Latest / Brand Insiders / Neil Gallagher of Soneva on Bare Luxury, Just What Matters, and the Evolution of Ultra-Luxury in the Maldives

Transcript

Neil Gallagher of Soneva on Bare Luxury, Just What Matters, and the Evolution of Ultra-Luxury in the Maldives · Brand Insiders

• 0:13
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to a very exciting episode of Brand Insiders.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_01: I'm joined by the CEO of Seneva, Neil Gallagher, who's joining us from Dubai.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_01: Neil, how's it going?
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_01: I'm doing fantastic.
• 0:27
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, you know, Seneva is a brand that everyone in hospitality should study, and probably they already are.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_01: So it is an absolute delight to have you on the show to take time out of probably an immensely busy day to tell us about all the amazing things that Cineva has done over the past 30 years and what a bright future it has.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_02: No, thank you for having me.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_02: It's my pleasure to be here.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_02: My pleasure.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_01: So I I mean, start for everyone who might not know about Seneva.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_01: Tell us uh what is Seneva and uh where is it?
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_01: Where are the resorts and what makes it so special?
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_02: So Seneva is um is a luxury hotel operator, and we have three resorts based in the Maldives.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_02: Um we have Seneva Fushi, which was the original resort, started 30 years ago, and we have Seneva Jani.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um again opened up a little bit after that, but that's been around for about 10 years now.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_02: And then most recently, Sunova Secret, which um opened up in around 2024, but that's that's much smaller.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_02: So Sunova Fushi is a bit more, it's very natural, it's got a beautiful island feel.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_02: Um, most of the villas there are on the beach.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and it's a bit more, a bit more soulful.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_02: It has a real soulful feel.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_02: You step off the jetty, you can, your body instantaneously relaxes when you walk on, when you step onto that site.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_02: Uh Seneva Jani is a bit more, has a bit of a different vibe.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_02: It's mostly the villas are mostly overwater, uh, about 60 villas, just under 60 villas, mostly on the water.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, your archetypal in uh Instagrammable moments, they're very, very popular.
• 2:05
  SPEAKER_02: Um, beautiful villas on the water, site with sides going into the sea, nice big swimming pools and things.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um that's a much more vibey type of resort.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_02: There's a bit more of an energy.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_02: Really feel the energy.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_02: We call it a bit more of an energy scape.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_02: And then you have Seneva Seabrick, which is much smaller.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_02: It's just 13 villas.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_02: Um, again, half of them on the water, half of them on the beach.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_02: And then we have two that are um out in the sea.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_02: They're not connected to the island in any way, shape, or form.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_02: So you take a boat to get to and from those.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_02: Now, those are proper secluded.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_02: Um, Seneva Secret trades on its privacy, it's its ability to be immensely intimate.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_02: And you go there and you you are part of a hidden horizontal, which is kind of how we how we how we categorize it.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_02: So it's it's 143 keys together.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, we have some of the largest wine as wine stores in the country.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_02: We have over 20 different outlets where you can eat.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but you know, you go there and you have you'll have a wonderful experience, whether that's with your partner, uh, whether you're with a huge group staying in one of our seven, eight, nine-bedroom villas, um, or whether you're just as a small family staying in one of our one, two, or three-bedroom villas.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_02: So we can cater to pretty much all of the needs.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the the Maldives is renowned for its overwater villas.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_01: That's what everyone sees on Instagram and TikTok.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, how large uh is the average one-bedroom and two-bedroom villa?
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_02: There are uh one-bedroom villa is around about four and a half to five thousand square feet.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_02: Wow.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_01: I mean that's bigger than bigger than my condo right now.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_01: So maybe it's an upright.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, they're beautiful.
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_02: They have uh a couple of floors, um, a big deck, nice big large swimming pool.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_02: They all have a slide into the water, uh, yeah, with their own kitchen, I think.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, they're it can be pretty self-contained in there.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and uh one important part about the Maldives is you know it's a nate it's essentially it's an archipelago nation.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_01: Uh a lot of the structures are built over water.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_01: Tell us about the arrival experience for first-time guests.
• 4:11
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, it's it's I I would hasten to say that there isn't really one experience.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_02: It's different for everybody.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_02: You know, so you've got, you know, I fly from Dubai and a number of people fly through Dubai.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_02: It's just four hours on a plane, so you arrive, you're still hyped up, you've got lots of energy, get off the seaplane, get onto the onto the jetty, and your experience isn't like, let's go, let's let's experience the resort, let's see what it's got to offer.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but you step onto that on off the jetty, and you get off the plane, off the plane, you get onto a little boat, we transfer you onto a onto a jetty, and you arrive at the resort for a short trip, and you you immediately know you're somewhere pretty special.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_02: And but it's different for everybody.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_02: And I think what would make it an amazing experience for you, Adam, is very different to what it what it would happen for me.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, you're coming from uh you're in Toronto, right?
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_02: So you're gonna have a couple of flights to get there.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_02: You're probably gonna be on a plane for 16 to 18 hours.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you're not gonna be quite as jumpy and as excited and energy full as I am after having been on a plane for just under four hours.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_02: So your arrival experience is much calmer.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, we ensure that you know you are we understand you've been on a plane for a long time.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_02: You perhaps you just need whisking straight to your villa.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_02: You don't need to understand what's going on, you don't need to see all of the villas, you don't need to see the various different food and beverage options that we have for you, or that you know, you don't need to see the den for your children.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_02: You just want to get to the villa, you want to unwind, you want to perhaps have the butler unpack for you and just take you easily.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_02: So the arrival experience is very different depending on what it is that you're looking for.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_02: And we're very, very careful to understand what that means.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, we had a family arrive just recently.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_02: They've they've had a shopping time getting to us, the flights have been cancelled, they they'd missed one flight, their children were literally as cranky as you know, three, four-year-olds can be.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, they just wanted to get to their villa, they didn't want to do anything, see anything.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_02: So we made sure that there was food available for them.
• 6:04
  SPEAKER_02: We made sure that the kids were taken care of.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_02: And as far as the parents were concerned, their vacation started there and there.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_02: Because the kids stopped moaning, they stopped whining, and it it all started to say, that's a different experience to what to what hopefully you would have when you arrive.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and uh at the luxury level and the ultra-luxury level, there's a lot that has to happen uh behind the scenes in order to understand where guests are coming from, then adjust the arrival experience accordingly.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_02: Correct, yeah.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, we do a lot of research to understand what is it that our guests are looking for.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_02: And I think the our, you know, the primary interaction point that you have with it with when you're in one of our resorts is with your butler, um, the barefoot butler that that looks after you when you're staying.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_02: And we encourage them to research the guests to try to understand what it is that they're looking to get out of their vacation.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_02: Um, rather than ask the the barefoot butler asking you, what do you want to do out of, you know, what do you want to do today?
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_02: We encourage them to ask, how would you like to feel?
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_02: Do you want to feel relaxed?
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_02: Do you want to feel calm?
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_02: Do you want to feel full of energy?
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_02: Do you want to be revitalized?
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_02: Do you want to be in awe of the you know, by looking at the stars here in our in our observatory?
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_02: Do you want to be literally full to the brim eating in some of our Michelin quality restaurants?
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_02: So we ask them, what is it, how do you want to feel, rather than what is it you want to do?
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_02: And then we can tailor the experience around that.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_02: So there's a real focus on, especially for us since we've since we we've launched Bare Luxury, is around how do we want the guests to feel?
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_02: What is it that we want them to experience at every point in the guest journey?
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_02: So you arrive on your plane, um, you've landed from, I don't know, where you fly from, maybe the east coast, you've landed in, you've landed in Dubai, you've transited through, you land now.
• 7:43
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, what is it we want you to feel before you get on the seaplane?
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_02: We want you to feel like we've got everything under control.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_02: We've got hold of your bags, they're already on the plane, you don't need to worry about anything else.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_02: You're not gonna see those bags again until you leave.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_02: We're gonna take care of them for you.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_02: So immediately that's that's one stress gone out that gone out the door.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we want you to make sure that we know exactly what it is that you're gonna do.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_02: You know, it's like, do you know what?
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_02: We've researched it, and you know, Adam, we know that you love to do yoga.
• 8:09
  unknown: Right?
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_02: So we've already booked you into a yoga meditation session the following morning.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_02: You can cancel if you want to, it doesn't matter, but we've booked you in in case you wanted to do it.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I I try to encourage our our hosts and and they do it, to rather than rather than thinking about what is it that the guests want to do, we're trying to anticipate how they want to feel.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_02: So you should never have to ask what time yoga is.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_02: We should already should we should have already booked you in, we just let you know that you're booked.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_02: So, Adam, by the way, we'll be here at 6.45 to pick you up for the seven o'clock yoga session.
• 8:41
  unknown: Right?
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_02: Don't even think about it, yoga's booked, you're gonna go there, gonna come back and have a wonderful breakfast, perhaps have a floating breakfast in your pool.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_02: You've already started your vacation.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_01: So this series focuses on uh innovating hospitality.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_01: And we've you've already mentioned so many things where you are innovating and on the service delivery side and everything else.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_01: But I'm wondering, is there anything else you wanted to highlight right now at the beginning about how Seneva is innovating hospitality?
