Why Is No One Talking About the Maldives’ Smog Problem?
Why Is No One Talking About the Maldives’ Smog Problem?
Jonny Belvedere/iStock
https://www.fodors.com/world/asia/maldives/experiences/news/the-truth-about-the-maldives-pollution-problem
The Maldives is renowned for its natural beauty, but most visitors are unaware the majority of high season is choked by pollution.
As thousands of travelers book their dream vacation to the Maldives each month, the majority have no idea it’s regularly on regular red alert due to dangerous levels of smog during high season. And since tourists in the Maldives normally spend all day, every day, outdoors, they could be in one of the most at-risk groups.
It’s easy to assume such a remote archipelago would have clean air. After all, it’s 380 miles from its neighbors in India, and 480 miles from Sri Lanka. There’s a constant sea breeze, only 19 percent of the tiny population owns a vehicle, and the Maldives is frequently warning the world about the perils of climate change. But researchers at Maldives National University have discovered that almost 70 percent of high season days (December to March) see air pollution exceeding World Health Organization safety levels.
The Maldives’ 2025-2026 high season has been one of the smoggiest in years, according to many residents, who are starting to get fed up with what’s just been shrugged off as seasonal haze for years. So, I decided to start checking Air Quality Index (AQI) levels daily (starting in early December 2025) and spotted that they frequently hit 160 and above. That little number is officially classed as “unhealthy for all“ (not just people with health conditions).
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) fired out a few red alerts for air quality this season. But they were only on social media, and only in the Maldivian language, which is called Dhivehi (English is the primary second language). While a Maldivian government institution absolutely should be posting updates in their national language, what this did mean is they were easily missed by many of the 2.25 million annual international visitors (who don’t understand the Thaana script).
“This risk is easy to miss precisely because the setting looks clean and relaxing,” said Dr Saravanan Thangarajan, a Harvard Visiting Scientist and environmental health expert. “People cannot reduce exposure if they are never clearly warned. The surroundings may look pristine, but the lungs still respond to the pollutant load, not the scenery.”
The Asian Brown Cloud
The smog in the Maldives is made of fine particulate matter called PM2.5 that comes from vehicle emissions, coal-fired power plants, agricultural burning, and wildfires. But it isn’t an industrial nation; tourism and fishing are the main sectors, and there’s only 115 square miles of landmass. However, there’s a very simple explanation for the smog. The World’s Leading Green Destination 2024 and 2025 inconveniently lies downstream from one of the planet’s most polluted regions.
The Asian Brown Cloud (ABC) is a massive layer of air pollution almost two miles thick, stretching from the Arabian Peninsula to China. Every December, the winds of the Maldives’ dry season monsoon (known as Iruvai in the ancient Nakaiy calendar) change from southwest to northeast. This pulls all those nasty particulates from the ABC southwards to the Maldives.
“These small particles can pass through our lungs’ defense systems and are believed to enter the blood directly. They can cause a rise in blood pressure, increased blood viscosity, and increased risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, like strokes and heart attacks,” explained Dr Mohamed Ali, a pulmonologist at Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in the Maldives’ capital city, Malé. “Simultaneously, our lungs are affected, and it also causes exacerbations of any underlying lung disease like asthma, COPD, and bronchiectasis”.
According to one report, almost 90 percent of high-season pollution around Malé comes from the Asian Brown Cloud to the north, so the Maldives can’t do much about it. And while the air quality can and will temporarily improve with rain, one of the main problems is that showers are pretty scarce in high season.
Cumulative Exposure
Tourists lured to the Maldives with promises of reliable sunshine during high season will normally spend most of the day outdoors enjoying the tropical beaches. They often eat all their meals outdoors too (due to the open-air design of the resorts) and usually remain outside sipping cocktails into the night. Which means, over the course of a typical 10-14 day vacation, travelers can be subjected to significant exposure, Dr Ali and Dr Thangarajan confirmed.
And apparently, the effect of the polluted air on the body is even worse if you exercise. That figures, since I remember feeling sick and having a headache sometimes after my daily runs around Male in high season, when I lived in the Maldives full-time. It made me think of all those tourists unwittingly pounding wakeboards, working up a sweat kayaking, and kicking their fins against the Maldives’ typically strong currents (snorkeling is the most popular activity).
