Frequent guests of the former Reef Resort, Dot and Pat anxiously awaited their visit to the new Outrigger Reef Fiji Resort. �This new hotel is much more beautiful than I expected,� said Pat  �And, it was great to be greeted by so many familiar faces from the �old� Reef Resort.� The 254-room Outrigger Reef Fiji Resort underwent a US$23.3 million development project, which totally replaced the original hotel. The resort is

Brett Whitfield/resident manager, guest Pat Bennett, guest Dot Newton, Robert McConnell/acting general manager

Geoffrey Shaw, chairman and chief operating officer of Hillview Limited, was the Outrigger Reef Fiji�s developer and is the majority interest holder.  In 1998, Hillview selected Outrigger to manage the resort - largely because of the company�s success in operating hotels and resorts in island destinations. Outrigger provided extensive technical support throughout the development period and owns the resort�s remaining interest.

Originally scheduled to open in June, the delayed opening resulted in a resort that is primed to receive guests.  According to Rob Solomon, Senior VP Sales & Marketing for Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, �The additional four months allowed the extensive plantings to really take hold and grow so the landscaping is incredibly lush - truly unprecedented for a newly opening resort.�

�There�s still a lot of work ahead of us,� continued Solomon. �Although the travel advisories in Fiji�s major visitor markets have been lifted and the Fiji Visitors� Bureau has launched a multi-million dollar recovery program, we�re also moving forward with our travel agent familiarization tours and consumer specials to stimulate immediate interest and travel to the destination.�

Fiji is a beautiful destination made up of more than 300 islands.  The Outrigger Reef Fiji Resort is the first new resort on Fiji�s Coral Coast in more than a decade and the only property to have both traditional breeze-cooled thatched roof bures and air-conditioned guest rooms.

The resort offers a choice of dining experiences that capture the essence of South Pacific cuisine.  They include the casual, all day dining restaurant Vale Ni Kana, set within an impressive bure � reminiscent of a traditional chiefly bure and featuring themed buffets with local specialties as well as an ala carte menu service; the Ivi Restaurant, with contemporary entrees influenced by Pacific Island and international recipes; plus the beachside Sundowner Bar, serving wood-fired gourmet pizzas and cool beverages on an open-air deck and within a bure with vaulted ceiling.

Additional resort amenities include two conference rooms with breakout areas which can accommodate from 70 to 125 guests each, a children�s activity program with its own quarters, shops, fitness center, wedding services, an exclusive Voyagers Club, one of the largest swimming pools in the Pacific, its own 9-hole golf course, horseback riding, tennis courts and more.  Ideal for families, the Outrigger Reef Fiji is also introducing an entirely new style of double (connecting) bures that can accommodate up to 8 persons.

The Outrigger Reef Fiji Resort is located 48 miles from Nadi International Airport, a one-hour drive along scenic Queens Road.

Outrigger is a division of Hawaii-based Outrigger Enterprises, Inc., the largest lodging company in Hawaii and one of the fastest growing lodging companies in the Pacific.