The trip, organised by sustainability-focused travel firm Pure Breaks, was one of the first educationals to visit the island after Covid-19 restrictions were lifted in Mauritius.

The group visited properties run by Attitude Group, which includes the flagship resort of Lagoon Attitude in northern Mauritius.

Attitude Group has a sustainability charter, which includes removing all single-use plastics, a bulk shop for tea, coffee and snacks, and employs a marine biologist to mitigate the impact of people on the lagoon and surrounding coral relief.

All unused fruit and vegetables from the hotels are given to a local group to press into juice, while the company has already reached its target of sourcing all supplies locally.

Becky Hellier, from luxury agency Select World Travel, said: “Attitude was a great hotel in its own right, but what they were doing for sustainability put the cherry on top. They’d thought of everything and that’s extremely rare, especially at that end of the market.”

While Kerry Lakey, director at Savannah Travel, added: “I’ve never been in a property that has reached that level of sustainability. I believe all hotels can make small steps in the right direction.

“Of course, customers like to go away and have a great experience, to be looked after. But people are becoming more aware of what’s going on with the planet and they’re looking to be sustainable; to give something back to the place they’re visiting.”

Attitude’s achievements include reducing its water use by 13% over three years, while gas consumption has dropped by nearly 30%. There have also been 10,000 hours of training for employees on sustainability practices.

Raymond Duverge, chief sales officer of the Attitude Group, admitted sustainability was a “big challenge” – not just environmentally but also to support the local economy and communities.

“It’s a movement and it never stops,” he said. “Our ambition is to sell our holidays differently, and also show our guests, our communities and ourselves how to think in a slightly new way.

“We’ve been doing eco-conscious activities for a long time, but we’re just talking about it more now with a better structure to put things in place. It’s a real conviction and commitment to go in this direction.

“What we’ve done is quite radical and we have more to come. This journey will never finish, even with the parameters imposed by a small island like Mauritius.”

Darren Taylor, chief operating officer at Pure Breaks, added: “We’re delighted to be able to showcase Attitude and to demonstrate the benefits that a truly immersive experience can bring for communities and for travellers. 

“As the world continues to become aware of global sustainability issues, we are encouraged by what we have seen and hope other hotels in Mauritius take up the challenge.”