’ blue project is determined to show how conservation can also be good business

by Juliana Gilling

Atlantis, Paradise Island in The Bahamas, has plenty to keep guests busy. The destination resort’s newest tower, The Reef, caps a $1 billion expansion, which has seen the launch of Aquaventure, a 63-acre continuous waterscape containing more than 5 million gallons of water, waterslides, a mile-long river ride, and special effects. There’s Dolphin Cay, a new dolphin interaction and education center, complementing Atlantis’ huge marine habitat that plays host to some 50,000 animals. Or you can simply sit on the beach and soak up the Bahamian sunsets.

And now, thanks to the resort’s conservation-oriented Blue Project and Blue Tourism programs, you can feel even better about doing so.

The ideas for The Blue Project and Blue Tourism flowed in from different parts of the Kerzner International organization, which owns and operates the resort. In 2005, the company pledged more than $5 million over five years to the Kerzner Marine Foundation (KMF). It was the catalyst for a series of initiatives designed to increase awareness and protection of the marine world. The Blue Project, funded by KMF, began in December 2007.

Debra Erickson, KMF’s executive director, picks up the story: “When you look at conservation funding, it’s shocking to find out that 99 percent of environmental funds go to terrestrial based concerns. Only 1 percent goes to the ocean, although it makes up more than 70 percent of our planet.” Yet evidence of the threats facing marine ecosystems is stark. In July, new research published in the journal Science concluded a third of the world’s reef-building coral species are facing extinction through climate change, coastal development, overfishing, and pollution. Large reef areas could be lost within 50 to 100 years. The fallout for biodiversity and economies would be devastating. The economic value of the world’s reefs has been estimated at more than $375 billion each year, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (www.unep.org).

With the help of a group of independent scientific advisors, Erickson identified three priorit i e s — m a r i n e protected areas, coral reefs, and cetaceans (whales and dolphins)— with the aim of funding scientific research, education, and public outreach activities. KMF’s resources are spread across three geographical areas linked to Kerzner properties, namely The Bahamas, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

“The company realized that, long term, it had to become involved in conservation efforts because our properties lie in some of the most beautiful places in the world. It was our responsibility to help protect these jewels.”

First Steps
KMF’s first project was to protect the waters ofAndros Island in The Bahamas, supporting the efforts of The Nature Conservancy and its local partners, The Bahamas National Trust and Bahamas Sportfishing Conservation Association. “The island [Andros] is the largest landmass within The Bahamas; it encompasses 40 percent of all the land in the country,” says Erickson. “The western side is amazing; it’s pristine. It’s an absolutely critical habitat for The Bahamas because it’s a nursery area for a lot of the fish, sharks, and marine wildlife.”

The Andros Island project partners embarked on a threephase plan. First, they enabled scientists to carry out a rapid ecological assessment, analyzing the area’s biodiversity and habitats. Next, the team worked with local people to establish a sustainable management plan. The third and current step is the development of legislation to designate Andros Island’s western side as a protected marine area.

“It’s great to see Bahamians leading a project to protect their own resource,” says Erickson. “Through their work, the country has made a pledge to set aside 20 percent of its marine areas for protection by 2020. We’re hoping Andros Island will be one of the first.”

Erickson’s been touched by the response from inside Kerzner, too. “It was just heartwarming for them to come back and say, ‘We’d like to expand our efforts in The Bahamas.’ We’re now looking at New Providence island, focusing our efforts here on the coral reefs where we have the majority of the population and the tourists,” she says.

Conservation = Good Business?
Mark Gsellman, senior vice president/general manager of marine and waterparks operations at Atlantis, believes “any company, resort, or amusement park has an obligation to support environmental and community efforts.” Beyond the feel-good factor, it makes commercial sense, says his colleagueMichelle Liu, vice president ofmarine aquariumoperations at the resort. “Ultimately, we benefit because we depend heavily on the oceans,” she says. “Our guests come to Atlantis to see the animals, to snorkel, to use our beaches. If you have no coral reefs out there, you’ll have nothing for the guests to see.”

While Erickson is spearheading conservation efforts through KMF, the Atlantis marine team is involved in Blue Adventures, part of the Blue Tourism concept evolving at the resort. The Blue Adventures planners at The Reef can arrange for guests to don an air helmet and walk into a shark tank, go scuba diving on a reef, or experience snorkeling and snuba (a less-intimidating combination of scuba and snorkeling). Aquarists from Atlantis join each Blue Adventure tour boat, giving guests a deeper insight into the marine environments they’re visiting.