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so I think you know, we we I I made mention of the fact of bare luxury.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um 30 years ago, Seneva was the pioneer of of luxury that treads lightly, I think.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_02: You know, they saw that luxury 30 years ago and even to this day, sometimes luxury equals excess.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_02: People think I'm going to a luxury resort, I want more, I need more, and make more of these things.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_02: Now, what we've noticed is that our guests are changing and they have changed.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_02: They you know they live in an environment where it's incredibly noisy.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_02: Technology is everywhere.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_02: Um there's chop there's choices and options, and there's there's they're literally bombarded with excuse me, with technological options, you're bombarded with choice, you're bombarded with noise.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_02: And when they arrive at when they arrive at our resort, they don't want that.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_02: They don't want all of that.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_02: They they they want a more genuine, a more you know, a more genuine and sincere experience.
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_02: They want a bit more human interaction.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_02: And that's what bear luxury is about.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_02: And um you may have seen in in some of our some of our um information that we've been we've been publishing that we've we're focusing on just what matters for every guest in every moment.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_02: Now that's an incredibly high bar.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_02: Because what I'm saying to you, Adam, is when you come to our resort, you're gonna get only what you want every single time you think about it, and you're not gonna have to think about it ever again, right?
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_02: So you come, you only get that, you don't want anything more, you don't want anything else, you're gonna deliver that.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_02: Now, that's an incredibly high bar that we do hit, right?
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_02: This is not like some pie in the sky um um goal.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_02: This is something that we do achieve.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but when you get there, it's it's about if you if I'm only giving you just what matters, I'm not giving you too much more.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm not filling you, I'm not saying, okay, right, do you want to go kayaking?
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_02: Do you want to go on a do you want to do, you know, do you want to go um on a dolphin cruise?
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_02: Do you want to go look at our ecocenter?
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_02: Do you want to go see our sustainability?
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_02: We're not giving you that.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_02: We're we're saying, okay, right, this is what we you told us you want to experience.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_02: And bare luxury is just that.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_02: It's just exactly what matters to you, nothing more, nothing less, in every moment for every single guest that crosses our path.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_02: That's the that's how we're innovating.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_02: The bare luxury is is the evolution of barefoot luxury.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_01: Well, uh you're you're innovating bare luxury, but I think it's important to unpack one word you said there, because the bare luxury uh trend that you're pioneering stands uh directly in the face of what you mentioned as noise.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_01: And uh this term is so important now.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_01: We have noise everywhere.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you're in Dubai, there's construction behind you, your phone's ringing.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_01: Your phone's ringing, you're you have emails, you have um uh you know uh people reaching out for video interviews on LinkedIn.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, you know, you're being bombarded with digital messages and advertising, and AI is only making that more intense uh and harder to distinguish the real from the the signal from the noise, as you as we might say.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_01: So could you talk about just how you see, I guess, how you see people feel when they come there and they can actually get away from this noise that we all are facing now?
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so it it doesn't happen straight away.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, they take we generally see it.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_02: So somebody arrives, say, at lunchtime, um, we understand what it is that they're looking for, you know, we we we've curated an experience for them.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_02: Um they turn up to breakfast the next morning, and that's when we start to see it.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_02: Because breakfast isn't 15, 20 minutes.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_02: It takes two hours, maybe, right?
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_02: You know, they can have some chocolate, um, they can have some ice cream if they want to, they can have, you know, they can have a burger, they have whatever they want, right?
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_02: But they turn up for breakfast and there's a very different, there's a very different attitude.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_02: And you can see that literally from the day after somebody arrives until the day they rule.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_02: Breakfast is kind of like the we can we can assess how we're doing by how guests are at breakfast.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_02: And so that's when you start to see that that switch off start to happen.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and we're very cognizant and very, very careful to make sure that technology for us is is not something you'll never see a host walk up to you with a with a tablet and try to take down information.
• 13:20
  SPEAKER_02: Um, they will never stand there with a phone and try to take your order.
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_02: That's not good, you're never gonna do that.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_02: So for us, we understand how invasive technology can be.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_02: And so we use it, but we use it in the background.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_02: So we use technology when we're researching what it is that potentially a guest might look for.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_02: We research, we use technology to bring back all of the guest preferences that we may have been able to um gather on your last visit.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so we know that you know what, you you like um you like beefies of gin and you have eight ice cubes in your gin and tonic.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_02: Some people do that, right?
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_02: So guess what?
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_02: Every every time you order a gin, we know exactly what it is.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_02: Or we say, would you like your usual drink?
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_02: And I say, yes, please.
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_02: Well, that there's nothing, there's nothing out outlandish about that.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_02: Lots of places do deliver that.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_02: But we use it, so we use the technology behind, and I guess I'm just trying to demonstrate the point there.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um so you'll never you'll never see us have technology at the in the in the in the guest-facing roles.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_02: You'll see we're using AI now to understand our guests, to try to see patterns, understand what it is that they do and don't want to do.
• 14:24
  SPEAKER_02: You know, is there an experience in our resource that we're missing?
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, if if 20 people ask us for a wakeboard boat, well, we just we just got one, right?
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_02: So we had it, we had a number of guests.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_02: Now, we only got that, Adam, because we were, we, we, we did some analysis on our guest feedback.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_02: And over the course of a year, um, we had about 30 requests for a specific wakeboarding, like uh wave surfing.
• 14:47
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you can you can fill the tanks up, you know, exactly what I'm talking about.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_02: Um we had 30 requests, but nobody, no one single person had got that request.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_02: It was just noted down in various profiles.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_02: So we we did some data mining, got that, and said, you know what?
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, okay, let's do this.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_02: And lo and behold, it's a huge success because it was proven.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_02: So we use data in that in that respect, um, and technology in that respect, but it's never, it's never at never at the in terms of the guest facing roles, because as you say, technology can be so invasive and noisy.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, uh, you know, I'm I'm seeing this.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, it is a a mega trend, of course, the whole idea of data as IP.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_01: Particularly for unique brands that are doing incredible things and and really capturing those data points, however siloed they are, and then using the latest tools to uh have some form of synthesis around those data points.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and then of course never having that invasive for the on-site experience, uh, but it still is fueling things behind the scenes.
• 15:52
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, absolutely.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, and we will continue to use it to to help deliver just what matters for every guest in every moment.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, we we're not gonna be able to do that without some sort of technological help.
• 16:02
  SPEAKER_02: You know, with with all the training with our hosts that we're doing, we still need to be able to monitor and capture preferences and understand what likes and dislikes are.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_02: So that's how we use it.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_01: So uh we've talked about Seneva a little bit, but I want to backtrack to your background and uh you know, telling us your your time at Marriott IHG and uh and Claremont Hotel Group, uh, and then as well uh how you came about in your role at Seneva.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so I think as you said, lots of people follow Seneva.
• 16:34
  SPEAKER_02: So you know it was it was somewhere that was that was known to me.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_02: Um I'd worked with KSL a little bit um previously, and so that's that was the connection.
• 16:43
  SPEAKER_02: Um, as you say, I've been in a hospitality world my entire career apart from one job, right?
• 16:48
  SPEAKER_02: So um uh I I'd come across KSL, I'd worked with them on and off a couple of times.
• 16:53
  SPEAKER_02: Um literally just before uh KSL took ownership of the business, they they said, look, we're we're making some changes.
• 17:00
  SPEAKER_02: Would you be interested in coming on board?
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_02: And it's not often you get the opportunity like that uh presented to you in that regard, where you've got a brand that has such cachet and such strength, um, has been stewarded to the point whereby now it's it's extraordinarily well known.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_02: With a private equity firm that truly understands what it means to invest in travel and leisure-related businesses.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_02: So KSL, I don't know if you know, but they only invest in travel and leisure-related businesses.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_02: So what that means as a CEO is that you've got an investor that understands that I can't magically flick a switch and make this better overnight.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_02: It takes.
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_02: And so I was very clear when I when I took on the role, I said, look, this is this is going to take a little bit of time.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we want to grow it, we want to expand it, it's gonna take time, it's gonna take resource.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_02: And I said, fine, show us the plan, and then we'll invest behind it.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_02: And that's what they've been doing.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_02: So since we took over, um, Adam, we spent, I think it's now over$40 million on the on the resort in just over a year, on the three resorts.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_02: And that's been investing in um the guest-facing, uh guest-facing areas such as public areas, the villas, infrastructure, um, investing in our host accommodation, making sure that everything works behind the scenes.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_02: And so, yeah, we've it's it was one of those roles where, okay, it's an amazing brand.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna have the ability to do what it is that we need to do.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_02: And you're gonna support me from an investment side of things.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_02: It was okay, well, yeah, that's pretty much a no-brainer.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_02: Um, yeah, that that's how I that's how I got to got to be involved.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_02: And it's been it's been very quick.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_02: It's been, you know, the last year has hung very quickly, but the progress that we've been able to make with the team that we've got is uh is extraordinary.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm loving it.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_02: Loving it.
• 18:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, uh, you know, it it's loving it.
• 18:49
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's uh an incredible, incredible organization.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_01: Uh and I'm wondering though, nevertheless, you're stepping into a role that has very big shoes to fill.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_01: The uh legacy of Sanu uh Shivdasani, the founder uh who's been involved, I guess, up until 2025 is when it uh cell.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, last year.
• 19:13
  SPEAKER_01: So how how do you assume that mantle of responsibility and preserve that legacy while ushering in the the next era for Seneva?
