Mauritius luxury resort group boosts €494,000 in direct bookings through AI Booking Assistant
July 2024 – June 2025
39K
conversations
85%
read rate on WhatsApp Messages
494K €
revenue from chatbot Direct Bookings
177
Direct Bookings through the Chatbot
Introduction
For nearly 50 years, Sunlife resorts has helped define Mauritius as a destination built on warm, authentic experiences. When the group rebranded from Sun Resorts to Sunlife in 2022, it renewed a promise that keeps generations of travellers coming back: to help every guest “Come Alive” through curated moments, genuine service and a deep connection to local culture.
Yet as guest expectations grew, so did the demands on Sunlife’s teams. Today’s travellers expect quick, clear answers on their own terms, through whichever channel they prefer. Sunlife’s reservations and hotel teams found themselves trying to balance this demand for speed with the personal touch that makes Mauritian hospitality so special. By partnering with HiJiffy, Sunlife has created a smarter, more efficient way to support guests, freeing staff to focus on delivering the moments guests remember for a lifetime.
The Client: Sunlife Resorts
Founded in 1976, Sunlife resorts is one of Mauritius’ most established hospitality groups. Its first resort, La Pirogue Mauritius, will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary, reflecting decades of dedication to service and authenticity. The group’s portfolio includes five distinctive resorts – Sugar Beach, La Pirogue, Long Beach, Anahita (new addition), and Ambre – each with its own atmosphere and guest experiences.
Unlike many hotel brands that repeat the same concept at every property, Sunlife resorts embraces difference. Its “Come Alive” philosophy takes shape through a variety of curated experiences. Guests can craft their own fragrance at Sugar Beach, cycle to a local market from Long Beach, or enjoy a breakfast on a boat at La Pirogue. The iconic Ile Aux Cerfs Golf Club and Anahita Golf Club add another layer of choice, allowing guests to find a new adventure every stay. Delivering this variety means clear, fast and personal communication is essential long before check-in — and HiJiffy helps make that possible.
The Challenges
Repetitive Workload Reducing Impact
Sunlife’s central reservations team was handling more than 15,000 emails every month, in parallel, the hotel teams were faced with a similar challenge. Many questions were simple: check-in times, restaurant hours or spa booking procedures. But each one still needed a human response, which took up time that could have been spent on high-value tasks like upselling and handling complex requests. The sheer volume of repetitive work made it challenging for the team to deliver the warm, attentive service that guests expect.
Disconnected Channels Slowing Responses
Guests reach out through WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger and the website chat, often outside working hours. Previously, these conversations were scattered across separate systems, forcing the team to check multiple inboxes and increasing the risk of missed messages or duplicate work. Guests sometimes had to repeat themselves, which frustrated them and slowed response times.
Lost Opportunities for Direct Bookings
When a simple question goes unanswered at the decision point, guests often abandon the booking or turn to an OTA instead. This led to lost direct revenue, higher commission fees and fewer opportunities to build long-term guest loyalty.
Manual Handover Blocking Upsells
Special requests, like booking a spa treatment or arranging a romantic dinner, needed the hotel operations team to step in. Previously, the reservations team would forward emails manually, often with no way to ensure quick follow-up. Guests were left waiting, sometimes for days, and valuable upsell moments slipped away.
Limited Data for Continuous Improvement
Scattered messages and manual processes meant there was little visibility into what guests were asking for most, how quickly they were getting replies, or what worked best. Spam or irrelevant influencer requests added to the noise. The team needed clear, consolidated data to measure ROI, improve workflows and to make better decisions.
Building Guest Trust in AI
Some guests were hesitant to rely on an AI chatbot for answers, preferring to speak to a human even for simple queries. It was important for the new solution to build trust by proving that the AI Booking Assistant could respond accurately and escalate to a real person when needed.
Implementation
The rollout began with Ambre and Long Beach, then expanded to Sugar Beach, La Pirogue and the main Sunlife website. HiJiffy’s onboarding and customer success managers worked closely with Sunlife’s team to fine-tune FAQs, map workflows and set up campaigns that match each resort’s tone and guest expectations.
Smooth integration with Namastay for the booking engine and Oracle OPERA Cloud PMS for guest data means the full tech stack works together effectively. Automation and human service now blend naturally, allowing teams to keep the authentic Sunlife experience at the heart of every interaction without the burden of manual tracking.
The Solutions
Smart Automation for Repetitive Questions
HiJiffy’s AI Booking Assistant now handles thousands of repetitive queries that previously filled the reservations team’s inbox. Working with the onboarding manager, Sunlife’s team created detailed, property-specific FAQs to ensure the AI reflects each resort’s unique style and offers. The AI understands natural phrasing and provides answers around the clock. If a guest’s request needs a human touch, it’s automatically flagged and sent to the right team member with full context. Guests receive quick, clear answers and the team can focus on meaningful conversations.
All Guest Conversations in One Place
WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger and the website chat now feed into a single platform, so the team doesn’t waste time switching between accounts. The AI Booking Assistant resolves common questions while team members handle more complex requests in one place, keeping communication smooth and consistent.
Converting More Direct Bookings
The AI Booking Assistant supports guests during the booking process by answering questions instantly at the point of decision. If a guest is ready to book, they’re seamlessly directed to Sunlife’s Namastay Booking Engine, which finalises the reservation quickly and keeps them on Sunlife’s website. This reduces OTA leakage and helps maintain stronger guest relationships.
Automatic Handover to Boost Upsells
Requests for spa treatments, special dinners or activities are now routed straight to the right hotel teams with real-time notifications. There’s no more risk of requests sitting unnoticed in an inbox. This faster handover means guests get quick confirmations and are more likely to say yes to added services and upgrades.
