Travel And Tour World: Can you share some of the specific sustainability initiatives and practices that Atlantis Dubai has implemented to minimize its environmental impact?

Neil Shah: Atlantis Dubai launched the Atlantis Atlas Project in June 2021 – consolidating existing industry-leading work on environmental and social responsibility as well as cementing our long-term vision to pioneer educational tourism which cares for people and our planet. The Atlantis Atlas Project is centered around protecting and preserving our natural world through awareness and education, as well as acting responsibly as a business to conserve energy, water, and natural resources, and supporting colleagues and guests to make environmentally conscious choices by providing opportunities to connect to the local environment. We do this by focusing on Responsible Operations, Conservation & Animal Welfare, Education & Awareness, and Corporate Social Responsibility.

As part of this, reducing waste and energy consumption remains a critical focus for Atlantis Dubai. The implementation of Winnow AI technology helped reduce food waste across buffet operations by 40% in food waste to landfill over the past 12 months.

In addition, since the inception of our on-site water filtration and bottling plant – which supplies all rooms and restaurant outlets with safe, clean filtered drinking water in the form of refillable glassware – 2,020,908 plastic water bottles have been replaced since July 2022 to date, and we are on track to eliminate all single-use plastic water bottles by the end of 2023.

This commitment was made in February 2022 in support of Dubai Can, a sustainability initiative by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai. Finally, 2,178 solar panels were installed across Atlantis, The Palm to provide renewable energy generating 720,445kWh of renewable electricity in just 5 months, which is a C02 saving of 310 tons.

Travel And Tour World: Atlantis Dubai is known for its impressive marine and aquatic attractions. How does the resort ensure the well-being and conservation of marine life within its premises?

Neil Shah: Conservation and animal welfare is an important part of our environmental and social sustainability commitments. Atlantis Dubai is situated on the Arabian Gulf within a coastal ecosystem, a rich and biodiverse marine habitat home to a multitude of marine species. We contribute to conservation and science to help protect wildlife locally, regionally, and globally. As a travel and tourism business with people at its core, it’s imperative that we support the preservation of biodiversity for people and planet.

In addition, we are home to 65,000 marine animals including 13 species of shark, stingrays, jellyfish, dolphins, and sea lions. We provide 24/7 care for all marine life with our dedicated veterinary and animal care teams of 100+ colleagues with expert knowledge and experience – including aquarists that have been with Atlantis Dubai since the opening of the resort in 2008 and have a highly specialised knowledge of our animals and their needs.

We were the first destination in the Middle East to achieve accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the internationally recognised gold standard in animal care and welfare, back in 2020.

Further to this, we became members of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) in 2021, which brings together world-class zoos and aquariums, associations, as well as leading wildlife experts, academies, and universities, to encourage the highest standards for global animal welfare among its member institutions, while leveraging support for species conservation management.

For every marine animal experience participated in by a guest, Atlantis Dubai contributes $1 USD into partnerships which drive conservation and sustainability projects that help to protect the ocean and our environment.

Travel And Tour World:As one of Dubai’s iconic luxury resorts, how does Atlantis Dubai integrate sustainability into its luxury offerings and guest experiences?

Neil Shah: Atlantis Atlas Project endeavours to positively impact sustainable development through economic, social, and environmental initiatives as a leader in efficient and responsible tourism. We provide immersive experiences and opportunities for guests to learn about the local environment both in and outside of the resort, from offering local menus with responsibly sourced produce at our restaurants, to inspiring young explorers and families about marine conservation through educational programmes. We regularly provide opportunities for guest to contribute or get involved in our efforts, whether that’s choosing a locally sourced dish on a menu, choosing to have their towels and linens changed every three days, or booking a marine educational programme or experience.

Travel And Tour World: Are there any ongoing partnerships or collaborations with local or international organizations aimed at furthering sustainable tourism practices at Atlantis Dubai?

Neil Shah: Our CSR activities have continued to thrive over the last 12 months, with initiatives including the donation of 4,102kg of food and 21,941kg of linen/towels to the Stray Dogs Centre Umm Al Quwain, as well as 8,450 meals to the region’s humanitarian aid organisation Tarahum Charity Foundation. Atlantis Aquaventure also became the first waterpark in the Middle East to earn the IBCCES Certified Autism Center™ designation. In order to help autistic and sensory-sensitive guests and their families plan a visit and navigate the waterpark, Atlantis Aquaventure re-designed all in-park signage to include IBCCES sensory ratings for 24 attractions. In addition, the team created two designated Quiet Zones, which have lower sensory stimulus for those who might feel overwhelmed during their visit.

We’re looking forward to announcing the project partners for the 2023-24 of $1 USD contribution fund, which increased 17.5% year over year to $140,000. In 2022-23, Atlantis contributed $120,000 of funding to support nine projects, including New York University Abu Dhabi’s coral research, United Arab Emirates University’s endangered species research, Goumbook’s “Save the Butts, Waste to Value” campaign, IUCN Shark Specialist Group research, Freestyle Divers reef rehabilitation project, AZA SAFE Sharks and Rays efforts, SFS Trace technology, Global Diving Research SL’s dolphin research, and the Zayed University and UAE Dolphin Project initiative to learn more about local dolphin and cetacean populations.

Travel And Tour World: Could you provide insights into any future sustainability goals or projects that Atlantis Dubai has in store to contribute to responsible tourism in the region?

Neil Shah: Our journey with the Atlantis Atlas Project is particularly special and unique due to the sheer scale of the operation. There are very few (if any) resorts of our size adopting sustainability initiatives in the way that we do. The crux of our thinking is that if we can do it, then no one has an excuse. However, this is a marathon not a sprint and we work to scale efforts and improve year on year.

After the successful installation of solar panels at Atlantis, The Palm, we plan to install solar panels at Atlantis The Royal next year, and we are working toward introducing a water bottling plant at Atlantis The Royal next year, with the idea of switching from a recyclable model to a reusable model. After achieving EarthCheck Silver Certification for four years, Atlantis, The Palm and Atlantis Aquaventure will be going for Gold Certification in 2024, and we are excited for Atlantis The Royal to begin its EarthCheck journey, going for Silver Certification for the first time next year.