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_02: Look, I think you nailed it.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_02: You nailed it.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_02: You said you've got to preserve the legacy, and that's exactly what we did.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_02: And so I think what you will see in every in everything that you've seen so far since we took over, and certainly in the last couple of months as we launched the luxury, it's evolution, not revolution.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_02: Right?
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_02: We we kept what is the essence of Seneva, what makes it distinctive, what makes it, what makes people come back year after year after year.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_02: We've maintained that and we've actually just we just evolved it into what the the the current customer, what the current guests are looking for.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_02: And so how do we do that?
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_02: So, okay, well, I didn't walk in and said, hey, look, there's a new sheriff in town, everything's changing.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_02: Right?
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_02: You know, it would be very easy to do that.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_02: You know, we've got all of the autonomy, we've got all the authorities, it'll be very easy to walk across and say that changing, that's changing, that's changing.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_02: I spent the first few months listening, to be honest.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_02: I didn't just try and from the hosts, okay, what works, what doesn't work, what what do you think we could do differently?
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_02: What do you think we need to stop?
• 20:20
  SPEAKER_02: What do you think we need to carry on?
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_02: In almost all situations, there wasn't much that we needed to stop that, but there were many things that we needed to perhaps double down on.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_02: So for example, um, one of the biggest changes we've made, um, and the founders, I'm not this is not laying any blame anywhere, but there was a very prescribed way of delivering the service, right?
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_02: There was there was brand standards and there was standard operating procedures that were strictly adhered to.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_02: I'll give you an example.
• 20:45
  SPEAKER_02: So you you've been on, you know, let's let's say um, Adam, you come at to the resort, you've been traveling for, I'm gonna argue it's gonna be at least 18 hours, right, for for you for you to get here.
• 20:55
  SPEAKER_02: You're gonna be very excited.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_02: One of the previous things that we that the the the um standard operating procedures was that we go through this process, we're trying to relieve you of your shoes on the boat from the seaplane to the resort.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_02: Now, I don't know about you, but after I've been on a traveling for 18 hours, the last thing I want to do is take my shoes off in front of everybody, right?
• 21:16
  SPEAKER_02: So you then had this situation where we've got the barefoot butler that you've just met, he's perhaps been in contact with you, or she's been in contact with you beforehand, but they're now standing in front of you saying, Would you like to put your shoes in a in a bag?
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_02: Now, the reason for that is that symbolically when you take your shoes off, you're you're you're starting, right?
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you put this shoes, it's no news, no shoes.
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_02: So I totally get it.
• 21:38
  SPEAKER_02: The bit that we've introduced is that the barefoot butlers now have the emotional intelligence and the power to say we've empowered them to say, Do you know what?
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_02: This guy's been traveling for 18 hours.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_02: He doesn't want to take his shoes off, he just wants to get to the villa as quickly as possible.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_02: Guys, can you hit can you get you know, speed up the boat?
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_02: Let's get this guy to his villa, let's get the guy, get in a drink, get some food, and tomorrow we'll go through.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_02: go through the the no shoes no shoes no news no shoes rituals so we we've we've gone from this very prescribed way of delivering the service to a to the you know we talked about it just earlier how do we want that guest to feel so the way that I want you to feel when you get on when you get onto our sea plane and when you get off our sea plane is I want you to be relaxed.
• 22:19
  SPEAKER_02: So figure out what it is that you need to have happen to you to make you relaxed.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_02: It is unlikely that you need to take the shoes off.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_02: Me, that's not going to relax me in any way shape or form.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_02: But some people love it right and that they're they're all in and they want to do it and so therefore we have the ability to do it.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_02: So what what I what I did was I looked at all of the things that were were going extremely well and the things that we were doing well and the things that our guests told us that they loved and we're doing more of that.
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_02: And the things that perhaps we had some pushback on we've stopped and we're given our we've given our host the power to be able to stop that which has been look we've been training them for a long time on their luxury and and and just what mattered so you know it's a work in progress but we're getting there.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_02: And I think the the way that I would describe it Adam is that it's not my role to recreate the DNA of Sonova.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_02: It's my role to build the muscles around it it's I I don't need to reinvent something that's that's that's that that works.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_02: It's my job to strengthen it.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_02: And that's the way that I see it.
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_02: So you imagine that you've got this strain of DNA that just literally pervades every part of Seneva.
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_01: All I'm doing is building the muscle around it and strengthening things that we can do to make sure that evolves and allows us to expand wherever we need to expand um you know me personally coming from Toronto I I'm I was thinking in my head you know it'd be a maybe a flight to Delhi then another flight to uh to the Maldives so it by all said and done it would probably be around 28 hours.
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah at that point uh it's not a matter of whether I want to take my shoes on or off.
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_01: It's a matter of my feet being so swollen from the gravity that I may not be able to take my shoes off.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_02: You're looking for a shower, right?
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_02: You just want to go out in the shower.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_02: You know and you go into one of our and you stand in the shower that's in the open air you look up to the sky I mean there's you started right yeah that's a lot of you think well you well you mentioned around that uh the shift from SOPs to emotional intelligence and I'm wondering how do you train for emotional intelligence?
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_02: That's a good question.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_02: You can't um you can't basically you you have to allow it um you have to permit it and I think that all comes from empowerment.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_02: So you know we we've started to recruit personality and train the skills.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_02: So we're we're trying to recruit people who show the potential of being able to understand.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_02: Some people can just do it they you know they have a their empathy is higher they they you know they can understand you know that their empath abilities are slightly higher some people lots of people are better at it than me um but you know some of our hosts now are just they're in they just know intuitively when to come to your table when you when you're ready you know whether there's a pause in the conversation okay they're at your at your table they're not there bugging you c every five seconds trying to clear a plate which is an SOP so one of our SOPs is you don't leave a plate a finished plate on the table.
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_02: Right?
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_02: So it's like no what we need is we we go when there's a pause in the conversation we go when there's a natural pause and so we can we can change those things out.
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah you can't teach emotional intelligence but you can definitely recruit for it and we can certainly permit it and that's what we do.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_02: The empowerment to be honest Adam is the biggest change.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_02: We're giving the you know the guest the the host will say Neil you hey what what what do we do in this situation well I know that they don't like this and they probably say well let's do that then.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah but it's gonna cost it's like is it gonna make them happy?
• 25:54
  SPEAKER_02: Are they gonna have a better experience for it?
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_02: Yes okay well then let's get on so that it that takes time right you know that that's a big structural shift you're not gonna be able to flick a switch or have that happen overnight but we're definitely empowering the guests and that's where the emotional intelligence is going to come from.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_02: We're not gonna get it right 100% of course not but as long as we uh allows to think outside the box you know to really consider whether this is is that trans really the right thing right now do you know what I perhaps I won't walk them through the where all of the switches and things in the villa they're tired I'll do that tomorrow that's emotional intelligence to me.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_02: I mean it look it's a another way of thinking about emotional intelligence is applied common sense right it's it's a cut yeah no I'll I'll work so yeah you can't hire for it you can't you certainly can't train it if you can hire for it and you can definitely permit it yeah uh you can't hire for it um it involves an element of trust too trusting the teams to do the right thing it's huge yeah huge but you know if you think about it Adam our our barefoot butlers they spend eight twelve hours at uh the day with our guests some guests the barefoot butler is with them the entire time and some guests not at all so if you don't trust your team to be with the guests for that length of time it's you've got the wrong team.
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah and uh just as an as an aside for everyone uh recruitment is a huge part of hospitality probably made even more extreme by uh being in the Maldives on an island nation uh so how do you recruit and who do you who do you where do you go to to look to train people?
• 27:38
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah so the the recruitment happens in in a number of different ways there is word of mouth we get a lot of um you know we have families you know like the brother and the sister and the mum and the mother and the father and the cousin um you know we have a lot of Moldavian hosts in our in our resorts and so a lot of the the the recruitment of our Moldivian um Moldavian hosts comes from word of mouth they they tell family they say do you know what this is a good place to work they take care of you um the accommodation is good you know the work is good we're you know treated and we're respected um I think that's probably the other word I didn't mention earlier but you've got trust and respect as well if you respect the host and you know your your team then that that's going to get repaid I think from a from an edge attribute perspective um in the same way that I was attracted to Sunaga the same thing applies right um so you know when we post a job on LinkedIn or we post a job on the local Moldibian um hospitality um websites and magazines we don't struggle for we don't struggle to find find people willing to come work with us there's a there's a mindset that we obviously have to be aware of working on an island is different um you know you're you're at work pretty much the whole time right you know you live there you work there you live there you work there so um it takes a certain type of personality to to be able to be successful there but yeah we we haven't struggled for for um recruitment I think that the real measure is going to be retention yeah that's how we're gonna see and I think we've seen retention drop um and I think honestly I think it's because we're asking a host okay well what do you think okay fine well you decide so between getting them involved in the in the process and then empowering them to make a decision with no with no you know consequences that you make a bad decision right yeah fine no problem we'll we'll deal with it so it's um I think having that culture is it can only help and I think you know it's it's not going to happen overnight as I said but we're definitely well on the Yeah you know uh every hotel loves to a lot about talent retention and it's so important for the the returning guests who can see the same faces coming back every year.
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_02: Hugues you know we have a number of guests that say you know what I want to have Prashant as my as my butler please oh Prashant's on vacation okay when's he back?
