A Little Piece of Paradise in Mozambique
Vilanculos is an area of swift economic growth in Mozambique, celebrating significant inward investment to boost the district’s appeal to tourists from all over the world. It’s in this environment that eco-tourism has thrived, and no establishment arguably more so than Villas do Indico, which finds its home on the white sands of the Bazaruto Archipelago. We spoke to General Manager Ana Paula to find out more.
Mozambique is, by all regards, rather ‘out of the way’, celebrating a reputation – for the time being, at least – as one of the more unusual of travelling destinations. Not quite in the mainstream, but certainly not an absolute outlier, Mozambique is a country that has all the markings of an up-and-coming treasure. Think unspoiled natural beauty, pristine white beaches and raw authenticity. This is Southern Africa as it was meant to be experienced.
Villas do Indico, throughout it all, remains a standout. Welcoming guests from all over the world, they have blossomed through a dedication to excellence, without sacrificing what makes the resort fundamentally special. But that statement, in many ways, overlooks the sheer hard work and graft that the team have put in to the resort to make it what it is today.
The most prominent issue is transport links and infrastructure, as Ana explains in more detail. “At Vilanculos there’s two daily flights arriving with forty seats each. The roads are good from south to here, but right now, they’re quite bad from here to the north. We find it an everyday task to ‘sell’ Mozambique as a destination worth visiting, and then also Vilanculos on top of that. However, because of this, we carry out work daily to constantly improve the quality of the resort to meet the expectations of our guests and to secure repeat visitors. For instance, we are currently planning new constructions, renovations and upgrades on our rooms.”
The greater team also play a fundamental role in ensuring that Villas do Indico provides a climate defined by exquisite hospitality and blissful relaxation. “The resort aims to provide good salaries, good work conditions and ensures, throughout everything, that communication remains consistent. As such, we have daily meetings with our staff and aim to make sure that everyone is kept informed and up-to-date. That’s certainly a key to outstanding guest service.”
“When it comes to following sector trends, we choose to follow our own path. However, we do take efforts to travel a lot and see what works for similar establishments. In all things, we aim to exceed expectations.”
Ultimately though, Villas do Indico has been born through passion and the heart of its continued success is found through a continued drive to achieve a peerless reputation in the luxury market, as Ana concludes. “We love what we do here, working with the local community for the local community. This, in turn, means we learn a lot from them, and through hiring locals we also teach them a profession where they can interact and receive many different cultures. More than that, we enjoy seeing satisfied guests. That is the most important thing.”
Company: Villas do Indico
Name: Ana Paula, General Manager
Address: Parcela 32 Chigamane, Vilanculos, 1090, Mozambique
Website: www.villasdoindico.com
Telephone: (+258) 8471 32018