“For travelers, the main concern is cumulative exposure. This means a visitor spending 10 to 14 days largely outdoors may accumulate meaningful exposure across an entire holiday, not just from a single bad day,” said Dr Thangarajan. “The risk becomes more concerning with swimming and energetic watersports because exertion increases the amount of polluted air a person inhales. Vigorous outdoor activity can raise the inhaled pollution dose several-fold, compared with resting outdoors. That is one reason exposure in a beach setting can be underestimated”.
Keeping the Maldives’ Pollution Hush-Hush
I asked numerous friends and contacts in the Maldivian tourism industry about the high-season air pollution. I was also curious about how they felt when the ABC caused visibility to drop to less than a mile, triggering seaplane suspensions because the pilots navigate using VFR (Visual Flight Rules). While most agreed tourists should be alerted when air pollution levels are risky, none of them were willing to go on the record about it.
“It’s very hush-hush,” one of them explained, adding that the Maldives is currently being hit hard by the impact of the Iran War (cancelled flights and diesel prices doubling the cost of island transfers), so they were concerned about harming tourism further. Some mentioned they heard the Maldivian government is discussing air pollution with its neighbors. But no one could point to why the AQI alerts aren’t being shared with visitors.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed in February that it’s now discussing transboundary air pollution with its neighbors. In the statement, the ministry admitted the situation raises concerns not only regarding public health but also the “tourism-dependent economy.” But as of yet, there are no specific warnings for travelers.
Both Dr Thangarajan and Dr Ali suggested alerts could be issued both in Dhivehi and English to give visitors a chance to protect themselves. “I think the current communication model is too limited for an international travel destination. Air quality alerts should be integrated into travel systems visitors use, including airline notifications, hotel check-in materials, resort apps, excursion desks, and weather or travel platforms,” said Dr Thangarajan.
Dr Ali suggested emails or texts could be another solution.
“Then they can plan their outdoor activities depending on the conditions of that day,” he added.
As Simple as ABC
If you take a look every day, you’ll see that the AQI fluctuates, so not all high-season days will have risky air pollution levels (30 percent of days in December to March should be fine). The worst of the air pollution appears to be over, for this season. And tens of thousands of travelers planning to visit the Maldives during shoulder season and low season (April to November) are unlikely to have any air pollution issues, because the wind changes direction in April to welcome the southwest Hulhangu monsoon (which is actually one of the lightest monsoons in the region, if you’re down for taking a gamble on the weather in return for lower room rates).
There is also some hope if you look at the bigger picture. It seems that if the Maldives is successful in encouraging its neighbors to cut their vehicle and factory emissions, big changes are possible. A World Bank report from December 2025 laid out solutions for tackling the ABC. It was observed that through sustained action, China’s Jing-Jin-Ji region and Mexico City cut harmful emissions in half in only a decade.
The World Bank predicts that if similar action is taken across borders, the Maldives could have clean air all year round, not only when the wind changes direction. South Asia quite literally has the power of the winds of change in its hands (if they don’t blow the opportunity).
Tips for Staying Safe in the Maldives
Until such a system exists, there are a few things you can do if you’re visiting the Maldives in high season:
Check the Air Quality Index on a website such as IQAir daily (because it fluctuates) before planning outdoor activities. Maldives Independent also recently installed an AQI index on its homepage, and the Maldives Meteorological Service issues occasional warnings in English.
If the AQI is between 150 and 200, the public should avoid prolonged outdoor exercise. Sensitive groups like those with underlying lung or heart diseases, pregnancy-related vulnerability, or other pre-existing conditions should reschedule outdoor activities.
If the AQI is more than 200, everyone should avoid all outdoor exercises and stay indoors as much as possible. (This might be a good time to book a spa day.)
Consider using a well-fitted N95 or KN95 mask outside on poor AQI days if you’re particularly vulnerable, and add indoor breaks to your itinerary rather than staying outside continuously on poor AQI days. And, as tempting as it may be to keep the windows open, it’s advised to run the air conditioning on recirculation mode inside your hotel room.