• 30:04
  SPEAKER_02: He's back on the sixth okay fine I'll come on the sixth.
• 30:07
  SPEAKER_02: I mean seriously that happens you know people people will make their vacation around to to make sure that they can they can deal yeah deal specifically with their butler and that's that type of emotional connection what a topic it works for for for the guests in terms of them coming back and it also works for us from the in terms of our host they how can you not want to be with people that want to be with you on this it's usually positive.
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah that's uh I mean just thinking about that people who are designing their vacations around when a specific staff member is there that's uh as we would say a good problem to have in a lot of ways a good one and we get it as well around the villas you know we want to stay in Villa 18 um at Sunaviafuguji okay well it's busy this week okay fine well can we stay there when is it next available and I think it's a lot of that comes Adam from the way that we design our villas um you know it's not it's not just by accident you know the villas are designed to to try and encourage this emotional connection with the you know that they all have large spaces where you're encouraged to be with in a group Villa 18 right Villa 18 that's native foushi um it's got this amazing dining room cum sitting room cum kitchen where you could literally not have to leave it's probably I don't know a couple of thousand square feet it's massive um just the dining room and so I understand exactly why people want to be there you can be there as a family you can be there as just a couple you can have several families in there so I I get it you know we we we look at design as it's it's emotional engineering when you look at our builders they are designed to elicit an emotion from you whether that's you're lying in your bed you press a button and the roof opens and you can see the you can see the most amazing view of the sky right or or the sun or whatever time of day it is that you're looking at it.
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_02: We talked about joy and awe and wonder earlier those are the joyful moments and the you know the the the wonder where you you know you sit there.
• 32:05
  SPEAKER_02: My I remember my kids I I walked into their room they they're a little bit older when they were there but and they were just lying there staring out the staring out the window makes me slightly nervous when they were quiet they're they're up to something um but you know they were just staring out through the through the roof light um looking at the stars so that that those types of things and so yeah we do get guests asking for specific villas with specific people going to certain types of restaurants having certain experiences and because they know they know what it is and we deliver that experience for them and they keep coming back which is just a wonderful business model.
• 32:44
  SPEAKER_01: So you you talk about wonder and awe and these are raw emotions that one can feel I'm wondering though do you have a definition for the word awe?
• 32:59
  SPEAKER_02: Do you know for me awe is when I don't I mean personally is when I'm stuck for words.
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_02: When I'm stuck for words and that and that happens quite a lot in our resorts um you stood in the in the morning the sun's just coming up at Sonoga Secret I guarantee you you'll be able to say nothing right there is a beautiful flat calm sea um there is nothing that you can't see anything you're looking out the next thing from you is is Africa it's 3,000 miles away it's the westernmost the westernmost point of the Maldives that is awe inspiring right that that just definitely is but then the other the other things happen are you see some of the the the kids come out of the den you know we have two enormous um children's play areas called the den and San Everfusion Everjong the kids never want to leave and you see ore happen there the whole time when they're playing musical instruments or they're going down a zip line or they're going down the the slide into the pool or the the they're dressing up and they're coming up with they're crazy with some jewelry that or is inspired in them too.
• 33:58
  SPEAKER_02: But I think for me the the um when I see people coming when I see people coming away from the resort that's when I see it.
• 34:07
  SPEAKER_02: So I meet with with guests um from time to time I met with them you know been in London and things and you say I say to them how was your how was your stay?
• 34:16
  SPEAKER_02: The very first thing that happened is a smile they just smile.
• 34:22
  SPEAKER_02: It's an automatic reaction because they think about how they felt when they were there.
• 34:27
  SPEAKER_02: I didn't ask them did they enjoy the food I didn't ask them was the villainized I didn't ask them did the seaplane journey go okay and how was your flight back I just said did you enjoy your stay how was it was the stay good and they just smile.
• 34:39
  SPEAKER_02: Without fail it has never not happened um it happened to me as well you know my I took my my sons there um my daughter didn't come and she's still not forgiving me for that but um I took my sons there and they could probably tell you a little bit that they were like 16 and 18 I could they could probably tell you a little bit about the villa that we stayed in and they could probably tell you a little bit about some of the meals that we had and they could probably tell you in great deal depth how fast they went on the jet skis but when I say hey you know guys did you did you enjoy that time we went to Seneva Fushi their immediate reaction is a smile.
• 35:15
  SPEAKER_02: They just immediately smile like a big full facial smile and that to me is the is the is part of the the awe that that Seneva inspires in people and that wonder and the and the joy you know the joy the hearing the squeals of the kids as they go down the sides into the sea into the pool.
• 35:31
  SPEAKER_02: It it just happens so yeah that's that's how I see the awe it's the it's the involuntary reaction of people to a situation that we can deliver on every single day.
• 35:41
  SPEAKER_01: Well yeah you know awe and wonder as a raw emotion that leads to joy and then leads to overall well being so you know a lot of brands have spas and wellness programs but this is something that's so um so innate to being human about that feeling and how it relates to well being and health in a lot of ways.
• 36:08
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah yeah absolutely absolutely it's very important to us you know well being is it's not just it doesn't just happen in the Senate Soul spa it doesn't just happen in the treatment rooms or you know it it can be from playing tennis or playing paddle or from going kayaking or from doing stand-up paddle boarding or from a yoga session.
• 36:26
  SPEAKER_02: It's you know wellbeing to us is is one of the things that we we have you have to feel good.
• 36:33
  SPEAKER_02: You have it's what our job to make you feel good and in in looking at your wellbeing across that entire guest journey you know from the moment that you arrive at in the take ownership of you until the second that you leave um we are we are thinking about your well-being above all things.
• 36:52
  SPEAKER_02: And as and as I said earlier it's very hard to think about wellbeing when you just basically listing experiences.
• 37:00
  SPEAKER_02: But it's very easy to think about well-being when you say okay how do I want that person to feel right it's it's a it's a much easier it's a much easier um concept to get your head around when you're when you're talking about emotion and what sort of emotion do we elicit from the services that we provide which we conduct ourselves and how we interact with the guests.
• 37:19
  SPEAKER_02: So wellbeing pervades every aspect of our business uh it's not just in the 20 dining options that we have or the you know the the swimming pool or the or the yeah or the slide yeah uh well the slide for kids for sure um I'm not sure I can but you know you've got to go in it Adam I go in it every single time I'm gonna I mean it's kind of a rule um so yeah I grunted to some guests um a couple of weeks ago and I was asking them I said look do you mind me asking you know just out of curiosity why how did you come here and say well you know we were looking at Chevalt Blanc and we looked at Velar and the the the it was a husband and wife that they got married a couple of years earlier then they'd honeymooned in the Maldives and they said oh we wanted to come back to Maldives have a little bit more fun so I saw the sign and I thought you know what let's go there I mean they had booked Seneca Johnny purely on the fact that they'd seen a slide on the picture and they loved it they were coming back they're now going to go to Seneva Secret in a couple of months right so it's it's it this the these things these small things as you say in these slides I said to the guy he put them he said yeah about 50 times I mean he was a fully grown man he just you know he's just going on the slide practically every hour I think so yeah it it ha these things have this you know this ability to to inspire joy in people as you say you all wonder and then you be a bit joyful is it's huge and we and we really lean into it.
• 38:46
  SPEAKER_01: Well that that uh that guest who wrote the slide 50 times what I'm hearing there is is also helping adults rediscover the power of play.
• 39:02
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah and it's absolutely and and if you think about the number of things that distract you on a daily basis um if you can take some of those away you have the time and we you know I think one of the one of the when we speak to our guests one of the things that we we get a consistent message of is we have so much time.
• 39:22
  SPEAKER_02: You know we provide you know it's probably the the this the it's the scarcest resource we have right and and irrespective of of how successful you are time is is difficult to manage uh and one of the resources one of the one of the the most sought after resources is time is like how do we give the guest time back so you not having to worry about what's happening in the day or what what do I need to order or what do I need to do that's giving you time back.
• 39:47
  SPEAKER_02: And yeah this guy said I was yeah I was sitting there I was reading my book and I thought it's gonna go on the salt and so he did time and time again.
• 39:58
  SPEAKER_02: But as you say it's because he had the time to do it and I think that is something that our resort certainly engendered you know you're not hurried you know did you want to when do you want to go for dinner?
• 40:08
  SPEAKER_01: Okay just let me know why so adult play awe wonder joy well being uh you also mentioned Sineva Soul uh the spa tell us tell us about it and uh you know how you're bringing together the ancient wisdom uh and that sense of place as well as any of the latest uh longevity techniques that you've incorporated yeah so I think Cineva Sol um historically was it had gone down the route where it was it after it allowed a little bit more invasive procedures where and we've kind of we've kind of moved away from that.
• 40:51
  SPEAKER_02: So we are looking at CinevaSol as part of the well-being rather than a a completely separate entity where you you know you can go and have a treatment specialist you can go and see the Ayurvedic doctor or you can see perhaps some a visiting in-house practitioner who fo who specializes in longevity.
• 41:10
  SPEAKER_02: But it will be non-invasive right it is it's going to be it'll be perhaps about mindfulness and breathing or about how you eat so it will be focusing on nutrition.
• 41:18
  SPEAKER_02: You know that's a great way to increase your your life you know is to eat the right food.
