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Sun Siyam rebrand showcases Maldives culture and traditions
Sun Siyam Resorts has hailed the importance of agents as it unveiled a rebrand and 10 ‘signature’ experiences for guests.
The Maldivian-owned hospitality group – celebrating its 35th anniversary this year – operates five private island resorts in the Maldives and one boutique retreat in Sri Lanka.
Ahmed Naufal, group director for business development, told Travel Weekly that about 80% of sales come from travel agents – and the UK market has been its top source of guests for the past two years.
He said the properties are now in three distinct categories – Luxury, Privé and Lifestyle – to help guests and trade partners decide which suits them better.
Sun Siyam Iru Fushi is in the Luxury category, which includes butler service, while the Privé Collection features “boutique” properties: Sun Siyam Iru Veli and Sun Siyam Vilu Reef in the Maldives and Sun Siyam Pasikudah in Sri Lanka.
Resorts in the Lifestyle Collection – Siyam World and Sun Siyam Olhuveli – are “brimming with entertainment and big on recreation”.
Commenting on the 10 new experiences, he said: “The Maldives is considered a honeymoon destination, where people say there’s nothing to do…but we are changing this game, so we are bringing lots of different experiences.”
The resorts already offer activities such as horse riding and go-karts as part of their drive to widen their appeal to a broader clientele, including families and groups of friends.
The signature experiences include new options such as Cinema by Moonlight – a floating movie night aboard a traditional dhoni [boat] – and Insta Villas, which offer guests the chance to take photographs in premium island villas for a few hours.
Also new is the ‘Wow Welcome’ with a traditional ‘blowing of the conch’ ritual and Bar-Ception check-in with a welcome drink.
Weekly ‘Maldivian Roots’ events with showcase the destination’s culture and heritage, such as cookery classes and storytelling sessions, plus pop-up bars and tricycles offering ice creams.
To help the trade learn about the rebrand and experiences, there will be a new training programme, which will enable agents to win a two-night voucher – and agents can also take advantage of special discounted rates.
Fam trips are being planned and Jayne Blackler, UK trade sales manager, has been arranging events with agents such as business breakfasts and lunch meetings.
“Our bread-and-butter comes from the travel partners, and we would like to support them as much as possible,” said Naufal.
“Everyone makes sure they have a good experience. We value their importance.”
He said the resorts expect to sell 80-90,000 room nights for 2025, up from 67,500 last year – with occupancy rates reaching 95% over the recent low season in some resorts.
And much of the success is due to price, with a family of four being able to afford a week’s all-inclusive holiday during the summer holidays for £8-10,000.
More groups of friends and multigenerational families are visiting, and even guests who are not keen swimmers can keep busy with activities such as yoga, pilates, art classes, cookery classes, nature walks and lectures with marine biologists.
The brand has also seen success with Imagine Cruising, which had a large group of mature cruisers who finished their sailing in Singapore then flew to the Maldives for a few days.
The agency hopes to make more similar bookings with Sun Siyam, thanks to the attention to detail and service the group experienced, said Naufal.
Other developments at the resorts include the new Sun Siyam Apprenticeship Programme, to help the development of skills and youth employability in the Maldives, and the nation’s first dedicated plastic upcycling centre, as part of the brand’s sustainability efforts.
It can turn discarded plastic items, such as oil containers, cleaning product drums and shampoo bottles, into useful items such as sunbeds, plant pots and outdoor seating.
Pictured below: Ahmed Naufal, group director for business development
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