Dogs Don’t Belong on Airplanes
Courtesy of Fodor's Travel
https://www.fodors.com/news/news-and-features/im-a-frequent-flier-and-i-believe-dogs-dont-belong-on-airplanes
There’s barely space for humans as is.
Hot Takes is a monthly series inviting experts to share their hottest takes about travel, hospitality, and more. Have a hot take you’d like to share with us? Send your takes to editors@fodors.com for a chance to have your take featured in a future story.
I don’t get to fly first class often, but when I do, it’s a treat—whether I’ve paid for my ticket or been upgraded thanks to my airline loyalty as a frequent flier. So, you can imagine my surprise on a flight early last year when my seatmate arrived with a personal item that barked. Yes, the passenger next to me brought her dog aboard. Despite our row being in front of the cabin and therefore having some extra space, her dog’s instant intrusion into my personal space prompted her to ask if I was okay with animals. She quickly followed her question by assuring me her extra passenger, which did not appear to be a service dog, wouldn’t bother me at all.
But it did bother me, and not because I was hiding a Cruella Deville Dalmatian coat in my carry-on. I’m a fan of dogs (specifically ones that are well-behaved and even better watched by their owners). But their cute furry faces don’t change the bleak reality that space on commercial flights is already at such a premium that fliers debate whether it’s a cardinal sin to use the built-in recline function.
Flights are so overbooked these days that gate agents begging guests to check bags is basically a part of the boarding routine. If there’s barely enough room for humans to be comfortable on board, adding dogs to the mix feels unfair.
The Cost of Bringing a Dog on a Plane
Travelers with pets have to pay a fee (often between $100-200 dollars) to bring their animal, but that goes into the airline’s pocket without doing anything for their neighbors’ convenience. This is because airlines usually don’t require owners to buy a second seat, like on United or Alaska, where the policies state that a purchase is only required if a passenger brings two pets. Most airlines, like American, provide a rule that says a dog must remain in a carrier that fits under the seat for the duration of the flight as a solution.
But realistically, carriers that fully slide under (like a backpack) don’t exist, even for the smallest of dogs. This results in carriers taking up something like 20% of their neighbors’ limited leg space, when everyone paid 100% of their ticket to fly. More than that, it’s unsurprising that owners who want only the best for their pup are prone to sneaking them out of that carrier, despite the rules. Just ask pro-Dog Reddit and Facebook groups, where tips and tricks for getting your dog discreetly out of its crate are a constant topic.
Risks of Dogs on a Plane
Created or not, with traveling canines comes their traveling hair, which many people are allergic to, as in 20% of the global population. Snack service can skip peanuts for riders with nut allergies, but there’s no way to get around canine dander (or feline dander, for that matter) circulating through recycled air.
The most disregarded people when a dog appears on a plane without warning, though, are those with animal trauma. On average, 4.5 million dog bites happen each year, with the number of hospital visits due to dog-related injuries rising 15% following the Pandemic. No one should have anxiety about their physical safety on a plane, and dogs aren’t persuaded by the threat of an Air Marshall. Sure, a dog’s owner might trust their pet to behave, but that doesn’t mean those who have been hurt by a dog before, one whose owner also trusted them to be good, have any reason to.
That’s ultimately the biggest problem with bringing an animal into a confined space: dogs come with a degree of unpredictability, and they cannot be reasoned with using explicit instructions (unless the first language-fluent dog is secretly among us). Even the sweetest dogs can go into barking fits when they get antsy, excited, or simply feel like it, let alone the ones whose parents never actively nipped this disruptive habit in the bud long before take-off; getting one to stop barking is a Herculean feat. My best noise-cancelling headphones couldn’t block out incessant barking from LAX to JFK.
Potty-trained dogs have accidents when their bladder is mismanaged in a confusing environment, and it shouldn’t be a luxury to stroll through the airport without having to dodge puddles and piles of you-know-what on the floor. If you think that doesn’t happen, you should’ve been at Nashville International Airport as I panic-steered my $300 suitcase away from a rogue turd.