• 41:23
  SPEAKER_02: So um the Seneva sole for us is it you know operates as a spa you know we we you can get there but the way that you should think about it is that we don't give you a menu to choose from we say okay what is it that you would like to get out of your phosphorus say do you know what I am so stressed it's like okay fine let us deal with that come in and we'll we'll deal with your stress maybe that's a massage maybe that's a foot massage maybe it's a facial maybe it's a maybe it's just some breathing exercises or do you know what we can put you into a meditation or you can go do some kalates it it it's not you don't say right fine what's what's your problem okay you're you're a bit stiff okay you you've got a sore neck pick from this so I think in in all of this what you will have heard Adam is we are we try to remove the burden of creativity from your guests right we'll take that burden off we'll we will we will help you if you can help us understand what it is that you want to do what you want to achieve and how you want to feel we'll deliver that so you don't need to sit there on a menu and choose you don't need to say well I actually don't know what that massage means but you say okay can we can we offer you a m yeah okay just let me go so you know a lot of the time people are intimidated when they go to a spa because they don't want to look silly when they when they they got a choice of 50 different massages and I was like I don't know what that is right and so we don't we don't we don't make people go through that go through that process you know the burden of creativity sits with us and with our with our highly trained uh therapists and with our uh visiting practitioners and with our things yeah the spa is is a is a a key part of of Sunaga but it's a part of the more the well being that we look at uh and you know you you said it is it comes down to the highly skilled practitioners who make that happen which of course goes all the way back to what we're talking about with training recruitment retention empowerment trust everything that is core to the Sonava brand which is a lot of work to uh to set up and to maintain to keep that level yeah I mean um I apologize I didn't mean to interrupt but you you know if you look at you go on the website today and you look at our events and programming you can see just you know tens of different things that you can do and that involves not just uh visiting practitioners you know so we have a we have this lady called Hortensia who's a chiropractor and I'm not kidding you when she arrives our resorts are full because people come to be with her so they they they they visit purely so That they can treat get treated by this lady.
• 44:02
  SPEAKER_02: So we have you know we have our program where we bring in visiting practitioners.
• 44:06
  SPEAKER_02: We have programming that in um that falls under our Seneva stars um remit.
• 44:11
  SPEAKER_02: You know, so we got so if you're in there is if you're in Seneva Johnny next week, you can go for a run with Samo Farah, right?
• 44:17
  SPEAKER_02: Or you can perhaps watch him run off into the distance.
• 44:20
  SPEAKER_02: Um but yeah, Samo Farrah's there.
• 44:22
  SPEAKER_02: You can you can do a football camp with my play tennis with Jamie Murray or Todd Woodbridge.
• 44:27
  SPEAKER_02: Um so we have programming that is that you can you can dip in and out of.
• 44:32
  SPEAKER_02: There's no there's no pressure.
• 44:33
  SPEAKER_02: You can go get a lesson from Todd Woodbridge if you want, or you can just go hit a ball with Jamie Murray.
• 44:37
  SPEAKER_02: You know, we had Andy Murray there recently.
• 44:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um we we have visiting chefs, we have um visiting practitioners, we have athletes, we have astronomers, um, you know, we've had astronauts come visit, you know, um a number of astronauts in there earlier this year and talking to us about just how nervous they were, sat on the sat on the on the the launch pad waiting for this thing and the most extraordinary amount of noise.
• 45:02
  SPEAKER_02: He said it's it's noise that you can never experience before or since.
• 45:06
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, having that ability to talk and then him talk you through, yep, okay, that's this star, and that's that star, and yeah, we went just there.
• 45:14
  SPEAKER_02: Um that stuff is is is is quite something again as part of that experience.
• 45:19
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, it's uh it's all part and parcel of the programming that we offer.
• 45:23
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and uh it's tremendous to build that momentum around just uh the Cineva Stars program and having all those people come in.
• 45:33
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so they they they want to do it, you know.
• 45:35
  SPEAKER_02: It's not like we have to convince Center to come to the resort for two weeks and uh so far he's been dying to do it.
• 45:42
  SPEAKER_02: He's he's had some injuries or something, so he's he's he's delighted that he's there next week.
• 45:46
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, it's it it's you know it's 30 years in the making because uh you know it's uh the the reputation speaks for itself.
• 45:54
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 45:55
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 45:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 45:57
  SPEAKER_01: But from the guest point of view, uh alongside all the terms we're talking about joy, wonder, well-being, uh, there's one other term that is very buzzy right now, but it's almost the ultimate where well-being may be the penultimate, and that is transformation.
• 46:13
  SPEAKER_01: Um so could you describe what transformation is and what it means for Seneva insofar as the guest journey?
• 46:23
  SPEAKER_02: I think we we've alluded to it a little bit um earlier.
• 46:27
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, a little bit, yeah.
• 46:29
  SPEAKER_02: In terms of how we how we deliver service.
• 46:32
  SPEAKER_02: So that transformation from a guest perspective is going to feel it's gonna feel very different when that when they're well, it already is feeling different when they arrive at the resort.
• 46:39
  SPEAKER_02: As I say, as we move away from the prescribed service delivery model, and we go more towards, okay, I want to, how do you want to feel?
• 46:48
  SPEAKER_02: So we don't just ask how does the guest want to feel.
• 46:50
  SPEAKER_02: We want to say to them, or we do say to them, Adam, it's like, okay, well, how do you want to feel when you leave?
• 46:57
  SPEAKER_02: What do you what do you want to feel?
• 46:58
  SPEAKER_02: So we that that transformation is you arrive stressed and worried that your bags are gonna get, you know, you did your bags make it onto the connecting flight.
• 47:07
  SPEAKER_02: And so you, you know, your kids, your kids need to eat.
• 47:10
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, I I'm not sure I packed away clothes.
• 47:13
  SPEAKER_02: It's like you don't need to worry about that.
• 47:14
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and then you leave not wanting to go from this place that you didn't know was actually going to meet your needs.
• 47:21
  SPEAKER_02: So that's the transformation that we're talking about.
• 47:23
  SPEAKER_02: And that's an emotional one.
• 47:25
  SPEAKER_02: It's a, you know, we we swap the stress for relaxed, calm.
• 47:29
  SPEAKER_02: You know, some people like to work while they're on vacation.
• 47:32
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, we have a lot of people that say, Hey, look, can you put a monitor in the office of Cinderella?
• 47:36
  SPEAKER_02: Yep, sure, we stick a monitor in there and they they go in for an hour in the morning and then don't touch it again.
• 47:41
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I I do that, right?
• 47:43
  SPEAKER_02: I I can't completely stop.
• 47:45
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you probably do too.
• 47:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and but the transformation for me is I've even even on a work trip, I feel remark markedly different when I leave the resource.
• 47:55
  SPEAKER_02: There is a there is a de-stressing, there is a slowing in your heart rate, there's a slowing in your breathing that happens.
• 48:02
  SPEAKER_02: So that transformation um is happens to every guest, irrespective of whether they uh whether they are asking for it or not.
• 48:09
  SPEAKER_02: But we are now just more conscious of it.
• 48:12
  SPEAKER_02: And we're conscious of okay, how do we want that guest to leave when how to feel when they leave?
• 48:17
  SPEAKER_02: We just don't want them to want to leave, basically.
• 48:20
  SPEAKER_02: We want them practically in tears when they're leaving.
• 48:22
  SPEAKER_02: So they turn around and book their next trip the very next time, very next chance they can.
• 48:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean that's uh again, that's a very good problem to have to that's the ultimate increasing number of PKS.
• 48:40
  SPEAKER_01: So um, Neil, we've made it around 50 minutes and we've yet to really uh focus on Seneva's sustainability program.
• 48:48
  SPEAKER_01: And it's such a critical element because uh Seneva has been a pioneer uh of it.
• 48:55
  SPEAKER_01: Uh but uh now it's uh it's synonymous with luxury, but also it's it's incredibly important for places like the Maldives.
• 49:03
  SPEAKER_01: So could you just uh start off by giving us a general uh uh overview?
• 49:08
  SPEAKER_01: Uh we could spend a whole other hour, but just we could.
• 49:15
  SPEAKER_02: So um I think so as you said, Seneva um right from its right from its inception, uh sustainability was at the was one of the founding philosophies, right?
• 49:25
  SPEAKER_02: You know, sustainability, and I think the way that I would capture it more, Adam, is stewardship.
• 49:30
  SPEAKER_02: Because it's it's not just sustainability from a from a recycling perspective, it's a stewardship of the environment.
• 49:35
  SPEAKER_02: And so there's probably two key programs that the that the that Sunava has.
• 49:40
  SPEAKER_02: We have Seneva Namuna, um, as well as the which is a kind of an external facing, and then internally from a sustainable perspective, we have effectively our upcycling um processes where each resort, especially Seneva Fushi and Sineva Johnny, uh Sineva, Seneva Secret ships its its um its plastic and we upcycle pretty much everything we can.
• 50:02
  SPEAKER_02: You know, so the aluminium cans, you know, the coke cans, the cans that the some of the food comes in.
• 50:07
  SPEAKER_02: We turn those into the if you go to our resort, you'll see the knobs on your on your drawer, the drawers in your room are from coke cans that we've smelted down and turned into those things.
• 50:18
  SPEAKER_02: So we we upcycle those.