Proactive Campaigns Across the Guest Journey
Sunlife’s team uses HiJiffy’s Campaigns Manager to design WhatsApp campaigns that reach guests before arrival and during their stay. In-stay messages highlight spa offers, boutique promotions and unique activities that guests may not discover on their own. The integration with Oracle OPERA Cloud PMS ensures messages are timely and relevant, based on up-to-date guest data. The Campaigns Manager gives Sunlife flexibility to adjust messages to match seasonal offers or occupancy needs, and high open rates prove guests appreciate the direct, helpful communication.
The Results
Significant Time Saved for Real Guest Connection
Over twelve months, HiJiffy’s AI Booking Assistant handled 39,815 guest conversations, with 80% resolved automatically in conversation with at least one interaction. This has eased the pressure on the reservations team by cutting repetitive work and freeing up time for genuine guest interactions, upselling and thoughtful problem-solving. Guests benefit from quicker answers, while staff have more room to focus on creating memorable stays. Furthermore, they could focus more on solving booking doubts and requests from guests who wanted a more personalised stay.
No Missed Messages, Any Channel, Any Time
All guest messages – whether from WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger or the website – now land in one shared workspace. The team no longer needs to check multiple inboxes or chase repeated questions. WhatsApp campaigns alone have delivered over 10,824 messages with an impressive 85% read rate, far above typical email open rates of less than 30% (since October 2024). This shows guests value clear, direct updates where they are most likely to see them, keeping communication smooth and reliable through a solid integration with Oracle OPERA Cloud PMS.
Direct Revenue Protected with Fewer OTA Losses
The AI Booking Assistant answers guests immediately when they need reassurance, reducing abandoned bookings. This has helped secure 177 direct bookings, adding nearly €494,000 in direct revenue that could have gone to OTAs. HiJiffy complemented Sunlife’s revenue strategy and broader tech stack, helping deliver remarkable year-on-year growth. In the analysed period, room nights rose by 46.9%, ADR increased by 2.6%, and revenues for both rooms and packages grew by over 50% compared to the previous year. This not only improves margins but keeps the guest relationship in-house, opening the door for better follow-up and future loyalty.
Faster Handover Creates More Upsell Opportunities
Requests for special activities and upgrades now reach hotel teams right away, avoiding delays and missed chances. Guests get faster confirmations and are more likely to accept recommendations for extras. This clearer handover supports increased upsell revenue and a smoother overall experience.
Pre-arrival Registration Rates Up
Proactive WhatsApp campaigns encourage guests to complete the pre-arrival registration before arrival, cutting queues and starting the stay on a positive note. In-stay messages draw attention to exclusive offers, spa treatments or boutique items guests may otherwise overlook. WhatsApp’s higher open rates mean promotions are actually seen and acted upon, unlike email campaigns that can go unopened. Sugar Beach sends guests WhatsApp messages that encourage this type of registration and has seen a significant volume in comparison to those properties that don’t yet.
Better Data, Better Decisions
Every conversation, campaign and handover is now tracked in one place. The team can see trends, measure response times and refine FAQs or offers based on what works best. This clear data view helps Sunlife improve the digital guest journey and prove ROI while still protecting the personal service that makes the brand special.
Testimonials
“We chose HiJiffy over other suppliers for their hospitality expertise, seamless integration, and smart, human-like AI. Their chatbot handles multilingual queries 24/7, easing staff workload and boosting direct bookings. Setup was smooth, support is outstanding, and their innovation keeps us ahead. It’s a powerful tool that truly enhances guest experience and operational efficiency—I highly recommend it.”
Jason Noordine — Head of Digital Marketing, Sunlife Mauritius
“HiJiffy’s chatbot delivers reliable performance, meeting expectations for AI-driven chatbots and guest messaging. The platform is not only effective but also well-suited for collaboration, especially when managing live chat with the team. What truly sets HiJiffy apart is the outstanding support team, always responsive, reactive in resolving issues and genuinely open to feedback and suggestions for continuous improvement.”
Vincent Lecordier — Digital Marketing Executive, Sunlife Mauritius
“Working with Sunlife has been such a rewarding experience. Vincent and Jason had a clear vision from day one: use technology to make things faster and easier for guests, without ever losing that special warmth Sunlife is known for. They were hands-on throughout, making sure each resort’s personality came through in the AI assistant and that every campaign felt personal and relevant. It’s been great to see how this has transformed daily operations – freeing the team from repetitive tasks, keeping all guest conversations in one place, and giving them more time to focus on creating the kind of stays guests remember.”
Joana Rodrigues — Customer Success Team Lead, HiJiffy
About hotel tech partners
Oracle OPERA Cloud PMS:
Oracle Hospitality brings more than 45 years of experience in providing technology solutions to independent hoteliers, global and regional chains, gaming, and cruise lines. Our hardware, software, and services enable customers to act on rich data insights that deliver personalized guest experiences, maximize profitability, and encourage loyalty.
Cloud-based, mobile-enabled, with open APIs, Oracle’s OPERA Cloud property management and distribution, Simphony point-of-sale, reporting and analytics, and Nor1 upsell solutions accelerate innovation, increase revenue, lower IT cost, and maximize operating efficiency. To learn more, please visit www.oracle.com/Hospitality.
Namastay Booking Engine:
Namastay simplifies online bookings and payments for hotels and guests. Their product increases direct revenue, supports modern payment methods such as digital wallets and buy now, pay later options and delivers a seamless end-to-end guest experience directly on hotels’ websites.
Namastay is trusted by hundreds of hotels worldwide, from independent boutique properties to renowned luxury establishments and international hotel groups, making it a preferred partner for forward-thinking hospitality brands.
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