How Coco Collection created a more personalized guest journey and grew ancillary revenue with Retailing

Discover how the Maldives resort group created a connected retailing experience that aligns guest needs with relevant offers, elevating both the guest journey and commercial outcomes.

Updated June 29, 2026 • 5 minute read

Nestled in the Maldives, Coco Collection delivers authentic luxury experiences that blend contemporary sophistication with the natural beauty of its island destinations. As part of the Sunland Hotels group, the brand and its two properties are committed to elevating guest experiences through innovation, sustainability, and personalized service.

Serving discerning travelers seeking wellness, adventure, and relaxation across both properties, Coco Collection continually invests in enhancing the guest journey. As guest expectations evolved, the brand identified an opportunity to create a more seamless and personalized booking experience while unlocking new revenue opportunities beyond room reservations.

As Coco Collection's guest experience strategy matured, the team set their sights on raising the bar for how ancillary services and experiences were presented and sold online.

While the existing approach relied on reservation-based communications, the team saw clear potential to give guests greater visibility and convenience in discovering and booking additional services before arrival — removing friction and creating a more inspiring pre-stay journey.

The team also recognized an opportunity to move toward more targeted, preference-driven offers across different stages of the booking journey — enabling a more intentional and guest-centric approach to ancillary revenue.

The goal was to make it easier for guests to discover and purchase experiences, transfers, meal plan upgrades, wellness offerings, and special occasion packages before arrival, creating a more engaging and convenient pre-stay experience.

Coco Collection set out to create a more guest-centric retailing experience that would:

• Increase pre-arrival upsell conversions 
• Improve personalization and guest engagement 
• Enhance operational efficiency for the reservations team 
• Drive incremental ancillary revenue alongside room revenue

To support these objectives, Coco Collection adopted Retailing, integrated into Aven Hospitality's Booking Engine, to create a more connected and engaging guest purchasing journey.

The solution enabled the resort group to showcase experiences, services, and upgrades in a structured and guest-friendly way, allowing travelers to easily discover and purchase relevant offers throughout the booking process.

Key offerings included airport transfers, meal plan upgrades, wellness experiences, special occasion packages, and curated resort activities.

One of the most valuable capabilities for the team was the mandatory transfer functionality, ensuring guests could seamlessly book an essential part of their stay while also creating opportunities to introduce additional offers. Combined with a simplified booking flow, customizable merchandising capabilities, and real-time visibility into performance, the platform enabled Coco Collection to align its retailing strategy with its luxury guest experience standards.

By giving guests greater choice and convenience before arrival, the resort group was able to create a more personalized journey while reducing manual effort for internal teams.

Since implementing Retailing, Coco Collection has achieved measurable gains in both ancillary revenue and guest engagement. By making experiences and services more accessible and easier to purchase, the resort group has enhanced guest interaction with its offerings while unlocking new revenue opportunities.

The resort group is now generating approximately 1.4× more ancillary revenue than during the same period last year. Operational efficiency has also improved through increased automation and more streamlined workflows.

Top ancillary offerings: 

1. Transportation
2. Dining experiences
3. Tours & attractions
4. Spa

• Total chain is up +38% vs. the same period YoY
• 20% increase in ancillary offers sold
• Average Order Value $300 (excluding transportation)

"Retailing has reshaped how our guests explore and engage with our offerings, making their stay more compelling. The Retail Growth Team has been a fantastic partner in helping us continuously improve to maximize our revenue potential."
— Assistant E-commerce & Distribution Manager

As Coco Collection continues to evolve its guest experience strategy, Retailing provides a foundation for ongoing innovation and revenue diversification.

By combining personalized merchandising, curated experiences, and a seamless booking journey, the brand is well-positioned to continue growing ancillary revenue while delivering the exceptional experiences guests have come to expect from a luxury Maldivian resort collection.

Coco Bodu Hithi, located in North Malé Atoll, is a serene Maldivian retreat where the rhythm of life slows to something truly restorative. The essential tropical mood stimulates and refreshes the senses, while the mystery of a vibrant House Reef meets the open elegance of pristine palm-fringed beaches. Remarkably, Velana International Airport is just 35 minutes away — a proximity that feels almost unreal given the sense of complete seclusion the island offers.

Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu lies in the stunning southern waters of the Baa Atoll, one of the world's most treasured natural environments — a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and home to extraordinary marine life and coral reefs. The 35-minute seaplane journey from Velana International Airport sets the tone from the very first moment, offering guests a breathtaking bird's-eye view of azure lagoons and curling atolls — a fitting introduction to the natural wonder that awaits below.

Aven Hospitality is an independent global technology and SaaS leader in the hospitality industry, powering how hotels sell, distribute, and deliver guest experiences. SynXis, the leading global hospitality commerce and distribution platform, coordinates hotel information across 600+ integrations to ensure accuracy, consistency, and competitiveness wherever travelers discover, compare, and book.

Trusted by 35,000+ hotels across 190+ countries, Aven Hospitality serves as the connective layer behind many of the world’s most iconic brands, simplifying complexity behind the scenes so hoteliers can operate with confidence today and stay ready for what’s next.