• 50:19
  SPEAKER_02: We have no single-use plastics in the in the um, but the plastic that we do have that we can turn into into, we turn into um, we use it in our in our um in our kitchens and we make um we make um articles and things that we that we give away to the communities out of.
• 50:37
  SPEAKER_02: Um so we we upcycle you know the the wood that is used or that we that we that we cut down from the trees as they fall, we turn into charcoal.
• 50:45
  SPEAKER_02: Right?
• 50:45
  SPEAKER_02: So everything that we that everything is kind of that upcycling and um recycle everything that we can.
• 50:53
  SPEAKER_02: So that's internally.
• 50:55
  SPEAKER_02: Externally, we have a we have a company called Sunavan Lamuna.
• 50:58
  SPEAKER_02: And Sunavan Lamuna is a it's like an NGO, the way that it operates, Adam.
• 51:03
  SPEAKER_02: So it currently works with 28 local communities.
• 51:07
  SPEAKER_02: And what that does is we are very we're very knowledgeable in our resource in terms of how to recycle, we make our own water, how do we, how do we, you know, food, what what sort of what sort of suppliers do we use and do we do we do we uh partner with to make sure that we're not using single-use plastics?
• 51:25
  SPEAKER_02: The resorts in the Maldives, the sorry, the local islands in the Maldives don't have that.
• 51:31
  SPEAKER_02: So we've gone in and helped them.
• 51:33
  SPEAKER_02: So right now we are we we are we work with 28 local communities around Sunova, Frushi, Seneva, Johnny, and Seneva Secret.
• 51:41
  SPEAKER_02: Work very closely with them.
• 51:42
  SPEAKER_02: We work with the local councils, um, we even pay for staff to work in there.
• 51:46
  SPEAKER_02: And we set up recycling centers, um, we set up um areas where they can chop wood into smaller chunks and turn it into alcohol.
• 51:54
  SPEAKER_02: Um we pay for trash to be exported off the island for them.
• 51:58
  SPEAKER_02: We um we do we set up bottling plants.
• 52:01
  SPEAKER_02: And so I think over the time that Samarina Senova Namuna has been in operation, which is about seven years, started back 2019.
• 52:08
  SPEAKER_02: We reckon that we've saved over a million single-use plastic bottles being used, about 1200 tons of waste.
• 52:15
  SPEAKER_02: So that's going to continue on.
• 52:17
  SPEAKER_02: Uh that's a that's a charitable program that we fund.
• 52:20
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, we have some partners that we work with, but that works with 28 communities.
• 52:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and as I say, that's part of the that's not just a responsibility that we feel, Adam.
• 52:29
  SPEAKER_02: It's more of a part of the stewardship role that Seneva stands for.
• 52:33
  SPEAKER_02: Um, we have a large number of our hosts in Moldivor.
• 52:36
  SPEAKER_02: So it's very important for them that we take care of the environment.
• 52:39
  SPEAKER_02: It's very important for us.
• 52:40
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, it's the environment, it's it's the is it's it's obviously how is that it it we like we rely on it for our business, but for the Moldivian hosts, it's home.
• 52:49
  SPEAKER_02: So if they're working for a company that is spending its hard-earned cash on making sure that their local community has a waste recycling centre, has two people there to manage that recycling centre, has appropriate funding, then that's a that's a very positive thing.
• 53:04
  SPEAKER_02: So again, from a we talked about retention earlier, that can only help.
• 53:08
  SPEAKER_02: Excuse me.
• 53:09
  SPEAKER_02: So that's an Oven Namuna.
• 53:10
  SPEAKER_02: We also have Aquitera.
• 53:12
  SPEAKER_02: And Aquitera again falls under our stewardship uh banner, um, but that is more from a conservation perspective, and where we're helping um the local coral reefs regenerate.
• 53:22
  SPEAKER_02: So I call it I call it um basically accelerated Darwinism.
• 53:28
  SPEAKER_02: So what what they what they do, Adam, is that they harvest the they harvest the the stronger uh corals, they bring that, we bring them onto our into our labs, we grow stronger ones from those we you know, we we um use more from those strong corals and then we put them back into the sea.
• 53:44
  SPEAKER_02: So we have a number of PhDs and and doctoral programs that work in Aquitera and Sonova Fushi, and they work all around the local atolls putting corals back in.
• 53:53
  SPEAKER_02: Um there's a we've got a big announcement on that, which I'll be sure to send to you, but we're we're currently embargoed on what that what that is.
• 54:00
  SPEAKER_02: But that's the the first of its kind.
• 54:02
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, it's the first of its kind, thank you.
• 54:04
  SPEAKER_02: It's the first of its kind in the Maldives, and it's certainly the first um hospitality company to win this sort of award.
• 54:09
  SPEAKER_02: So it's very important to us.
• 54:11
  SPEAKER_02: And so, you know, a lot of people say, well, isn't that isn't that just really expensive?
• 54:15
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, it it's it's just a that's just a cost.
• 54:17
  SPEAKER_02: And we don't look at it like that.
• 54:19
  SPEAKER_02: Um when you think about the upcycling, that is not expensive.
• 54:23
  SPEAKER_02: That allows us to use certain suppliers um that we know are going to give us non-single use plastics, we know we're gonna be able to work with.
• 54:30
  SPEAKER_02: And do you know what?
• 54:31
  SPEAKER_02: If we recycle the aluminium and turn it into a doorknob, that's a doorknob I don't have to first of all buy somewhere else, then ship to the island to use.
• 54:41
  SPEAKER_02: Right?
• 54:41
  SPEAKER_02: So there is a cost saving in the long run.
• 54:43
  SPEAKER_02: I think when certainly when I certainly when I speak to some of our guests, they are passionate about the sustainability and the conservation um activity at the at the at the resort.
• 54:54
  SPEAKER_02: And in some cases, only come because we do it.
• 54:57
  SPEAKER_02: So it look, that's not why we do it, but it uh yeah, make no mistake, it's a critical part of our business offering.
• 55:03
  SPEAKER_02: Um certainly a critical part of our guest offering.
• 55:05
  SPEAKER_02: Um and so in the long run, this is only going to help create value.
• 55:09
  SPEAKER_02: So we see it as a it's more stewardship rather than a cost department or uh certainly it's it's not it's not represented that way on any PL or certainly in any sort of board presentation that we make.
• 55:21
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, however intangible it is, you're cre you're using sustainability and stewardship to create value, uh reflected in what the guests, why the guests are coming there, some of the guest experiences, as well as supporting the local community, which is you know, that's that's your that's your talent base, as well as uh where you're getting now uh local goods, such as the the doorknobs that uh correct.
• 55:48
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it's it's a you know we see it in you know, we have a glass studio at Seneva Fushi, um where we we recycle all of the glass that that with that we get the glass bottles and that sort of thing.
• 55:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um and guests come in there and make their own varnises, they make glassware, they make um plates and that sort of thing, but we also use that glassware in our restaurants.
• 56:07
  SPEAKER_02: Right?
• 56:08
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's it's made on the island, right?
• 56:11
  SPEAKER_02: Uh it couldn't get it couldn't get more um couldn't get more homegrown than that.
• 56:16
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the uh I guess uh zero kilometer uh glassware.
• 56:20
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and we we even have zero kilometers, yeah, we have zero kilometer menus as well.
• 56:24
  SPEAKER_02: You know, we try certainly in Seneva Janu and Seneva.
• 56:27
  SPEAKER_02: Sineva Jani is a bit of a bigger island, so it's a bit easier to do.
• 56:29
  SPEAKER_02: But Sineva Ghani and Seneva Fushi both grow a lot of their own uh vegetables and uh salad materials, salad ingredients.
• 56:36
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, we're at zero, which we're we're getting better, we're we're improving that.
• 56:40
  SPEAKER_02: Um certainly Sineva Jani, but yeah, let's certainly have zero kilometer menus, which we're pushing.
• 56:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you know, and and one other part important part of stewardship is the idea of teaching.
• 56:53
  SPEAKER_01: Uh you you mentioned that in education.
• 56:55
  SPEAKER_01: And I was reading some other interview with uh Mr.
• 57:00
  SPEAKER_01: Shiv Dasani who was talking about uh part of the uh the stewardship program at Seneva has been to teach local Maldivians how to swim.
• 57:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 57:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 57:11
  SPEAKER_01: Uh you know, uh you know who would have thought an island nation and not everyone knows how to swim, but uh it's such an important part of being a true uh steward and leader of the community, and then how that that plays out to create such incredible hospitality uh in this virtuous circle.
• 57:32
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, I mean it's you you raise a good point.
• 57:34
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, one of the all of our, well not all of our, but a number of our villas are in the water, right?
• 57:40
  SPEAKER_02: So they don't, you know, it's it's salt water and things generally don't mix too well.
• 57:45
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, we we we we spent a lot of time maintaining those those villas.
• 57:49
  SPEAKER_02: Um and we didn't have enough divers, qualified divers, and it was it was proving, I said recruitment was that challenge.
• 57:55
  SPEAKER_02: Recruiting qualified divers was a challenge, right?
• 57:58
  SPEAKER_02: Um, to get them to come and live on the resort.
• 58:00
  SPEAKER_02: So we we took a whole load of our hosts who happened to be Moldivian and qualified them with their own paddies.
• 58:07
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and they are now qualified divers, they dive down, they help repair some of the the help repair some of the um issues that we have on the things that we have in the water, on the jetties, they work with the coral team.
