New Outrigger DISCOVERY Offers Enhanced Perks & Local Cultural Experiences

RELEASE NUMBER 43|21

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HONOLULU – Premier beach resort brand Outrigger Hotels and Resorts, alongside Global Hotel Alliance’s (GHA) network of 35 distinct brands, is pleased to announce the launch of a newly redesigned GHA DISCOVERY program with rewards and benefits designed to increase customer satisfaction.

Outrigger Hotels and Resorts joined GHA in 2016, as the growing alliance expanded its footprint in new markets, including Outrigger’s home base of Hawai‘i, plus Fiji and Mauritius, while strengthening its presence in Thailand. Outrigger adds six premier resorts to GHA’s network in 85 countries, serving more than 11 million members.

“Today’s discerning guests want to be recognized and rewarded instantly, wherever they travel and for whatever they spend, and GHA DISCOVERY now offers this flexibility, with the introduction of the industry’s first digital rewards currency, DISCOVERY Dollars, enabling members to earn from their very first stay and redeem on future stays for in-hotel spend, from room to dining and spa or golf. With frequent local trips, also the new norm due to ongoing pandemic-related travel restrictions, our new program is more accessible and generous, rewarding members at hotels closer to home,” said GHA CEO Chris Hartley.

GHA DISCOVERY better leverages the emerging role of hotels and resorts as community and lifestyle hubs, tapping into the consumer appetite for connection to people and places and encouraging local spending, giving a much-needed boost to the hospitality sector and local economies.

Rewards come as local offers and experiences – authentic activities that connect guests to the culture and local traditions of each destination, like coral planting in Fiji as part of OZONE (Outrigger’s ZONE), a conservation initiative founded in 2014 and part of Outrigger’s larger ESG (Environment – Social – Governance) arm.

Additionally, for members who book on the GHA DISCOVERY website or mobile app between December 8-31, 2021, for travel completed by June 30, 2022, GHA DISCOVERY will contribute US $1 per booking to charities supported by alliance brands Polynesian Voyaging Society non-profit research and educational corporation established to research and perpetuate traditional Polynesian voyaging methods.

 Key benefits of the new program include:

• DISCOVERY DOLLARS (D$): An all-new digital rewards currency where members earn D$ at any property in the GHA DISCOVERY collection for use on future stays. At check-out, D$ earned on previous stays can be used towards the hotel room, room upgrades, dining, spa treatments or other extras. Members can earn D$ from Day One, and the percentage earned on eligible spend increases with membership tier status, starting at 4% and rising to 7%.
• EXPANDED MEMBERSHIP TIERS: The new GHA DISCOVERY tiers are Silver, Gold, Platinum and Titanium. New members achieve Silver status at the start and are entitled to benefits from their first stay. Tier progression is easier and faster to access, thanks to an extra tier added and more flexible criteria. Members can move to the next tier in three ways – the number of nights/stays, spend across eligible purchases or the number of hotel brands stayed in. Titanium members can also benefit from status sharing, with the option to gift their tier to a friend or family member each year.
• LIVE LOCAL: Tapping into the staycation trend, Live Local gives members access to GHA properties in their hometown through Stay Offers for well-deserved breaks; Local Offers for short bursts of enjoyment without a stay, such as access to the beach, gym or pool, or special deals on dining and wellness; plus Experiences – bespoke members-only activities that immerse them in their local culture or community, from tours and classes to events and nature-bound expeditions.

Participating Outrigger Hotels and Resorts include Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort, Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger, Castaway Island, Fiji Resort, Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort and Outrigger Mauritius Beach Resort.

Both Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort and Castaway Island, Fiji welcomed back guests on Dec. 1 after 20 months of being closed due to COVID-related travel regulations. The destinations created an exceptional “Welcome Home to Outrigger” experience. Captured HERE in photo and video are some of the first guests arriving back to Castaway Island, Fiji.

Additionally, Outrigger Kona Resort and Spa, alongside Outrigger’s Thailand resorts, Outrigger Surin Beach Resort and Outrigger Khao Lak Beach Resort, will join late December with Outrigger Koh Samui Beach Resort on board March 2022, elevating Outrigger’s contribution to the program to 10 resorts.

Members can also receive exclusive rates at these hotels, resorts and condos in Outrigger’s portfolio: Waikiki Malia by Outrigger, OHANA Waikiki East by Outrigger and Airport Honolulu Hotel on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i Vacation Condos by Outrigger on O‘ahu, Maui, Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i Island; and Honua Kai Resort & Spa and The Kapalua Villas Maui on Maui.

GHA DISCOVERY is complimentary to join; travelers can sign up online or download the GHA DISCOVERY app and register on their mobile phones. Travelers can also connect with GHA DISCOVERY on Instagram and Facebook.

For more information visit Outrigger DISCOVERY and GHA DISCOVERY.

Click HERE for a PDF of this release.

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