Enjoy luxury with privacy, in Maldives

Sun Siyam Maldives with its four and five-star resorts has become the most prominent destination for Middle East travellers. Whether guests are looking for a relaxing holiday or one that is full of fast-paced and thrill-seeking activities, it offers tailored and personalised holiday experiences to each traveller. Deepak Booneady, CEO, Sun Siyam Resorts, shares more with TRAVTALK.

TT Bureau

What are your unique offerings to the Middle East travellers?

We offer anyone travelling to one of our six resorts a home away from home. With a quick flight and short distances to the Middle East and GCC regions, Maldives is already providing the Arab traveller with a unique geographical advantage of an ideal environment to enjoy beautiful surroundings in safety and comfort, enhanced by the ‘one-island-one-resort’ approach.

Whether guests are looking for a relaxing holiday or one that is full of fast-paced and thrill-seeking activities,  Sun Siyam Resorts offers tailored and personalised holiday experiences to each traveller and is accustomed to the needs and preferences of travellers from the Middle East or GCC region in particular.  Whether it is a private picnic on a secluded sandbank, incredible fine dining experiences, top notch spa and wellness treatments, or never-seen-before activities in the Maldives such as the very first horse ranch or largest floating water park in the Maldives, Sun Siyam Maldives has it all. Families are also most welcome as we have several deals and activities especially catered to large families and a few of our resorts offer two kids under 15 years stay for free in the same room.

Could you share about your performance last year and expectations for this year, especially with summer already setting in?

We have had an incredible 2022. Despite the ongoing economic and global issues, we were able to overcome these challenges and welcomed guests to stay with us at five Sun Siyam Resorts. The Maldives itself received over 1.6 million tourists for the year, surpassing its tourist arrival targets despite the challenges faced due to the pandemic and recent geopolitical conflicts. In 2022, we saw a trend for larger groups of friends and extended families travelling together. We are looking forward to 2023, building on the success we experienced last year.

How do travel agents/ operators help in generating business for you?

Travel agents and operators play a crucial role in generating business for Sun Siyam Resorts by promoting and selling the resort to potential customers. They serve as a direct link between the resort and the customers, providing expert advice and recommendations to travellers, which increases the chances of booking. Travel agents also have a vast network of clients, which allows for wider reach and exposure for the resort. By working with travel agents and operators, Sun Siyam Resorts is able to tap into their established customer base and reach new audiences, ultimately helping to drive bookings and revenue.

Future plans for the property?

There are several plans in the works to continue to grow Sun Siyam Resorts, both in the Maldives and in other parts of the world. We plan to reopen our Sri Lankan boutique beach property Pasikudah in Q3 of this year and looking at upgrading and refurbishing our popular Sun Siyam Iru Fushi resort. In addition, we will be introducing new attractions at Siyam World, Sun Siyam Iru Veli and Olhuveli in the upcoming months.