The Difference Between Service Dogs and Emotional Support Animals
The obvious exception to the case for a dog-free zone is service dogs, who are a medical necessity for those with disabilities who are entitled to travel just like everyone else. Conveniently, service dogs are behaviorally elite thanks to their ADA training in special skills. But even service dogs should come with extra steps; nearby passengers should be told before boarding, and service dogs in training should have to wait until their training is complete enough that their compliance isn’t being put to the test for the first time in a high-stakes space (as is currently covered by the four-month-old rule).
It’s also unfortunate to point out that service accreditations need to be strictly verified. But considering how Emotional Support Animal certificates were used as loopholes to bring puppies everywhere (including flights until the FAA cracked down) and the availability of fake service vests on Amazon, it’s true. After being nearly bitten by a chihuahua that was a roommate’s ESA, but my emotional tyrant, I can attest firsthand how humans aren’t afraid to manipulate the system regardless of the risks.
It can be endearing that pet parents love their fur babies like children, but ultimately, dogs are not entitled to the same rights as human beings. Don’t agree? Let’s see a dog try to vote in the next election or attend college. Now, I don’t love hearing an infant’s loud tears in a metal tube, either, but I understand a fair society doesn’t discriminate against parents or children. Pawrents, however, have plenty of alternative options to make putting up with a dog’s BS from 30,000 feet unnecessary.
Alternatives To Flying With Your Dog
Airlines like BarkAir, RetrievAir, and JSX allow large dogs on board at fairly reasonable prices for the extra space that comes with flying semi-private. Outside of that, there are ground transport services that will comfortably ship your fur baby cross-country if lower cargo is a no-no. Taking a road trip to your destination may add a few days to your trip, but that might just be the fair price to pay for voluntarily taking in a four-legged friend into your family. Yes, owning a dog is ultimately a choice—one an owner makes alone, not as a community decision, and so they should take on the associated costs alone too.
Being squished next to man’s best friend is a welcome surprise for serious animal lovers, but the truth is nobody must love your dog—or any dog at all—but you. R/Dogfree has 40,000 weekly visitors with passionate arguments about the inconvenience of dogs to prove it.
Though it feels alien to animal lovers who are comfortable kissing a being that licks their nether regions on the mouth, some people simply do not like dealing with the hair, germs, smell (yes, there is always a smell), and the forced awareness that comes with managing a dog in your space, lest they eat your food or want to explore without your consent. Spending hundreds, sometimes thousands, on a trip shouldn’t also cost the dog-free community their autonomy in a space where dogs don’t have to be.
Residential-style lodging expands to meet changing traveler behavior, developer says
Big Key Group's Ambar Residences Orlando is part of Apartments by Marriott brand
The Ambar Residences Orlando will provide a residential-style lodging with a hotel-level of service and experience. (The Big Key Group)
https://www.costar.com/article/305223941/residential-style-lodging-expands-to-meet-changing-traveler-behavior-developer-says
With interest in branded residences and apartment-style hotels continuing to rise for both travelers and developers, the industry can expect to see more options in the space — and not just at the luxury price point.
Nate Siehr, who spent over a decade in hotel development at Marriott International, co-founded The Big Key Group to work on projects that meet modern traveler interests. The company's first project, the Ambar Residences Orlando, is a third-party-managed apartment by Marriott property currently underway. All of the units are for sale, Siehr said.
"It's not a hotel room stretched into a longer-stay concept. It is a true residential format designed for the way people actually travel today," Siehr said on the CoStar New Hotels Podcast.
According to the property's website, those who purchase one of the 322 fully furnished, move-in-ready units can stay there for up to one month each year. They then have the option to place their residence into the property's rental program. There are studio units along with one-, two-, and three-bedroom units.
The concept provides "ownership without the operational burden," Siehr added. That's the value proposition Ambar offers, and it's a "direct response" to how travel behavior has evolved faster than hospitality projects have.
"People are staying longer. They're traveling in larger groups, and multigenerational travel has become much more common," he said. "More travelers now want a stay that feels residential — not because they want something informal, but because they want something that actually works for their real life."
He added that the industry has already seen some of this evolution of travel behavior with the rise of soft brands, citing how Marriott's Autograph Collection, Hilton Curio, Hyatt's Unbound Collection, and Kimpton all grew.