• 58:21
  SPEAKER_02: So, you know, exactly that, you know, teaching them how to swim, but they taught them how to swim and then how to stay under the water too.
• 58:30
  SPEAKER_01: So uh let's look ahead for Sonava.
• 58:34
  SPEAKER_01: You've been there for a year thereabouts, and now you're looking at year two.
• 58:39
  SPEAKER_01: So, what you can announce publicly, what what should we look forward to?
• 58:45
  SPEAKER_02: Look, I think what you're gonna hear more publicly is as we start to really embed bare luxury in just what matters, in terms of what that means to the guests.
• 58:54
  SPEAKER_02: I am passionate about this.
• 58:56
  SPEAKER_02: You've you've you've I'm sure you've seen it, you've heard me talk about it, and I've said it myself today about 50 times on this in this in our conversation here.
• 59:04
  SPEAKER_02: For me to understand how we want the guest to feel and deliver that is everything.
• 59:09
  SPEAKER_02: It's the entire it's the bulger, right?
• 59:11
  SPEAKER_02: You know, we can deliver the most beautiful villa, Adam.
• 59:14
  SPEAKER_02: We can deliver the best food at the best restaurant, but if we completely missed the boat in terms of how that guest wanted to feel, it doesn't matter how good the food was or how amazing the villa was.
• 59:25
  SPEAKER_02: We've we've missed.
• 59:26
  SPEAKER_02: We're completely missed.
• 59:27
  SPEAKER_02: Right?
• 59:27
  SPEAKER_02: You know, they may not have wanted to be left alone, they may have wanted to have someone to guide them through every every minute of their stay.
• 59:34
  SPEAKER_02: And we completely misread that and they were too shy to say something about us.
• 59:38
  SPEAKER_02: Huge mistake.
• 59:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um, thankfully that doesn't happen very often very often.
• 59:41
  SPEAKER_02: But in terms of what you will see coming from the from from us, is bear luxury is not just about how we deliver that guest service.
• 59:48
  SPEAKER_02: We we've got to we've got to make that manifest itself in our culinary delivery.
• 59:52
  SPEAKER_02: You know, what does it mean from food and beverage?
• 59:54
  SPEAKER_02: You know, what does bear what does bear luxury and just what matters mean in the menus?
• 59:59
  SPEAKER_02: What does it mean in terms of how we deliver the food?
• 1:00:02
  SPEAKER_02: What does it mean in terms of our design?
• 1:00:04
  SPEAKER_02: We're going through, we're redesigning and renovating a number of villas at San Ava Johnny and Saint Ave Fushi right now.
• 1:00:09
  SPEAKER_02: And bear luxury is manifesting itself in that.
• 1:00:12
  SPEAKER_02: You know, so you will see those, they'll be, they'll be live in the next few months.
• 1:00:15
  SPEAKER_02: So you'll you'll be able to see that.
• 1:00:17
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and that and you'll see that it's we've listened to what it is that our guests want, and we're delivering that.
• 1:00:24
  SPEAKER_02: We're not prescribing a way that they should vacation on those villas.
• 1:00:28
  SPEAKER_02: We say, okay, right, we've said you want this, that's fine.
• 1:00:31
  SPEAKER_02: That's what we'll do.
• 1:00:32
  SPEAKER_02: Just what matters to every guest in every move.
• 1:00:34
  SPEAKER_02: So you'll see it manifest itself in the culinary options and the way that we deliver that, and also in the the design of the villas.
• 1:00:40
  SPEAKER_02: And as I said earlier, we see designers very much as emotional engineering, and if we can get that right, people are gonna keep want to keep coming back.
• 1:00:52
  SPEAKER_01: And uh you're presently in Dubai, um and uh you know, we of course uh everyone would be keen to know.
• 1:01:02
  SPEAKER_01: Uh it's August 4th that we're recording, and you know, technically there is a war going on, but uh what the media says versus what the situation on the ground are two completely different things.
• 1:01:15
  SPEAKER_02: So they are they are yeah, two entirely different things.
• 1:01:19
  SPEAKER_02: I think it was you know, even even at the height of the missiles that were I mean, look, almost all of the missiles were intercepted in Dubai i during March and I think in a little bit of April.
• 1:01:30
  SPEAKER_02: Since then, uh, I'll be I'll be honest, you you could barely notice.
• 1:01:34
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, it's life didn't change.
• 1:01:36
  SPEAKER_02: I think you know the the hospitality industry in Dubai took a bit of a hit.
• 1:01:40
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, these were cancelled.
• 1:01:42
  SPEAKER_02: So you can see that some hotels are closed and some restaurants are were closed, but they're now reopening.
• 1:01:47
  SPEAKER_02: Um Dubai takes a bit of a break in July and August anyway.
• 1:01:51
  SPEAKER_02: Um, so it's relatively quieter.
• 1:01:53
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but you we're starting to see it now.
• 1:01:55
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I tried to book a restaurant for tonight and I have to wait, right?
• 1:02:00
  SPEAKER_02: I try, I I I tried to book at seven o'clock, I couldn't get in at seven o'clock, gotta wait till 8:30.
• 1:02:05
  SPEAKER_02: That's a positive sign, right?
• 1:02:07
  SPEAKER_02: So it it's very different to how the media portrayed it.
• 1:02:11
  SPEAKER_02: The media, look, yeah, they're they're doing a job, right, Adam.
• 1:02:15
  SPEAKER_02: Um you know, it's I I can't be I can't be too negative about it, but it was not it was not very reflective of the situation uh on hand.
• 1:02:24
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, I was outside, I went to beach clubs, I was playing golf, was meeting with friends, we were walking around.
• 1:02:31
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 1:02:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:02:35
  SPEAKER_01: Where I was going with that was of course a lot of the flight routes to the Maldives go through uh Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha.
• 1:02:44
  SPEAKER_01: So um tell us about how you um managed that crisis of various flight cancellations and still were able to deliver incredible service uh for the Seneva properties.
• 1:02:59
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so I think we so the first thing is um whilst a number of our guests come through Dubai, not all of them, right?
• 1:03:06
  SPEAKER_02: So generally, generally if they the guests that are flying eastbound, so if you were coming from the east side, east coast of or even most of America or the um North America, you you're gonna come through Dubai, Catal or Doha.
• 1:03:19
  SPEAKER_02: So we saw some saw some disruption from there.
• 1:03:22
  SPEAKER_02: Um most of our customers from Europe fly direct to the to the Maldives.
• 1:03:27
  SPEAKER_02: So there are there are direct flights to the Maldives.
• 1:03:30
  SPEAKER_02: And then all of our westbound clientele, uh China, south, um, Southeast Asia, that carried on.
• 1:03:39
  SPEAKER_02: So we have a hugely global, geographically diverse customer base.
• 1:03:44
  SPEAKER_02: Um, I think if we were reliant upon one customer base and that was say the Middle East, then we would have been in trouble, but we're not.
• 1:03:50
  SPEAKER_02: And I think one of the things that we saw, Adam, is that our guests have decided that they're going to spend, you know, a good bit of time with us.
• 1:03:58
  SPEAKER_02: They're going to come for seven to ten days.
• 1:04:00
  SPEAKER_02: They are not going to let a flight stop them getting there.
• 1:04:04
  SPEAKER_02: And that's what happened, right?
• 1:04:06
  SPEAKER_02: They found alternative routes.
• 1:04:07
  SPEAKER_02: And we had guests flying, we have guests from America flying via Singapore and coming from Singapore.
• 1:04:13
  SPEAKER_02: It's only four hours from Singapore.
• 1:04:14
  SPEAKER_02: So if you can get to Singapore, it's it's a four hour.
• 1:04:17
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, admittedly, you've probably been traveling 16 hours to get to Singapore, but it's only four hours from there.
• 1:04:22
  SPEAKER_02: So we found we found that our guests found alternative ways to get here, or they found different routes to come.
• 1:04:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um so yeah, we weed the Maldives travel did drop, but the travel to our resorts didn't drop anywhere near as anywhere near as high.
• 1:04:36
  SPEAKER_02: We did see a a small drop, but it was it was managed and it and it's and it's picked back up um during during this summer.
• 1:04:42
  SPEAKER_02: So our resorts are full tonight.
• 1:04:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and uh of course, then it's just your job to ensure that the service meets the um meets the travel time of what the guests have gone through to get to the resorts.
• 1:04:57
  SPEAKER_01: Correct.
• 1:04:57
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:04:58
  SPEAKER_02: That's why it's so important for us to understand what that guest journey looks like.
• 1:05:02
  SPEAKER_02: You know, if they've if you spent 20 hours, 28 hours, as you say, getting to us, the first thing we need to do is get you to your villa and leave you alone, right?
• 1:05:11
  SPEAKER_02: Just let you de detox, de-stress, and then perhaps when you've had a sleep or when you're when you're ready for us to come and we'll we'll talk you through it at that point.
• 1:05:18
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but yeah, understanding what it is that the guest has been through, how they've what that travel experience has looked like is is critical for us.
• 1:05:25
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, what we saw what we saw is yeah, was there some disruption?
• 1:05:28
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 1:05:29
  SPEAKER_02: Uh did some flights get cancelled, they did, but um, you know, we had some cancellations initially, but those guests have pre-booked and are currently enjoying, some of them are currently enjoying their vacations there.
