Salterra Resort's goal: To care for the Earth as well as it does its guests
When Salterra Resort & Spa opened its doors in March on South Caicos, it did so with the usual trappings of a luxury beachfront property: whitewashed architecture, linens with high thread counts, a spa stocked with locally made products. But what sets the newest member of Marriott's Luxury Collection apart is its ambition to become a model for sustainability in the Caribbean hospitality sector.
From solar energy and water conservation to reef restoration and waste reduction, Salterra has embedded sustainability into most layers of its operations, from power and water conservation to design, waste management and supporting the local community.
"We believe that 'our product is the place' and that promoting, bolstering and celebrating the environmental, social and cultural elements of South Caicos are vital to the success of Salterra," said Camilo Arado Lilleslatten, the resort's associate director of sustainability. "In doing so, we aim to set a benchmark for sustainable development and hospitality in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the greater Caribbean region that delivers enduring value to both people and the planet."
Soaking up the rays
Among the resort's headline efforts is its partnership with FortisTCI, the energy utility provider for Turks and Caicos, to install a 400-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system. The system is projected to generate 700,000 kilowatt-hours annually, roughly the energy consumption of 70 U.S. homes and is expected to offset 20% of the resort's emissions, Lilleslatten said.
Camilo Lilleslatten is the associate director of sustainability at the Salterra Resort & Spa in Turks and Caicos Photo Credit: Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Turks & Caicos
The resort's design choices also reflect its environmental commitment. The landscaping prioritizes native plants like sea grapes, thatch palm and gumbo limbo, reducing irrigation needs on an island that receives minimal rainfall. Potable water is produced on site through reverse osmosis, an energy-intensive process that makes water conservation a critical concern.
Inside guestrooms, single-use plastics have been eliminated. Guests are provided with filtered-water dispensers, reusable water bottles, compostable amenities and biodegradable materials. The on-site boutique, Macori, carries reef-safe sunscreens and products made with recycled materials.
Furniture throughout the resort was handcrafted in the Dominican Republic to limit emissions from long-distance shipping. The spa also uses locally crafted products to cut back on transportation-related emissions.
Waste not
Perhaps one of the most urgent sustainability challenges in South Caicos is waste. Like many small islands in the region, trash on South Caicos is often burned in open-pit landfills. Salterra is in the early stages of building a comprehensive waste management system designed to divert as much refuse from the landfill as possible.
The resort is working with the TCI government and Fundacion Grupo Puntacana to develop a plan that includes separating waste streams, exporting recyclables to appropriate facilities and investing in biodigestion technology for food waste. Even minor operational changes, like eliminating synthetic rubber gloves in kitchens, are being explored as ways to reduce the resort's environmental footprint.
Salterra helped found the South Caicos Coral Reef Consortium, which supports reef restoration and research. Photo Credit: Salterra, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Turks & Caicos
"Being able to quantify the amount of waste we are diverting from the landfill will be an important aspect of the resort's operation and commitment to sustainability," said Lilleslatten.
With South Caicos long known as the fishing capital of Turks and Caicos, Salterra is also working to re-establish a more localized, transparent seafood supply chain.
The resort has partnered with FisherFolkFirst, a nonprofit that supports small-scale, sustainable fisheries. The goal is to reduce reliance on imported seafood, said Lilleslatten, which is often tied to opaque and environmentally harmful supply chains, and instead source form local fisheries committed to sustainable practices.
"By prioritizing local, small-scale fisheries, Salterra can enhance the guest experience in our [food and beverage] outlets, reinforce the resort's sense of place, support local livelihoods and promote compliance with environmental regulations," he said.
Beyond the beach
Salterra's environmental initiatives extend beyond the property's perimeter. Before the resort opened, it co-founded the South Caircos Coral Reef Consortium (SCCRC) to support reef restoration and resilience research. The consortium has established in-situ (underwater) coral nurseries and an off-site coral lab, and hundreds of corals have already been replanted along local reefs.
"The mission of SCCRC is to research, replant, and restore the coral reefs of South Caicos," said Lilleslatten. "We are working alongside our partners to improve the adaptability and resilience of our beautiful reefs that have been threatened by changing sea surface temperatures and disease."
Other environmental and educational partners include the School for Field Studies Center for Marine Resource Studies, the TCI Reef Fund, The Reef Institute, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
Salterra is in the process of seeking an accredited sustainability certification.
"An important aspect of Salterra's meeting this goal is to ensure that our property complies with an accredited certification program," said Lilleslatten, who noted that the resort's redevelopment of an existing hotel (the East Bay Resort) has provided both challenges and opportunities for rethinking its infrastructure from a sustainability standpoint.
While sustainability certifications have come under scrutiny in recent years, Lilleslatten sees them as an essential tool.
"They provide travelers with a credible, verifiable commitment to environmental and social responsibility," he said.
Salterra's leadership is aware of the increasing scrutiny around so-called ecofriendly resorts, and Lilleslatten is frank about the fine line between meaningful action and greenwashing.
"No company is immune to greenwashing," he said. "There is widespread demand for products and services that promote the well-being of our planet, but taking the measures to have a positive impact can be a real challenge."
For Salterra, the goal is not to reinvent sustainability but to model a pragmatic, community-centered approach that integrates environmental stewardship into the luxury travel experience.
"Increasingly, we are finding that luxury and environmental sustainability are not mutually exclusive," said Lilleslatten. "This is a time for action, hope and a renewed commitment to the people and places that support the hospitality industry."
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