Guests who love the ocean can join events in the Maldives,Thailand, Fiji, Guam, Hawaii and Mauritius
PHUKET, THAILAND – In conjunction with World Oceans Month (June), Outrigger Resorts, the premier beachfront resort brand, is celebrating the one year anniversary of its innovative global conservation initiative, OZONE (Outrigger’s ZONE), with a variety of events and activities at its nine iconic beachfront properties located within the Asia Pacific, Oceania and Indian Ocean regions. The brand is also toasting OZONE’s first anniversary with the launch of a special OZONE package available at its two Outrigger Resorts hotels in Waikiki to inspire guests to get in the water and join the brand’s ocean conservation efforts for a sustainable future.
According to Bitsy Kelley, vice president of Outrigger Enterprises Group, “With more than 60 percent of the world’s reefs under serious threat, we at Outrigger have made it our mission to help restore the vital marine ecosystems of tropical destinations worldwide within the next decade, as well as educate and engage guests on the importance of ocean conservation through various workshops, videos and activities available at Outrigger Resorts year-round.”
A Football Field Worth of Coral
Outrigger launched OZONE in June 2015 as a global conservation initiative centered on coral health and resiliency in the world’s oceans, with special focus on the waters that surround the iconic beach destinations of Outrigger Resorts’ hotels around the world. As part of the launch, the brand set a goal of planting and growing a football field worth of coral at participating resorts over the next decade.
As of now, Outrigger has already planted approximately 37% (21,450 square feet) of its target in coral and is well on its way to achieving its goal. In addition to optimizing growing conditions and planting new coral, Outrigger also works with local conservation teams to promote the protection of existing healthy coral in the surrounding areas and encourages local resorts in the region to participate.
OZONE Eco Adventure Package
On June 1,Outrigger Resorts will introduce its exclusive OZONE Eco Adventure Package at its two Waikiki beachfront properties; Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort and Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort to encourage guests to get into the water and experience the wonder and beauty of the Pacific Ocean. The OZONE Eco Adventure Package features a buy one get one free Snorkel Eco-Adventure Sail Tour, two admission tickets to the Waikiki Aquarium and an in-room welcome gift that includes reef-friendly sunscreen, swim goggles to provide swimmers a clear underwater view, a dive mesh bag to help with collecting plastics and other manmade materials found in the ocean or on the beach and a 2017 OZONE Ocean Life calendar.
Pricing for the OZONE Eco-Adventure Package starts from US$239 per room, per night (taxes and fees not included). Reservations will be available starting June 1st and can be made online at outrigger.com/ozone, by phone at 1-800-688-7444 or by contacting your preferred travel professional.
OZONE Anniversary Celebrations
As part of Outrigger’s OZONE anniversary celebrations, Outrigger is joining with its global OZONE partner organizations to feature a variety of on-and-off-property activities for guests and hosts (employees) to enjoy. Outrigger’s OZONE partners include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Polynesian Voyaging Society (Hawaii), Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (Hawaii), Waikiki Aquarium (Hawaii), Underwater World (Guam), Mamanuca Environment Society (Fiji), Reef Conservation Mauritius, Best Dives Maldives and The Phuket Marine Conservation Biological Centre (Thailand)
New York City: Celebrating Hokule?a’s Historic Arrival
As a longstanding supporter of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and a major sponsor of the Malama Honua Worldwide Voyage of the Polynesian voyaging canoe, Hokule?a, Outrigger Resorts is excited to be a part of the Hokule?a’s historic visit to New York City from June 5 through June 8. On World Oceans Day, June 8, Hokule?a’s navigators and crew members will join the United Nations to discuss their observations on the state of the oceans and to share ocean protection declarations that they have collected during their journey. Navigating using only the stars and other natural elements, this iconic canoe departed Hawaiian waters in 2014 to embark on a voyage around the world that, when complete, will have covered 60,000 nautical miles, 100 ports and 27 nations connecting with communities and sharing a message to Malama Honua (meaning care for Island Earth).
Hawaii: Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort and Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort
On June 4, guests of Outrigger’s two beachfront hotels in Waikiki will receive free admission to the Waikiki Aquarium and can participate in a variety of fun, family-friendly activities, including live music, arts and crafts for children, as well as educational games
and activities for all. The event will also feature an ocean-inspired art show with pieces by ‘Art on the Zoo Fence’ artists who are donating twenty percent of any sale made during the event to the Waikiki Aquarium. An algae cleanup of the reef adjacent to the Waikiki Aquarium will round out the OZONE Day festivities. At last year’s inaugural OZONE Day at the Waikiki Aquarium, more than 100 Outrigger hosts and community volunteers removed 220 pounds (99kg) of algae from the waters fronting the Waikiki Aquarium.
Thailand
Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort and Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas are both hosting an outing for the students from Baan Khok Wat Mai Primary School to The Phuket Aquarium and The Phuket Marine Biological Center, a rehabilitation center for turtles and other marine life that have been injured by debris. The children will have an opportunity to interact with the rehabilitating turtles, and learn about marine environmental awareness.
Outrigger Koh Samui Beach Resort is spearheading a “Mega Beach Clean” for all Outrigger hosts and guests, as well as guests from surrounding properties, who wish to participate in the cleanup effort. The resort will also be serving a sustainable menu, incorporating some of its delicious indigenous ingredients for enjoyment
Fiji
Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort will invite visitors to join in sinking “fish houses” made of transplanted coral, which will become a coral nursery and attract a number of fish and other marine life over time. Resort hosts will also relocate large clams into fish houses in the surrounding waters for protection and growth.
