Hotels Have Focused on Coral Restoration — Palladium Is Betting on Seagrass Too

Coral restoration has dominated hotel marine conservation work. Palladium Hotel Group wants to help protect another crucial part of the ecosystem: seagrass. The hospitality group has opened a marine conservation lab at the Grand Palladium Select Palace Ibiza, where guests can now visit a seagrass nursery in the resort — and go on dives to see conservation work. The goal is to raise awareness about the island’s marine ecosystem. Many coastal hotels and resorts rely on white sandy beaches and clear waters to attract guests, which DMOs have spent decades advertising. White sand is actually calcium carbonate originating from coral, while seagrass acts as natural filters and catches sediment that makes water cloudy. Nutrient-rich seagrass provides a home and food to marine life and is an important carbon sink, storing up to 18% of oceanic carbon. Climate change is putting those systems under threat, with rising ocean temperat