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Auckland-based Hotel & Tourism Resources and Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Partner to Bring Brand to New Zealand |
| HONOLULU, OAHU, HAWAII - June 12, 2002 - While
Outrigger Hotels & Resorts bullishly moves throughout Australia and
the Pacific, Hawaii's largest hotelier is now expanding into a new market
with the opening of a new management office in Auckland, New Zealand.
The Honolulu-based company expects to announce its first New Zealand property soon with a long-term objective of having four to six hotels and resorts operating within the next three years, according to Bill Henderson, Vice President of Business Development. "Like Australia, New Zealand offers a potentially strong growth opportunity," Henderson said. "New Zealand is considered by many travelers as a clean, safe destination, with many spectacular and unique activities and attractions, and we view the region as offering strong growth potential over the long term." The privately owned hotelier expects its New Zealand operations to mirror the success experienced in Australia, given the similar appeal both markets have among domestic and inbound travel markets. Through a combination of investment and management agreements, Outrigger has secured management rights for eight resorts throughout Queensland's leading coastal tourist centers. Plans call for operating up to twenty Australian hotels by the end of 2005. Other Pacific properties added in the last few years include three in Guam, two in Fiji, one in the Marshall Islands and one in New Caledonia, which is schedule for opening in 2002. Currently, Outrigger and its sister brand OHANA Hotels & Resorts, own or manage a total of 45 properties in Hawaii, Micronesia, Fiji and Australia with an inventory of more than 12,000 rooms, representing combined value in excess US$ 1.4 billion. According to Henderson, the company has reached critical mass in its Hawaiian homeland with 32 properties and 9,000 rooms spread over the four main islands. However, the South Pacific is largely untapped, offering Outrigger continued expansion opportunities. Outrigger's New Zealand venture is a long-term agreement and partnership with Auckland-based Hotel & Tourism Resources, which will support the introduction of the Outrigger brand into both the North and South Islands. Hotel & Tourism Resources, headed by local tourism industry veterans Laughton Wilkinson and Michael Dobson, will be responsible for supporting Outrigger's expansion throughout New Zealand, including key tourism centers such as Queenstown, Rotorua, Christchurch and Auckland. Wilkinson and Dobson will also assist with staff recruiting, and provide regional oversight for overall operations and sales/marketing functions in the area. "This is an exciting development for New Zealand tourism," said Wilkinson, commenting on the agreement. The commitment to New Zealand by such a highly regarded and widely recognized group as Outrigger brings a new dimension to our visitor industry. "Access to Outrigger's huge international customer base will lift New Zealand's profile in the global markets which is so important to us," he added. Currently visiting New Zealand, Outrigger's Vice President for Business Development Bill Henderson said Outrigger has had New Zealand in its sights for over eight years, and a significant presence in New Zealand is considered integral to the group's overall South Pacific growth strategy. "Hotel & Tourism Resources will be our 'eyes and ears' in New Zealand,
assisting in identifying suitable properties and joint venture partners,"
Henderson said.
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| Jim Austin, Director of Public
Relations
Outrigger Hotels & Resorts / OHANA Hotels & Resorts 2375 Kuhio Avenue Honolulu, HI 96815-2992 (808) 921-6941 Email: [email protected] www.outrigger.com |