Castaway Island, Fiji Resort will be hosting OZONE Eco Club members from the Malolo District and Mana SDA Schools, where school children will display their art, participate in a traditional local dance and sing coral reef songs. The resort will also be hosting coral planting opportunities for guests, as well as a butterfly fish count, costal tree planting, and an educational game that guests can participate in.
Maldives
Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort will be holding special activities in partnership with Best Dives Maldives, including a snorkeling clean-up of the lagoon with a local marine biologist, tree planting, and unique presentations on the impact of the environment on marine life. The resort will also host a “Dive for the Ocean” underwater vows ceremony, where guests can take the oath to protect the environment as they dive under the sea together.
Mauritius
Outrigger Mauritius Beach Resort will provide guided tours with Reef Conservation staff to discover what can be seen in the lagoon. The resort will also host a number of interactive activities, including a wetland experiment and a waste station shopping game.
Guam
Outrigger Guam Beach Resort is home to Underwater World Guam, one of the longest tunnel-aquariums in the world. Hotel guests will have special access to this world-class oceanarium where they can learn more about the underwater exploration by the NOAA research ship Okeanos as it conducts extensive research and mapping of the ocean waters of the Marianas islands, including the Marianas Trench, which is the deepest said to be the deepest point on earth. A beach cleanup is also planned for hotel hosts and guests to participate in.
Sustainability in action
As part of its OZONE program, Outrigger hosts (employees) put the company’s sustainable mission into action by participating in green initiatives across local communities on a regular basis. For example, last year the Outrigger Guam Beach Resort took part in the 21stAnnual Guam International Coastal Cleanup.
Outrigger Mauritius Beach Resort hosts attended educational and awareness sessions about the marine environment, learning how the eco-systems are connected and the importance of a healthy lagoon. Staff members have also participated in field trips to nearby beaches, coastal wetlands and mangroves.
Over the past seven years, Outrigger properties in Waikiki have collectively recycled more than 354,000 pounds of aluminium, plastic, paper and glass. In May 2016, four of Outrigger’s Hawaii properties received the state’s prestigious 2016 Hawaii Green Business Award, which recognizes organizations that strive to operate in an environmentally, culturally and socially accountable way. These four hotels joined three other Outrigger properties who had received the Hawaii Green Business Award in prior years.
Outrigger also has programs in place at its global properties that focus on conserving energy, reducing water usage, preventing pollution and diverting waste from landfills. Contributing practices include installing LED and CFL lighting, ultra-low flow faucets and timed irrigation systems throughout the property, placing recycling bins in all guest rooms, connecting air conditioning sensors on all lanai doors and providing staff with reusable water bottles.
“As a lifelong surfer, swimmer and snorkeler, I have a personal passion for preserving ocean health,” said Ms. Kelley. “It brings me great pride that Outrigger, our family owned and operated company, is helping to not only raise awareness of the importance of protecting the world’s largest and most vulnerable ecosystem, but is also utilizing our premier beachfront properties to inspire our hosts, guests and communities to participate in efforts that will positively impact coral reefs and water wellness for years to come.
“At Outrigger, we feel that it’s our responsibility to be exceptional hosts and take impeccable care not only of our hotel guests, but also of the many locations and communities where Outrigger calls home,” said Ms. Kelley. “From Outrigger’s recycling initiatives and energy-saving solutions to our global OZONE conservation plan to protect our oceans and coral reefs, we’re confident that these collective efforts make a significant contribution in our ability to preserve the pristine beauty and natural resources of our planet for future generations to enjoy.”
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ABOUT OUTRIGGER ENTERPRISES GROUP
Outrigger Enterprises Group is one of the largest and fastest growing privately held leisure lodging, retail and hospitality companies operating in the Asia Pacific, Oceania and Indian Ocean regions. As part of its unique hospitality offering, the values-based company extends exceptional hospitality and authentic cultural experiences, incorporating local traditions and customs into the guest experience at each of its properties worldwide. Guided by more than 68 years of family leadership, Outrigger runs a highly-successful, multi-branded portfolio of hotels, condominiums and vacation resort properties, including Outrigger® Resorts, OHANA Hotels by Outrigger®, Hawaii Vacation Condos by Outrigger®, Embassy Suites®, Holiday Inn®, Best Western®, Wyndham Vacation Ownership® and Hilton Grand VacationsTM. Currently, Outrigger operates and/or has under development 38 properties with approximately 8,000 rooms located in Hawaii (Oahu, Maui, Kauai, Hawaii Island); Guam; Fiji; Thailand; Mauritius; and the Maldives. For online information, log on at www.outriggerenterprisesgroup.com and www.outrigger.com.
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Outrigger Resorts, Asia-Pacific
Ste 105-112, Plaza Del Mar, No. 1 Pasak-Koktanod Rd
Cherngtalay Sub-Dist., Thalang District
Phuket Province, 83110 Thailand
Tel: (+66) 76 318 230
Fax: (+66) 76 318 232
Email: bam.phupongphiphat@outrigger.com
Media Contact, Asia & UK
Ken Scott
ScottAsia Communications
Mobile: (+44) 7949 077959
Email: kens@scottasia.net
Anchalee Sriwongsa
ScottAsia Communications
Mobile: (+66) 91 806 0484
Email: ann@scottasia.net
Nancy Daniels, APR, Director of PR, Corporate head office
Outrigger Enterprises Group
Phone: +1 808 921 6839
Email: nancy.daniels@outrigger.com