• 1:05:40
  SPEAKER_01: Amazing.
• 1:05:41
  SPEAKER_01: So speaking of de stressing and maybe detoxing, uh, there's one other incredible brand standard for Seneva that we have yet to talk about, and that is the twenty-four-seven complementary chocolate and ice cream service.
• 1:05:58
  SPEAKER_01: Tell us about that.
• 1:06:00
  SPEAKER_02: That is probably one of the most popular rooms in our in our resort.
• 1:06:03
  SPEAKER_02: So at Seneva Fushi um we have um we have two.
• 1:06:09
  SPEAKER_02: We have two chocolate rooms and two ice cream rooms.
• 1:06:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um they're never locked, they're open and they're stocked fully all day long.
• 1:06:15
  SPEAKER_02: Uh Seneva Jani we have one, uh one ice cream and chocolate room that's next to each other.
• 1:06:19
  SPEAKER_02: And Seneva Secret, we have one as well.
• 1:06:22
  SPEAKER_02: They are immensely popular.
• 1:06:24
  SPEAKER_02: So um we have a chocolate chef uh in each one of the or chef, like a petissory chef that's responsible for the generation of chocolate.
• 1:06:32
  SPEAKER_02: So they make 20 to 30 different types of chocolate every single day.
• 1:06:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um some of it's they tell me that some of it's healthy.
• 1:06:39
  SPEAKER_02: Um I choose to believe that.
• 1:06:40
  SPEAKER_02: Um they say the same thing about the ice cream, which I choose to believe, is that there's a little sugar in there, it's all made from you know, it's all made from a healthy uh produce, which again I choose to believe, as do as it will appear lots of our guests.
• 1:06:54
  SPEAKER_02: Um yeah, it look, it's it's a bit of an iconic thing, right?
• 1:06:57
  SPEAKER_02: Um and it most guests have sampled the chocolate.
• 1:07:00
  SPEAKER_02: Um they've definitely sampled the ice cream as well.
• 1:07:03
  SPEAKER_02: It's rare that you you're walking around Seneca Fushi or Seneva Jani without seeing somebody holding an ice cream cone with way too much chocolate piled uh uh ice cream piled on the top, with sometimes with some chocolate uh sprinkled on the top of that as well.
• 1:07:16
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, Seneca Jani, where you get your chocolate, you have to where you get your ice cream, you walk out past the chocolate area.
• 1:07:23
  SPEAKER_02: So it's like, okay, well.
• 1:07:27
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, it's it's available 24 hours a day.
• 1:07:29
  SPEAKER_02: It's never gonna run out.
• 1:07:31
  SPEAKER_02: Um the chefs absolutely love, as you said, as we talked about earlier, I think just before we came on air, there's yeah, there's the they come up with various different recipes that they won't even tell me about.
• 1:07:41
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, they uh it's worth trying them all.
• 1:07:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and you know, I was gonna add that vacation calories don't count.
• 1:07:49
  SPEAKER_01: No, they do not.
• 1:07:50
  SPEAKER_01: Everybody knows that everybody knows that.
• 1:07:53
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, that's a good point.
• 1:07:54
  SPEAKER_02: I'm glad you brought that up.
• 1:07:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah.
• 1:07:57
  SPEAKER_01: But uh part of it as well is we're not just talking about uh plain old vanilla flavors.
• 1:08:02
  SPEAKER_01: Your chefs are very inventive.
• 1:08:05
  SPEAKER_01: I think they uh they have they've you know, I've I've read of about 60 different flavors of ice cream online.
• 1:08:12
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I mean, at any one time you've probably got about 20.
• 1:08:14
  SPEAKER_02: Um, but if you're there for three or four days, or if you suddenly design that you would like some um mocha ice cream, then I'm pretty sure by the next day you'll have some mocha ice cream.
• 1:08:25
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, there's there's a lot of made-to-order ice cream in our resource too.
• 1:08:29
  SPEAKER_02: Um some very some fairly strange concoctions come up, which people seem to love.
• 1:08:34
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, it's um I think yeah, you when you go into the when you go into the the ice cream area, there's there's normally like 15 to 20 different options that you can choose from, but you know, if you've uh if you manage to sweet talk one of the chefs into doing something, I wouldn't be surprised if they would make you a uh whatever flavoured ice cream you you would like.
• 1:08:53
  SPEAKER_01: And what's your favorite flavor?
• 1:08:56
  SPEAKER_02: Chocolate.
• 1:08:57
  SPEAKER_01: Chocolate?
• 1:08:59
  SPEAKER_01: Wow, that's a classic.
• 1:09:02
  SPEAKER_02: It's like a dark chocolate.
• 1:09:03
  SPEAKER_02: Oh yeah, and so it's dark chocolate, so it's healthy, isn't it?
• 1:09:06
  SPEAKER_02: So uh it's yeah, antioxidants.
• 1:09:09
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely, yeah, yeah.
• 1:09:10
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and and the oxygen, exactly.
• 1:09:13
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, it's yeah, I I see as part of my healthy routine.
• 1:09:16
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, but if I do that, then I have to I make myself do a run or go to the gym.
• 1:09:20
  SPEAKER_02: So it's kind of like a it works both ways.
• 1:09:24
  SPEAKER_01: Wow.
• 1:09:24
  SPEAKER_01: So um, you know, it's it's a beautiful way to close out, and uh, I'm wondering, you know, just looking ahead the next five, ten years, hospitality in general, not only Cineva, what what gets you excited about the future of the hotel industry?
• 1:09:42
  SPEAKER_02: I think I think it's understanding I've talked about it a little bit, and I don't I've talked about it sorry in the in in the Cineva in the Cineva context, but I think on for me when I go on vacation, I would love for somebody to just know exactly what it is that I want before I get there.
• 1:09:58
  SPEAKER_02: Right?
• 1:09:59
  SPEAKER_02: I I don't want to decide, I don't want any burden of creativity, I don't want you to, I I'd want to be able to change my mind, right?
• 1:10:06
  SPEAKER_02: And that you know, reserve the right to change my mind.
• 1:10:08
  SPEAKER_02: But the ability for somebody to truly understand what it is that I want to get, and there's a skill to that, right?
• 1:10:14
  SPEAKER_02: You know, understanding what it is that guests want, understanding how a guest wants to wants to vacation.
• 1:10:18
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm very excited about us using the technology that we already have and and in even in you know working with our hosts to to figure out how they can how they can get better at not I don't say quizzing our guests, but you know, enticing out of our guests what it is that they truly want to get from their vacation.
• 1:10:37
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm excited about how where that can take not just Seneva, but I think, you know, any any luxury offerer.
• 1:10:43
  SPEAKER_02: I think from a physical perspective, um, I think I'm excited about where we can take Seneva, you know, where where we could go next.
• 1:10:51
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, we're not just gonna pick up Seneva Fushi and drop it um somewhere else, but you know, we're looking at a number of different places.
• 1:10:58
  SPEAKER_02: And again, part and part of the reason why we repositioned and re and evolved into bare luxury was that you know you will see in some certainly in some of the in some in some of the um material that uh that's been uh produced recently, there's not much in the way of turquoise water.
• 1:11:15
  SPEAKER_02: There's not much in the way of sand, but there's a lot in terms of the way, in terms of how luxury Seneva is and what that luxury can be.
• 1:11:22
  SPEAKER_02: And we need to find the way, the right way and the right place to transport it.
• 1:11:25
  SPEAKER_02: We're gonna find places obviously not gonna be diluted to the brand.
• 1:11:28
  SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, you're not gonna see us in some uh secondary cities, but you know, you'll see us perhaps in Africa or Miss Ski Resort or in a in you know somewhere like that.
• 1:11:38
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah, where it's I'm excited about where that can go.
• 1:11:41
  SPEAKER_01: The Navas Ski Resort, uh, you know, yeah, I'd love to see a cool yeah, coral restoration uh laboratory and a ski resort.
• 1:11:51
  SPEAKER_01: That would be something that has never been done before.
• 1:11:54
  SPEAKER_01: That would be very cool.
• 1:11:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 1:12:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:12:01
  SPEAKER_01: Uh Neil, is there anything else important that we haven't touched on today?
• 1:12:06
  SPEAKER_02: Look, I I think I would have mentioned just what matters, but we we've talked about it, we've talked about it at length.
• 1:12:12
  SPEAKER_02: Um that's the I'm passionate about that.
• 1:12:14
  SPEAKER_02: That's the most important thing for our business.
• 1:12:16
  SPEAKER_02: Enabling our hosts to deliver what it is that our guests need, and only what our guests need, what not what we think they need.
• 1:12:23
  SPEAKER_02: But yeah, we talked about that at length.
• 1:12:24
  SPEAKER_02: So no, I think um Adam, you've been very kind with the time.
• 1:12:27
  SPEAKER_02: So yeah.
• 1:12:30
  unknown: Yeah.
• 1:12:30
  SPEAKER_02: That's everything I wanted to say.
• 1:12:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:12:33
  SPEAKER_01: Well, thank you so much for coming on the show.
• 1:12:35
  SPEAKER_01: It's been a delightful and impactful and meaningful one hour and uh fifteen minutes.
• 1:12:42
  SPEAKER_01: No, thank you.
• 1:12:44
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you very much.
• 1:12:46
  SPEAKER_02: Take care.
• 1:12:47
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks.