Luxury resorts operator Soneva has rolled out a global recruitment campaign to hire barefoot butlers for its properties in Maldives and Thailand.
Although the hiring drive applies to anyone in the world who wants to be a “Barefoot Guardian,” the Maldives-based firm is targeting bilingual candidates – particularly those who can speak languages like Arabic, Russian, and Mandarin.
The island nation, famous for its pristine beaches and luxurious vacation offerings, is a popular travel destination for Middle East-based tourists.
According to government data, more than 6,000 visitors from the UAE alone have already travelled to Maldives since the borders were reopened in July 2020.
Maldives is only a four-hour flight away from the UAE.
Soneva operates two resorts in Maldives, and one in Thailand – all of which with dedicated “Barefoot Guardians,” claimed to be a “highly personalised butler service.”
The luxury resorts operator said the potential butlers will have the chance “to live and work on its idyllic islands.” Candidates can apply online.
The recruitment campaign comes as international tourism shows strong signs of recovery after it lost billions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to data from the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), there were almost 250 million international arrivals in the first five months of 2022 – compared to a mere 77 million from January to May 2021.
On the back of this recovery, the Gulf region is increasingly becoming a strong source market for international tourism.
The UNWTO said the per capita expenditure of individuals from the Gulf region stood at 6.5 times higher than elsewhere in the world.
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