27th April 2026
Watch: Creating exceptional experiences that keep guests coming back As the resort gears up to host the 2031 Ryder Cup, that experience-led hospitality becomes even more important. Director of Golf Flavio Papa explains… Making every guest feel like a VIP “At Camiral, our goal is to personalise and elevate the experience of every guest who walks through our doors,” he said. “At the 2026 European Tour Destinations Conference, Richard Payne from Levy, talked about treating every guest as a VIP, and that resonates deeply with what we’re trying to build at Camiral. “However, what VIP really means is evolving. It’s no longer just about a room upgrade or a welcome amenity. Those can be important, but there’s now a stronger emphasis on curating an experience that feels designed entirely around that individual – one that anticipates their needs, reflects their preferences and makes them feel genuinely valued at every touchpoint. “We’re focusing on extending the guest journey beyond the resort by building a stronger pre-arrival experience. Our goal is to personalise each visit long before a guest sets foot on the property, moving from a reactive service model to a proactive, tailored approach. “To achieve this, we’ve implemented an automated outreach system that contacts guests before they arrive. Unlike a standard booking confirmation, this communication is more personalised and helps identify individual needs and preferences in advance. “This allows us not only to improve the overall guest experience, helping us anticipate requests and deliver a seamless experience from the first interaction, but also to drive ancillary revenue by promoting curated services like golf tee times, dining reservations, or wellness. “This automated system enables us to personalise at scale by helping us to understand and deliver on each guest’s unique definition of a ‘perfect stay’. “Every guest arrives with different motivations. Our job is to capture those insights early so we can exceed expectations the moment they arrive.” Putting people at the centre “To consistently deliver an ‘exceptional’ experience, we focus heavily on developing our staff. They are the ones who create the personal moments that matter,” Papa continued. “To ensure continuous growth, we complement our internal HR training programmes with bi-annual on-site training from the 59Club. These sessions provide fresh insights and reinforce global service standards through tailored dynamics that evolve with an employee’s tenure, from onboarding to advanced leadership. “In response to modern learning preferences, we are also launching a library of short-format Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) videos. By showcasing real-world best practices, these videos will help standardise our operations while making the onboarding process more engaging and innovative. “This multi-layered approach ensures development is a continuous cultural pillar rather than a one-time event. “And, to Richard’s point, it is the small, human interactions that define a guest’s memory. By training our team to recognise and own these emotional touchpoints, we ensure our guests have stories worth sharing – and a reason to return.” Creating a lasting legacy “Creating that kind of experience at scale, however, requires more than