4 minute read
GLOBAL LEADERS: JEFF WAGONER, OUTRIGGER RESORTS AND HOTELS
GLOBAL LEADERS: Jeff Wagoner
President and CEO, Outrigger Resorts and Hotels
EACH NEW YEAR brings palpable optimism and hope; this sentiment about 2023 is particularly abundant for the hospitality industry following the pandemic and the dawn of recovery that we saw in 2022.
That said – Outrigger is stepping into 2023 with eyes wide open, both looking for prospects to capitalise and being vigilant in our efforts to retain and build market share as the world’s pendulum of obstacles and opportunities continues to swing back and forth.
Leisure demand is now high, but so is competition for consumers; with travel restrictions down and more countries reopened to tourism, the euphoria of business that some destinations felt will evaporate if dedicated marketing dollars are not strategically allocated.
Outrigger added a new Maldives property to its portfolio last year
Current headwinds for development and renovations include the uncertainty of debt markets, budding inflation and an impending recession – but Outrigger remains bullish on continuing to invest in beach communities through acquisitions and third-party management, especially in Oceania and Asia Pacific. The good news is that there is pent-up demand for deals alongside ample beach resort destinations eager for expansion.
For 2023, Outrigger is leaning into our bold mission of being The Premier Beach Resort Company in the World – elevating our iconic beach brand with new resorts, innovative technology and fresh branding.
The seeds we planted over the last 18 months are now producing offshoots: US$250 million is being reinvested in our current Hawai‘i assets and five new premier beach resorts were added to our portfolio including Hawai‘i, Thailand and the Maldives.
A multi-million-dollar, state-of-the-art technology stack has been implemented – most notably, the all-new Outrigger.com website that brings to life Outrigger’s premier beach resort product in digital format.
Jeff Wagoner, President and CEO, Outrigger Resorts and Hotels
Beyond a new logo and icon with the Outrigger “O” akin to the sun rising and setting on an ocean wave – all guests at our resorts will enjoy five iconic elements: a renowned beach location, the must-see beach bar, authentic live music, signature experiences and our commitment to conservation.
Outrigger’s overarching ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) direction is aligned with its corporate compass called ‘The Outrigger Way’ – a tripod of authentically caring for our hosts, guests and places where it does business. Last summer, Outrigger presented a new outline for its ESG initiatives across all Outrigger Resorts and Hotels with programmatic approaches and specific KPIs connected to 23 initiatives. 2023 will be a year of executing this plan.
The company is now receiving Green Seal certifications for a number of its properties in Hawai‘i as well as Fiji and Mauritius – making Outrigger the first hospitality brand to pursue certification in Hawai‘i and outside of the US. It also signed a Climate Coalition Pledge committing the company to inventory and track the organisation’s carbon emissions annually and developing a reduction plan with the objective of supporting the achievement of a safe, livable climate.
Outrigger Koh Samui Beach Resort opened last August following renovations
Outrigger’s development pipeline across Oceania, Asia Pacific and our home state of Hawai‘i is robust and we look forward to sharing some announcements soon. We’ll also be communicating some exciting updates to our culinary offerings and entertainment spaces in 2023.
Celebrating our 75th Anniversary, Outrigger is focused on looking forward – continuously investing heavily in our people and our product to build brand value and provide a barefoot luxury experience that’s rooted in the culture of the location and shared with heartfelt hospitality.
SNAPSHOT: OUTRIGGER RESORTS AND HOTELS
Year the company was founded: 1947
Number of brands in the organisation: 3
Current number of hotels and rooms (Globally): 33 hotels; 6,000 rooms
Current number of hotels and rooms (APAC): 7 hotels; 1,000 rooms
Current number of hotels and rooms (ANZP): 26 hotels; 5,000 rooms
Head office locations: Honolulu, Thailand, Sydney
