Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort marks its 15th anniversary milestone

RELEASE NUMBER 118/15

SIGATOKA, FIJI – Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort, now celebrating its 15th anniversary, is widely recognized as one of Outrigger Resorts’ premier beachfront properties.

Employing more than 550 Fijian staff, in 2014 it was named ‘Number One Family Resort’ in Australia and the South Pacific in TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards and is ranked among the top 25 best family resorts in the world.

Outrigger Asia Pacific Managing Director Darren Edmonstone said that the company was extremely proud of the property’s success and outstanding reputation for offering guests an authentic Fijian beachfront holiday experience.

“The success of this property stems largely from Geoff Shaw’s vision, the natural charm of our Fijian hosts and Outrigger’s values-led management culture that has over 68 years of experience operating resorts in island destinations,” said Mr. Edmonstone.

“Planning is well underway for numerous capital projects that will see the property and its facilities elevated which will set the direction for the future as well as demonstrate Outrigger Resorts’ ongoing commitment and faith in Fiji and the strength of its tourism industry,” he said.

In 1989, Mr. Shaw bought what was then a small tourism property built on the site of a former dairy farm and undertook a major refurbishment, including diverting a portion of the Queen’s Highway, the main road between Nadi and Suva, around the site creating the original 72 room ‘The Reef Resort.’ 

In 1999, he collaborated with Outrigger Enterprises Group in a joint venture. Together, at a cost of FJ$50million (US$23 million), they rebuilt the site to include 254 rooms and thatched bures based on the architectural style of a traditional Fijian waterfront village.

The new property was named The Outrigger Reef Fiji and received its first guests in October2000. In 2004, the hotel was renamed Outrigger On The Lagoon Fiji and in the same year it was rated five star by AAA Tourism, Australia.

In February 2014, Mr. Shaw sold his complete shareholding to Outrigger Enterprises Group and earlier this year, as part of a global brand repositioning by the Hawaii-based family company, it was renamed Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort.

Work on the new capital projects is scheduled to commence in February 2016 with an upgrade to the resort’s main lagoon swimming pool.

Recognized as Fiji’s premier family resort, its unique Talai Butler Service and Meimei Nanny Service have endeared it to both the family market and the couples and destination weddings market.

Peter Hopgood, resort general manager for the past six years, believes that much of the resort’s success stems from listening and responding to guest feedback.

“Parents told us they wanted a quiet place to relax away from the main swimming pool, so we decided to construct a separate adults-only pool, bar and bistro area called Vahavu, meaning to ‘chill-out.’

“Opened in August 2013, this has been a massive success, and we now offer five child-free zones throughout the resort which are popular with parents and couples,” he said.

The Meimei Nanny Service is unique to the resort and is available in a package that gives families with infants, aged from six months to 12 years, four consecutive days of personalized and affordable care for up to eight hours a day.

Adults also appreciate the Bebe Spa Sanctuary, Kalokalo Sunset Bar and Ivi Restaurant, all of which provide a tranquil ambience for relaxing while children are cared for by their Meimei nanny or are being entertained at the Kids Club.

Families have also joined in the resort’s inaugural community tourism project, underlining Outrigger’s global commitment to provide a deeply engaging and authentic holiday experience for its guests.

This initiative involved the building of a large bure at Conua Primary School in the Sigatoka Valley over 14 months, an example of the company’s dedicated commitment to the local culture and community.

The official opening of the Conua School bure on Oct.28 coincided with an anniversary celebration for staff including the presentation of5-, 10- and 15-year service awards and a corporate cocktail party to mark the 15-year milestone attended by local government dignitaries, corporate and tourism industries, Outrigger executives, community elders and house guests.

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