Travel And Tour World: How is Baglioni Resort Maldives working to attract more guests for all age groups?

Monica Suri: While the Maldives has traditionally been thought of as a romantic destination, Baglioni Resort Maldives caters to families, honeymoon couples, and solo travelers alike, with a touch of Italian hospitality. We curate an itinerary that ranges from water sports for adventure-seekers to cooking lessons for culinary enthusiasts, movie sessions under the stars for a romantic evening for couples, to sunset and sunrise yoga sessions for guests seeking mindfulness.

The resort is located on a barefoot island with a swimming lagoon, an in-house reef, and a panoramic view of the Indian Ocean. It is surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. Because we are located on the island of Maagau, we have the advantage of being able to offer our guests the experience of diving and spotting schools of eagle rays, turtles, and sharks.

The resort is surrounded by lush tropical vegetation, turquoise waters, and velvety white sands. The rooms are designed with the kind of Italian attention to detail you’d expect, using environmentally friendly materials and design techniques while making the most of the natural setting and its all-encompassing beauty. In addition, the three-bedroom presidential suite at the resort is one of the largest in the Maldives.

Travel And Tour World: Share your marketing strategies to make Baglioni Resort Maldives a haven for families at a holiday destination known for hosting couples?

Monica Suri: We curate regular offers as well as package deals to appeal to our Indian guests while also increasing brand awareness and visibility. We are confident that with our customized offerings to segments such as honeymooners, families, and children, we will soon see increased interest from families in the Indian market.

Travel And Tour World: What are the steps taken by Baglioni Resort Maldives to attract more Indians to come to your property and the country as well?

Monica Suri : We have been working hard to attract more Indian visitors since the pandemic. With nearly 8000 visitors arriving each month, the Maldives is once again seeing an increase in the number of Indian tourists. India remains the Maldives’ most important consumer market.

To meet the needs of our Indian audience, we have made a few changes to our menu in order to provide our guests with a wide variety of Indian cuisine, including Jain food.

Travel And Tour World: Share with us about the change in hospitality sector and consumer behavior post-pandemic travel- Trends, safety changes.

Monica Suri : Even though guest needs have not changed since the pandemic, booking questions have. There is an increase in multigenerational travel, which is the trend of people of all ages traveling together. Several families have reserved our resort for a relaxing vacation since the beginning of 2022. We believe that this is due to COVID 19, which separated many families, and that travelers are now returning to the embrace of their families and vacationing together.

We have also seen an increase in guest interest in the property as a result of its sustainability initiatives. Many travelers are becoming more aware of the importance of traveling in a sustainable manner. As the climate and environmental crises worsen, travelers are increasingly looking for destinations and properties that have a low impact on the local cultural environment.

Experiential tourism is another new travel trend. Several guests have expressed a desire to immerse themselves in local culture, experiences, and authentic Maldivian cuisine.

Our sole focus is to provide guests with suitability, international cuisine, and entertainment on our beautiful natural island, while ensuring that every guest requirement is met with the utmost care and love.

Travel And Tour World: How Baglioni Resort Maldives is working to encourage the sustainable practices in the hospitality industry.

Monica Suri: We have made it a top priority at Baglioni Resort Maldives to reduce our carbon footprint. To operate our resort more efficiently, we have reduced our use of plastic water bottles, are attempting to maximize our recycling options through an internal waste reduction plan and are actively reducing paper usage in any check-in/check-out routine and in our daily office activities. We use LED and sensor lighting to reduce energy consumption, monitor the temperature of hot water thermostats, and reduce energy production during runoff time. Our accommodations are eco-friendly and feature organic amenities. To effectively manage food waste, we recommend the appropriate amount of food to our visitors, compost residual food waste, and donate unused products to local communities.

Our employees are environmentally conscious, and each department has a “green team,” a committee that recommends the best eco-friendly practices in their department. We have also collaborated with Green Globe, a global leader in sustainable tourism certification (Green Globe). We intend to invest in green infrastructure at the property over the next year, including solar panels, a bio-gas system, and hydroponic farming.

Furthermore, our resort is aware of the environmental impact that we have. As a result, marine biologists at Baglioni Resort Maldives work to grow coral species that are on the verge of extinction to add to and create new reef habitats. Coral reefs cover less than 0.1% of the ocean’s surface but support one-third of all marine life. Coral reefs are important habitats for many species, and they also provide important ecosystem services on which millions of people rely. We also offer our visitors the option of adopting a coral fragment or sponsoring a coral frame with a personalized tag.

Travel And Tour World: Tell us about the current travel trends and future roadmap of the industry and how you are evolving?

Monica Suri: People’s travel habits have changed dramatically since the pandemic. Many travellers are becoming aware of the significance of travelling sustainably. As the climate and environmental crises worsen, travelers are increasingly looking for destinations and properties that have a low impact on the local cultural environment.

We anticipate a significant increase in luxury retreats and sleep tourism concepts in 2023, as well as an increase in the digitization of guest experiences.

Keeping up with the times, we are constantly evolving on the path to expanding our reach to international guests and providing them with unique experiences. We are developing an all-inclusive package to provide our guests with even more reasons to visit our resort. In addition, we hope to provide travellers with a comprehensive experience and education that is more than just a wonderful vacation.