Digital Transformation in Mauritius

Revolutionizing hospitality
through digital innovation.  

THE BACKGROUND

With over three decades of experience in hospitality in Mauritius, Sunlife operates a portfolio of four distinctive resorts and a leisure island with a championship golf course and beach facilities for day trips. Each luxury resort has been designed in its own style; glamourous, modern, authentic and tranquil with a commitment to provide signature guest experiences that are unique to Sunlife.

THE OPPORTUNITY

During the pandemic, when planning for re-opening, Sunlife was researching ways to enhance the guest journey through contactless solutions and technology. In the post-pandemic era, the resorts faced challenges such as labour shortage, rising operational costs, and changes in consumer behaviour. In response, they embraced the concept of integrating a technological solution through the development of a mobile application.

THE SOLUTION

Hudini presented Sunlife with the optimal solution, which stood out as the comprehensive guest journey experience, covering pre-stay, in-stay, and post-stay experiences.  This comprehensive oﬀering catered to all aspects of Sunlife’s guest stays at the three chosen resorts.

Another key reason for choosing Hudini was their willingness to assist in integrating the product with the resorts’ existing technology. Without any disruption to guests or hotel operations running at full capacity, in June 2022, Hudini’s dedicated team executed a seamless integration.

YourSunlifeApp was tailored to Sunlife’s specific requirements and not only fulfilled the
immediate needs, but also oﬀered opportunities for future innovation and enhancement.
The customisable platform allows Sunlife to create unique experiences for each guest.

360° GUEST EXPERIENCE

LAYER BUNDLED WITH
A COMPREHENSIVE
RESORT CONTENT

Over an 8-month period,  
the Hudini app was implemented at
these Sunlife Resorts in Mauritius:

SunLife Sugar Beach

Modules for YourSunlifeApp:

BOOKING

Management and personalisation of guest bookings based on smart guest profiles

BOOKING

Management and personalisation of guest bookings based on smart guest profiles

BOOKING

Management and personalisation of guest bookings based on smart guest profiles

BOOKING

Management and personalisation of guest bookings based on smart guest profiles

Module Clicks

Implementation from June 2022
(figures prior represent download for testing purposes)

7,000+ App Downloads 

12,406 Offers
8,380 Service Requests
6,020 In-Room Dining
4,340 Restaurant & Bar
2,550 Amenities
1,870 City Guide

June 2022 Implementation

Here are the strategies and approaches employed by the resort:

PRE-STAY PRACTICES FOR INFORMING CUSTOMERS:

Including a shared e-mail footer in the booking confirmation.
Sharing newsletters with  relevant information.
Maintaining a shared blog to provide updates and insights.

DURING STAY PRACTICES FOR INFORMING CUSTOMERS:

Ensuring guest service agents and manager inform guests at check-in.
Placing informative leaflets in the rooms and at various points of sale.
Displaying advertisements on TV screens in the rooms.
Conducting a general awareness class for all staff members at the beginning to guide guests on accessing correct information within the application.
Designating a champion of the app who wears a branded polo shirt and walks around the hotel, acting as a PR representative

The Result

The Result The results of the mobile application download campaign exceeded Sunlife’s initial expectations. Prior to the pandemic, the download rate for their mobile application was approximately 15%.  With the Hudini app, the download rate rose to 65%, surpassing their original target.  The Sunlife resorts have one of the highest rates of downloads of the Hudini app with 7,800 downloads by guests over a 6-month period.

As a customer-centric organisation, Sunlife believes in setting high standards and constantly striving to exceed them.  The success of the Hudini app has provided a momentum to drive further innovation and enhance their oﬀerings in the future.

Overall, we are extremely satisfied with the level of service provided by Hudini, we would highly recommend Hudini to anyone looking for a reliable and innovative technology provider in the hospitality industry.”