What are the Oceans Worth? Everything in Hospitality!

With the summer ahead and many of you probably thinking of a beach-front holiday and you were perhaps also wondering what you should do about the World Oceans Day today?

One action is to keep reading and watch this incredible work done at Iberostar (leading the industry by far on ocean protection and restoration work with research, coral reef and mangrove restoration, sand dune protection and so on) and at Oceanic Global, a non-profit organization that put together the UN World Oceans day at the UN HQ in NYC today.

Keep reading and watch the short 30 minutes interview – with links to online resources at the end!

What are the Oceans Worth? Everything in Hospitality!
(Watch here: https://www.hospitalitynet.org/video/69002164.html)

Today is UN World Oceans Day (https://unworldoceansday.org/) –  high time to realize that when we talk climate change, ninety percent of the Earth’s excess heat from human activities is absorbed and stored in the oceans; oceans are like a big sponge and reservoir of heat and carbon. Clearly, oceans play a key role in regulating our climate but that uptake of carbon comes with plenty of challenges. At the same time, so many communities rely on the oceans for their own economic activities, hospitality being one of them. Speaking of Blue Economy, “coastal tourism is the largest business within ocean related activities in terms of employment” (https://unric.org/en/blue-economy-oceans-as-the-next-great-economic-frontier/) noting that 40% of the world’s population reside in coastal areas.

So, what does this all mean?

Today, under the caption ‘Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean’,  we celebrate the United Nations World Oceans Day 2022  and it is an opportunity to take stock of the role and responsibilities, obligations and opportunities the hospitality sector holds in regards to the health of the largest ecosystem of our Blue Planet.

I am honoured to be joined by Megan Morikawa, Global Director of Sustainability Office at Iberostar Group (https://www.grupoiberostar.com/en/), (also member of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance) and Cassia Patel, Ocean Conservation & Sustainability Professional and Director of Programs at Oceanic Global (https://oceanic.global/) who precisely explain how hotel businesses can connect the dots between research, management and operations in catalysing actions on the ground – from coral reef restoration to sand dune protection, from sustainable procurement of blue food to standards available to help guide actions.

So, do you want to also roll up your sleeves and be part of the solution, whether or not you are located close to an ocean but do not know how? Tune in and find out (resource suggestions are given by Megan and Cassia at end of video).