SUN Resorts, a Mauritian based hotel group that currently owns and manages four resorts in Mauritius including the five-star Le Touessrok, the Long Beach; Sugar Beach and the four-star La Pirogue and the Kanuhura in Maldives, has announced its newest lease agreement with Apavou Hotels Resorts & Spa for the lease of Ambre Resort & Spa in Belle Mare, Mauritius. The Ambre Resort & Spa is a 298-room, four-star hotel, located on one of the most beautiful beaches of Mauritius. This new property will enable Sun Resorts to consolidate its position in the very competitive four-star segment.
Arnaud Martin, chief marketing officer of Sun Resorts, “The new deal enables Sun Resorts to operate and manage the hotel effective October 1, 2012. In the meanwhile, Sun Resorts will begin a renovation process at Ambre hotel. The renovation programme will start this month and we should be ready in time for our opening in October. An investment of €10 million ($13 million) has been approved for the renovation program and will include upgrading the public areas, complete renovation of hotel rooms, new main pool and upgrading back of the house facilities.”
When ready, the hotel is expected to create around jobs opportunities for 600 people. It has been a strong year for Sun Resorts having opened the five-star Long Beach in April 2011. “Long Beach offers the ultimate beach holiday experience and since its opening has been received very well by our partners. Despite the crisis, we recorded a 20 per cent organic growth in 2011 and are likely to have another 20 per cent growth in 2012.
Pre-crisis, the company recorded net returns of almost 15 per cent which we have sustained over the years. Now of course it is much lower, however Sun Resorts have always remained profitable, so that’s almost 30 years of growth.”
At Sun Resorts, the focus is on experience. “Throughout our resorts we are constantly looking to strive towards giving our guests the best holiday experiences. All our properties are ideal beach holiday destinations for today’s sophisticated consumer. The resort location, tropical climate, architecture and landscaping and first-class service provide an unmatched experience to our guests.”
Sun Resorts have marketing offices in London, Paris and Frankfurt and representations in Milan, Madrid, Moscow and the UAE. The company also operates tour operators in France and South Africa.
Martin adds, “We don’t necessarily focus on one source market anymore since we believe that today we are all global citizens. As a guest you need a destination that is trouble free and beautiful with good weather conditions and when you get stunning beaches and lagoons with it, that’s just a bonus. Our traditional markets have been from UK and Germany but we have also hosted big families from Dubai and Saudi Arabia.”
Martin adds that Mauritius with its multiracial society and high literacy rates means educated, bilingual people who are aware of other cultures and values and thus make great hosts. “The average occupancy rates at our properties have been above 80 per cent which is very good. But of course we’ve seen difficult times. The reality is that our traditional markets – where we have direct air links – are suffering from GDP growth, which is what drives demand.
“It has thus become a necessity to look at emerging markets. One of our challenges continues to be the lack of direct air links from most emerging markets,” he added.
With the opening of the Ambre hotel, Sun Resorts will be launching its second four-star property across its portfolio. “Sun Resorts is an experienced hotel group and we believe we have the expertise to operate that segment which is very much in demand today. What we will see is, post these tough times, is a simplistic customer. The middle-class family is travelling today and they are keen to stay in four-star properties. We have also seen our five-star customers downgrading to four-star properties in recent times,” explained Martin.
Speaking about the Middle East, Martin believes that this is one market that needs more focus. “Destination awareness is key and we need to do more promotion in countries like Qatar and Kuwait. Currently the region does not account for even five per cent of all tourist arrivals, and this is what we look to change in 2012.”
Martin is keen to develop more resorts outside Mauritius, if ‘the right opportunity arises’.