Interview with Abdulla Fathhey, General Manager of Sun Island Resort & Spa

Sun Island Resort & Spa is part of the Villa Hotels & Resorts portfolio and is one of the largest resort islands operating under the Maldives’ one-island-one-resort concept. MVHOTELS spoke with General Manager Abdulla Fathhey about his career in tourism, managing a large resort operation, and how the resort navigated the challenges of the global pandemic.

Career in the Tourism Industry

How did your career lead up to Sun Island Maldives?

I began my career in the tourism industry as a receptionist in 1994, and since then I have held various hospitality-related positions. In 1998, I joined a newly developing property by Villa Hotels, Royal Island. Once the property was fully completed, I started to work as an acting Front Office Manager.

In 2009, I took a small study/work experience break with an international hotelier and later rejoined Villa Hotels the same year at Paradise Island as the Rooms Division Manager. During my time at Paradise Island, I filled different managerial posts at the property. In 2018, I took the position as the General Manager of Sun Island Resort and since then I have been here.

Managing a Large Resort Operation

Sun Island Maldives is known as one of the largest resorts operating under the one-island-one-resort concept. In terms of operations, how is it different from other resorts?

Resort operations are quite similar in the Maldives as we have the one-island-one-resort concept. Running a resort of this size is not as easy as resorts with fewer rooms. The scale of operations separates us from other resorts.

For example, keeping the island best prepared for guests at all times and managing the number of guest service facilities we provide.

To do so, we require an excellent team to execute the work. We are very fortunate because our team here at Sun Island is fantastic, and we are very proud to have dedicated locals who are well experienced and focused.

Our philosophy is “We are one family” and we rely on each other to achieve our goals. Hence, we have a team built on the foundation of trust and compassion.

Resort Closure During the Pandemic

The closure of resort islands during the pandemic was unprecedented. How did you manage staff wellbeing during that time?

The situation has been one of the most challenging hurdles that we have ever faced globally. Once we saw the situation getting worse, we supported each other in various ways.

As a team, we wanted to turn a negative scenario into a positive one. We kept our team active and engaged by involving them in new developments as well as various recreational activities.

We reopened Sun Island on 1 October 2020. Thankfully, things are looking much brighter for all of us.

Changes After Reopening

Many resorts used the lockdown period to rethink their strategies and services. What changes were introduced after reopening?

We believe true hospitality can only be delivered by understanding guest needs and aspirations. We made a significant effort to improve ourselves both structurally and on the service side.

We also considered guest feedback while doing so. Our strategy is simple: we have built a strong sense of safety and security into our guest services without compromising the holiday experience. As we always do, we will continue to exceed guest expectations and ensure their holiday experience becomes a lifelong memory.

Safety and Hygiene Measures

Guests travelling to Sun Island arrive via domestic flight. How do you ensure safety and hygiene during transfers and at the resort?

Luckily, our transfer flight provider belongs to our parent company. At the group level, we take guest and staff safety equally and maintain the same standard.

Therefore, we are confident that all safety protocols are followed. Our guests have already recognised and appreciated the safety and hygiene measures we have implemented, and these are shared through our communication channels including social media platforms.

We follow our resort SOP specifically formulated for COVID-19, which includes HPA and WHO guidelines.

Occupancy and Seasonal Outlook

How do you see occupancy trends for the coming season and the new year?

I believe we will not have major issues with occupancy because Maldives resorts are geographically dispersed. It offers a natural form of social distancing.

As for festive activities, we have exciting plans for our guests to enjoy without fear or stress, although we prefer to keep them as a surprise.

Training and Local Workforce

Villa Hotels has long supported Maldivian talent. How do you maintain staff training and development?

Villa Hotels is constantly scouting for passionate and talented Maldivians because we believe an authentic Maldivian holiday experience can only be delivered by locals.

Training and development are key parts of our operations. We evaluate training needs across departments and identify key indicators. Based on those indicators, we formulate training plans to enhance the skills and talents of our team members.

Besides our in-house trainer, we also bring external trainers both locally and internationally.

Sustainability at Sun Island

Eco-tourism has become increasingly important for travellers. How does Sun Island approach sustainability?

Sun Island is a naturally unique Maldivian island and a breeding ground for different kinds of wildlife. We offer sandy beaches and a lagoon, but the ecosystem itself is full of life.

We focus on preserving and nurturing what we are blessed with. Sustainability is key for us.

Within the last two years, we have reduced our carbon footprint significantly. We have switched to glass bottles instead of plastic, saving more than one million plastic water bottles from going into landfills. We have also removed plastic straws.

To support greener initiatives we have planted more than 300 mango trees and more than 200 coconut trees. We also grow herbs and certain fruits and vegetables on the island.

Our goal is to preserve the environment and pass it on to future generations.