Aditiya is an experienced hotelier with extensive experience in sales and marketing in the Maldives, having held progressive responsibilities in leadership roles. Before his appointment at Amaya Kuda Rah, he had held the position of Deputy Director of Sales and Marketing at Brennia Kottefaru and was also Group Sales and Marketing Manager for Adaaran resorts and Heritance Aarah.

Travelution team sat down with Aditiya to get a glimpse into his career, his role at Amaya Kuda Rah and how does he see the resort progressing.

• Can you give us an introduction about yourself?

My name is Aditya Raj Singh and I take care of the sales and marketing as the head of sales at Amaya Kuda Rah. We strive to serve our guests by giving them a different experience as we believe that hospitality should come from the heart, not just a technical process, it must be touched with emotional factors then only you can give excellent levels of service to the guests. This is what I have been taught and this is what I would like to give to our guests.

• Could you tell us about your journey in the tourism and hospitality industry and how did it all start?

My journey in the hospitality industry began in 2003 when I decided to join IHM Bhopal to do my hotel management training, IHM Bhopal being one of the best government-affiliated colleges. We learned a lot, including what a hotel is, what hospitality is and how hotel operations are run. This was followed by a 20-week industrial training at the Grand New Delhi and that’s where the dream began.

• What do you love about the Amaya Kuda Rah and how has the experience been in this beautiful property so far?

Amaya Kuda Rah is a luxury boutique resort. I believe we have some unique selling points being a small island with only 55 rooms. These 55 rooms are made up of 5 different categories of rooms such as beach villas, which include a plunge pool, jacuzzi, swing on the deck, Bose speakers, and other amenities. The inclusion of these value-added products in every category ensures that every one of our customers will get to experience a room with a pool and a jacuzzi making it a winning factor for us. What matters at the end of the day is that at Amaya, we do hospitality and service by the heart.  Our excellent ratings on TripAdvisor and elsewhere are sentiments of the work we do. Our team gives everything to our guests with an open heart.

• What are some of the biggest milestones in your career while working in the Maldives? Could you tell us about any proud achievements?

I have only spent 6 years in the tourism industry of Maldives, but wherever I have worked, I have given my 100%. The maximum time of my journey was with Adaaran Resorts and Heritance Aarah where I learned what hospitality is all about and I am proud to say that I have been mentored by one of the masters of Sales and Marketing which is Mr. Suresh Dissanayake, who is the Assistant Vice President – Sales & Marketing at Heritance Aarah & Adaaran Resorts. Under him, I had the privilege of assisting him in achieving some great milestones. We did our biggest FAM Trip of 100 German producers to the Maldives, and they stayed with us in different Adaaran properties and Heritance Aarah. We made their visit a big occasion by inviting the speaker of the Parliament President Mohamed Nasheed to meet with these producers giving them a sense of support and encouragement from the state leaders. This was an achievement not just for Adaaran Resorts but another good step towards promoting the Maldives as a destination.

• Where would you position Amaya Kuda Rah at visitor markets? And what would be your target markets?

Since Amaya Kuda Rah is a very boutique property with only 55 rooms, we don’t have the luxury of selling the property to selected markets. We have a unique product that is blessed with everything that a traveler would want such as a diver center and water sports like any 5-star resort. Our edge would be that we offer something much more than a typical 5-star product. Our current target markets are the Middle East, Europe, Russia, India, and South Africa.

One of our newer target markets is Bangladesh ever since the start of direct flights between Dhaka and Male’ on airlines such as US Bangla and Bangladesh Airlines which is soon due to start. We as hoteliers cannot depend on conventional markets that has been targeted for ages. We must understand that the world is developing, and it is key to understand the changes that are taking place globally and know where to focus our marketing efforts towards. This is how the destination will grow.

• What do the guests like the most about the way the resort delivers the service?

Our guests are very happy and when they leave us, they go back with fond memories. They are very much attached to our team on the island. We serve by the heart and that is our winning factor with the guests.

• Can you tell what is the most demanded service at the Amaya Kuda Rah?

The most demanded service at Amaya Kuda Rah is the private movie night. We offer a private setting for couples with a nice dinner and drinks which is exclusive for them at the beach. This is being requested continuously by our guests. People visit the Maldives seeking their “Me” time and we give them exactly that with an area that is secluded naturally with a movie of their choice plus dinner and drinks.

• What do you want to tell the youth that wants to go build a career in this industry? What’s the advice?

Youth of the Maldives are quite service-oriented if it happens to be a captain of a boat, an office boy, or even working at an office in Male’ City; they are extremely hospitable people and treat guests with a smile. Hospitality is in their DNA. I would strongly suggest that the youth should learn about hospitality and don’t be afraid to start from scratch. The Maldives is a destination that has so much to give to the youth if they are serious about what they do and if they want to grow and learn, there are no boundaries to what can be achieved.

To Book your stay at Amaya Kuda Rah, Please head to www.getmetomaldives.com for booking requests or email your queries at: [email protected]