There are more opportunities to learn about marine wildlife through the Discover Atlantis programs, Atlantis Kids Club activities, and the Dolphin Cay interaction and education center. “The hope is you’ll appreciateAtlantis and the whole thematic envelope around you, as well as the environment wrapped around it on the outside,” says Gsellman.

“Once we’re working physically on programs that deal with the conservation of reefs in our local area—through The Blue Project—we hope to not only educate guests, but present them with a hands-on opportunity to participate in research and conservation programs. We want them to understand the marine ecosystem in such a way that they’ll appreciate it more when they get home,” he says.

George Markantonis, president/managing director, Kerzner International Bahamas, recalls his own Jacques Cousteau moment. “I never even used to dive, until we got into this Blue thing and started talking about coral reefs. I thought, ‘I need to see this and find out what it’s all about.’ And I wasn’t the only one;many seniormanagers and people here were talking about this big concept. So I got certified to dive; thenmy family got certified. Suddenly, this whole world opened up for me. I developed an appreciation for something I was ignorant of before. If that impact is typical of the person wemight touch atAtlantis, then we’ll be doing a great thing. We’ll be creating awareness while giving pleasure.

“Guestwise, it adds another dimension for us as a business, too,” Markantonis continues. “Atlantis was always a great family resort. Now we’re dipping our toe in the eco-tourism waters. I think it’s going to take off and attract a new market for us.”

As soon as guests arrive at Atlantis, they are introduced to The Blue Project. “Every guest knows that when they check in, $10 for every room in The Reef is donated to KMF and The Blue Project specifically,” says Lauren E. Snyder, executive vice president of global communications at Kerzner International. Brochures explaining The Blue Project are placed around the property, and there is even conservation information on the back of every resort guest map.

Actress Rebecca Romijn narrates a broadcast for the in-room televisions and Atlantis web site, and companies including American Express, JetBlue Airways, Melissa & Doug toys, Red Flower, Shoshanna, and Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas have jumped on board as partners.

Guests are exposed to as much in the way of ocean-based information and experiences as they want during their stay, without forcing the issue, says Snyder. Liu adds: “It’s about sharing with people how these issues affect them, even though theymay not be living near the ocean or on an island. Everyone relies on the ocean in some way and every action that goes toward conserving it would help. People are so engaged that they want to come back and find out how they can become more involved.”

Committing to the Community
The need to raise awareness ofmarine ecology extends to the Bahamian community, says Erickson: “It’s hard to believe, but the majority of Bahamians don’t swim. It’s difficult to develop an appreciation for the underwater world if the most you get in the water is up to your knees. It’s vital we facilitate coral reef education programs for schoolchildren and local community members. Our employees are a great way to start.

We’ve developed a module to share with them an overview of The Blue Project.”

Markantonis says: “You can imagine the ripple of pride and diligence that goes through our employees [more than 97 percent are Bahamian]. It’s their country; they live here. This is the legacy they will leave behind for their children.”

Surely skeptics might argue The Blue Project is still just a drop in the ocean for a corporation the size of Kerzner International? “We’ve pledged $5 million over five years for KMF as a baseline,” says Snyder. “We’ve contributed an additional $1 million for The Blue Project in its first year. With a proportion of our room rate and proceeds from the dolphin swims at Dolphin Cay in The Bahamas (and eventually Dolphin Bay at Atlantis, The Palm, in Dubai), it’s endless. The bottom line is conservation is not free, it’s extremely expensive for us to operate. This isn’t just a marketing ploy; we’ve made a hardcore commitment.”

Gsellman continues: “Any operation is going to have an impact on the environment. In a perfect world you’d consume 100 percent and give back 100 percent, but anything you can do—from recycling aluminum cans to not washing towels every day—is a step in the right direction. We have to keep foremost in our minds that the objective is not only to minimize our impact on the environment but, hopefully, maybe even improve it.”

KMF and Atlantis are determined to lead the way for other organizations considering conservation projects, says Erickson. “We can make a big difference because of the millions of people we touch every year,” she says. “It doesn’t matter whether we’re a resort, an amusement park, a zoo, or an aquarium. If we all work to bring these issues to the forefront and support them, we’ll raise people’s awareness.”

As companies are scrambling to understand and connect with the “green” concept, Markantonis admits: “This country is not quite ready to go green; there is a lot of work to be done, infrastructurewise, by the government. But Blue is something we can do.”