Kuramathi; a tourism institution

Since 1 October, 1975, the resort currently known as Kuramathi Maldives has been delivering exceptional hospitality services to thousands of visitors each year. The island is one of many under the Universal label.

Being the fourth largest resort in the Maldives with over 350 rooms, Kuramathi Maldives used to be known as three separate hotels. Historically, the comparatively large island used to be inhabited by people, but the locals were relocated to the neighbouring island of Rasdhoo, almost within swimming distance. The three ‘hotels’ used to be known as Village, Blue Lagoon, and Cottage.

The management structure that was established at the beginning persists today, and it is thanks to both managerial and staff cooperation. The seamless way in which the teams work their responsibilities, the lack of need for micro-management, is what greases the cogs in the Kuramathi hospitality machine. 

Kuramathi Maldives, being so very close to Rasdhoo island, has made great leaps in their CSR work. They have assisted in waste management and incineration, provided professional medical assistance whenever required, and they also conduct awareness sessions for the students in Rasdhoo. The program is so flexible that it is the school in Rasdhoo that decides which age group will go on the field trip over to the resort, to be given tours and then awareness sessions on biodiversity and marine studies. The resident marine biologist runs the sessions, and their success is well spoken for.

However, there hasn’t been that many employees from Rasdhoo as of yet, which is a point Kuramathi concedes. This raises the question, as to whether being employed at Kuramathi is really as great as it seemed on the surface. Multiple staff facilities, including a football pitch, gym, pool, and a fully functioning gym are just the start of what's available to employees.

The staff are also given a yearly bonus, have periodic salary revisions, and the service charge is a hefty sum each month as well, given the immense popularity of the resort. On top of that, being a hotel with multiple services for visitors, a wide array of restaurants and amenities, anyone on the island would get a very wide range of experience in the field. For those who stay on for long periods of time, some of the highest paid non-managerial staff stand to earn in the excess of thousands of dollars a month, excluding service charge. This reason alone may inspire the aforementioned loyalty, but there’s a lot more to this as well.

There are some staff members who have been working on the island for over 25 years. Day in, day out, starting as attendants and room boys, climbing the cooperate ladder to prestigious positions is an absolute possibility for anyone with determination who signs up to work at Kuramathi. The staff are so well-versed in their fields that even the boat captains of the main two Kuramathi transfer vessels can navigate the most perilous of weather conditions. Additionally, if one were to move on to a job in another resort, the very fact that they had spent so much time in Kuramathi actually plays in their favour, showing how this is one of the best islands to start off one’s hospitality career. 

To support that point, the resort has such a wide variety of outlets and services that a beginner in the hospitality career would have the chance to experience a lot more in terms of different levels of the supply chain, and the quirks of different types of culinary and guest related services. Their enthusiasm is reflected in the reviews and the amount of repetitive visitors as well, which was a hypothesis purported in the media. However, at Kuramathi, the main reason there is a 10 percent repeat visitor rate isn’t just because of the staff, but the lasting impression of the establishment itself. 

There are, of course, incentives for repeat visitors, including discounted rates, free upgrades and free dinners and excursions. There are reportedly a high number of visitors coming in from the UK and Germany, and with the continuous lifting of travel restrictions, the numbers are expected to go even higher.

Kuramathi is an island staffed by nearly 800 to 900 people, but the number has reportedly dropped to the 650 range after the pandemic began. A trend that has begun to show itself is how now hospitality staff are preferring employment in islands that are closer to their homes, which was a reason some had moved on from the employment they held at Kuramathi. 

Due to the border closure, the restrictions on travel and movement, and the immense losses incurred due to overhead costs, some of the staff had been asked to stay home. However, as things are picking up for the rest of the year, it is estimated that the festive season will bring in full occupancy, and the positive prospects meant that the Kuramathi management is now able to bring back into the fold any staff members who were laid off or left on their own accord.

Sustainability on the side of human resources is key to Kuramathi. Rehiring with open arms, and then the special perks and advantages for long-term employees are just some of the key points. A fact would be how senior staff members have the chance to specifically request financial assistance from the company for familial support, such as sponsoring their children’s education. There is a member still at work on the island who’s two children were given financial assistance to complete their higher education, simply due to the hard work over the years done by their parent at Kuramathi.

As for infrastructure sustainability, Kuramathi is looking towards cutting down fossil fuel expenses, and have done multiple studies to this end. A centralised hot water system is in the works, while plastic has been entirely removed from the supply chain with the introduction of paper straws and glass bottles, a venture almost five years old. 

Beyond that, the global standards achieved by the resort make this a location to be treasured. Travel Life Gold standard is the level being held at this four star resort, including frequent visits by Food Asia to gauge the gastronomical standards. Health protection during these troubling times include constant cleaning and sanitisation of all guest and staff areas, with the operating procedure that ensures all staff wear masks and observe all necessary HPA endorsed guidelines.

Kuramathi Maldives is one of the many fully locally owned hospitality companies in the Maldives under the Universal banner, and strives to be the most consistent and lasting enterprise. With their work being in the realm of high standards, affordability, and quality, Kuramathi has endured over 35 years in operation, and with their staff and hard working managers, would endure any and every challenge thrown at them in the hospitality industry.