Outrigger pushes the boat out in Waikiki

Nancy Daniels of Hawaii’s Outrigger Resorts has a message for travel agents.

 "Take a fresh look at us now," says the director of public relations for the Outrigger Enterprise Group.

 "Waikiki was getting a bit tired but new development has transformed the place. We really have much more to offer in terms of retail outlets, restaurants and entertainment."

 Until the recent development, Daniels said visitors had started to by-pass Waikiki and Oahu for other islands.

"We had to take a good look at ourselves. It was pretty obvious that we needed to rejuvenate Waikiki. Lewers Street, for example, was not a pretty place at one time."

Daniels said the development of the Waikiki Beach Walk was embraced by the private sector, led by all major hotels whose owners embarked on renovation and renewal programmes of rooms and facilities.

 "Everyone picked up the baton and ran with it, so much so that the accommodation we have here now is the best we’ve had.

 "Now I believe Waikiki is appealing to a larger cross-section of travellers. We’re seeing the return of Japanese travellers, although not yet at the numbers that we had in peak times."

Outrigger has 12 properties in Waikiki, plus another two at Honolulu airport. The Outrigger on the Reef - one of only seven hotels with absolute Waikiki beach frontage - was among the properties renovated, its room inventory falling from 883 rooms to 639 rooms to allow for bigger bathrooms and overall space.

Daniels said Waikiki hotels may ease their rates higher next year but overall the destination still offered "great value, impeccable service and great island hospitality".

Outrigger is a third generation family-owned company which opened is first hotel - the Island Hotel - in 1947.

"Because we’re a small company we don’t come with huge brand standards. We remain flexible when dealing with owners and developers, which means we don’t produce cookie-cutter hotels," said Daniels.

Asia has been earmarked for further development of luxury properties. Currently established at Laguna Phuket and on the Bali beachfront at Seminyak, the company is opening a second Bali resort next door to the Bulgari resort at Uluwatu, and is paying close attention to Vietnam.

by Ian Jarrett

More at www.outrigger.com

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