An hour or so drive off of Phuket is the laid back resort town of Khao Lak. Among the myriad resorts and hotels is the JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa, a 5-star resort managed by Abhimanyu Singh. In collaboration with Oceans For All Foundation, and as a part of the hotel group’s Serve 360 Model, a Bamboo Shark Nursery and Conservation Centre hatches, raises and introduces juvenile sharks to the Andaman Sea.
The Bamboo Shark Nursery & Conservation Centre
A couple of years ago, Oceans For All Foundation and the then newly minted GM, met to discuss marine conservation, and how the resort could contribute to the conservation efforts being carried out by the foundation. The result of these conversations is the JW Marriott Khao Lak Bamboo Shark Nursery & Conservation Centre, which is nestled in the resort’s suites wing.
The foundation’s marine biologists walk guests through an educational experience, where they learn of the bamboo shark’s role in keeping the marine ecosystem of the Andaman Sea in balance, and are shown each stage of life as these amazing creatures grow in their eggs, hatch and reach adolescence. Whenever a baby bamboo shark reaches maturity, guests are also invited to attend a ‘Re-Sharking’ experience, where an adolescent shark is introduced to the ocean.
Introducing Abhimanyu Singh
Having toured Asia in various General Manager roles across the Marriott group hotels, and in some of the group’s most stunning establishments, Abhimanyu Singh arrived in Thailand February of 2022 to take on the leadership role at the JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa. His latest task was to build out the JW Marriott Khao Lak Suites, which, in addition to the existing 297 rooms, expanded the resort to 471 luxurious rooms, suites and villas.
The decorated operations leader’s most recent appointment was at the Four Points by Sheraton Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown, where he successfully led the destination through the pandemic and on to becoming a market leader.
The Interview
After a brief tour of the Bamboo Shark Nursery and Conservation Centre, we were whisked away to one of the resort’s renowned MICE spaces for our interview.
About The Shark Nursery Project
Oceans For All Foundation’s Shark Nursery project hatches, raises and introduces baby bamboo sharks into the ocean at Re-Sharking events and activities hosted at participating hotels.
JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa’s Bamboo Shark Nursery & Conservation Centre is one of two shark nurseries operated in collaboration with the foundation, with the other running at Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort. In line with the foundation’s mission, management at both the JW Marriott Khao Lak and Pullman Phuket Panwa agree that their establishments benefit infinitely from the natural environments in which they operate, and that they have a responsibility to nurture and protect the balance of their ecosystems.
We are truly grateful for the role these resorts have played in propagating awareness and the steps and actions they have taken to restore balance to the marine ecosystem in the waters of the Andaman Sea.
If you would like to be a part of this positive impact, consider making a donation to the foundation via our donation page. If you are a corporate, contact us to discuss a tailored partnership agreement that would benefit both your organisation and the environment.