Another part of this evolution, especially during the pandemic, was the growth of short-term rentals.
"Airbnb helped prove that people value that space and flexibility, but it also highlighted the trade-off, which is a lot of inconsistency," Siehr said. "What I think that we're trying to solve for with our company moving forward, and I think that a certain degree of the industry as a whole is trying to solve for, is the space of a home combined with the reliability, the standards of a service platform of a global hospitality brand."
Many residential-style lodging products are at the luxury price point, but Siehr said he's hoping his Ambar project is the first of a wave of development that targets upscale and upper-upscale buyers. There will always be a market for luxury residential buyers, but Siehr said he sees interest growing across the board.
"Not everybody who wants to pursue a branded residence is in that highest echelon of income earners, and so there should be a product for them, too," he said.
The Big Key Group is starting in Orlando, which is one of the most visited cities in the United States. The city saw more than 75 million visitors in the last two years and is seeing a widening length of stay and a healthy mix of business and leisure. And Siehr said that other markets that see this same level of multi-generational travel and repeat visitors are also primed for new residential-style lodging projects.
With these types of projects offering a hotel-level experience, Siehr said third-party hotel managers have a huge opportunity to step in to provide their service. Ambar's operator is Coury Hospitality, and Siehr said the company was selected for its experience with soft brands.
"The executors of the experiential elements in the soft-branded space have primarily been third-party operators, and so it's a natural fit for them to be the ones that are going to execute on behalf of the development-owner community on the types of experiences," he said. "They're going to create demand for those branded residential products."
HEI promotes Clark Hanrattie to CEO
Clark Hanrattie, a 23-year veteran of HEI, will replace Anthony Rutledge, who has served as CEO since 2012.
https://www.hotelinvestmenttoday.com/Development/Owners/HEI-promotes-Clark-Hanrattie-to-CEO?
NORWALK, Connecticut — Norwalk, Connecticut-based HEI Hotels & Resorts has promoted Clark Hanrattie, a partner at HEI for 23 years and an industry veteran for over 30 years, to CEO and managing partner, effective July 1. Hanrattie will succeed Anthony Rutledge, who has held that role since 2012.
“I am honored to assume the role of CEO and managing partner with HEI,” said Hanrattie. “Anthony is someone whom I deeply respect. He has had an immeasurable positive impact on my life and career. Together with Rachel Moniz and Dan Walworth, along with many other key leaders across the HEI team, we look forward to building on HEI’s legacy as an industry-leading company with strong and aligned personal relationships across our institutional investment community, brand partners and associates.”
HEI said after the transition date, Rutledge will remain a significant owner and partner at HEI.
“I would like to congratulate Clark on his new role,” said Rutledge. “With the unmatched platform we have built over several decades as a tried-and-true owner/operator focused solely on value creation, our unwavering culture of HEI Loves and a team of seasoned professionals, Clark’s relentless passion and deep experience across all of our investment and operating disciplines will drive us to new heights.”
Over his career, Hanrattie has been instrumental in the acquisition, revenue management, and expense management of more than 175 hotels, with transaction value exceeding $9 billion. Hanrattie began his career in 1993 at Olympus Real Estate, where he rose from analyst to partner, leading all hotel investment and asset management activities.
He joined HEI in 2004 to bolster its owner/operator business model and played an integral role in driving HEI’s portfolio growth from 35 to over 100 hotels.
“I am thrilled with the success of HEI under Anthony’s leadership and look forward to his continued contributions to our firm and our industry. Moving forward, I could not be more confident that Clark and our outstanding team will continue to capitalize on our unique DNA to maximize real estate value, all while simultaneously advancing the culture that has enabled HEI to thrive,” said Gary Mendell, HEI’s co-founder and chairman.
Under Rutledge’s leadership and tenure, HEI grew the real estate value of its third-party hotel and/or joint venture assets under management from $2 billion in 2012 to over $20 billion today. HEI said Hanrattie will continue to focus on driving HEI’s returns back to its ownership and branding partners.
“Hiring, retaining, and developing the very best people in our industry continues to be a major contributor to our owner/operator business model and the outsized returns to our ownership and branding partners,” said Hanrattie.
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