Sona B. Bissoondeeal has two strengths: his determination to always do his best to succeed and… his smile. He started his career in the hotel industry as security guard. Today, twenty-nine years and four hotels later, he is the resident manager – in other words, the assistant general manager – at Belle Mare Plage the Resort. He can be proud of his achievement.

“Actually, I know exactly how I have managed to reach this post. I owe it to my motivation and my will to always learn more… I have always had a goal in life and I’m proud I’ve achieved it,” he says with his legendary smile. “Bluntly, I can say that I’ve been able to become resident manager thanks to my loyalty, sincerity and desire to learn.”

The resident manager of Belle Mare Plage the Resort has obtained many awards thanks to these qualities. In the hotel where he worked for 24 years, he was nominated “best employee of the month” or “best employee of the year” several times. Moreover, he never applied for any of his jobs. The proposals have always come from the hotels.

But Sona remains modest and simple. He knows that he wouldn’t be there without the help of a certain number of people. His wife, Alexandra, first, and his four children. “Of course, my job has necessitated and still demands some sacrifices. I’ve always had long hours and wouldn’t have been able to have such a career without my wife’s and family support. I thank them for that.”

He also has a special thought for those who helped him and taught him the ABC of the hotel industry. His “gurus” as he likes to call them. In every group he has worked for, he has had one of these “gurus” to teach him his job. “I thought they were demanding and severe at the time but I have to thank them for teaching me how to become a good leader.”

The hospitality industry has surely brought him a lot. He started in this sector by chance, could we say. When he left school, tourism started to boom in Mauritius and he felt he had a chance to have a great career in this field. However, he didn’t expect that it would bring him so many advantages: learn others’ cultures, trips abroad, speaking Italian fluently… These are a few of the positive aspects of his job. Not to mention his meetings with Quincy Jones, Leonardo di Caprio and Michael Jackson while he was in the Nassau Islands (Bahamas) for the official opening of the 2,500 bedroom hotel, Atlantis.

Sona made a lot of sacrifices to achieve his target: he worked long hours, had to study during the day and work at night, he didn’t see his family much… But still, he doesn’t regret anything. He had to make certain choices and he is proud to be able to offer a quite comfortable life to his family today.