Another international hospitality brand has joined the glittering jewels in Mauritius’ crown, which already boasts globally reputed hotel chains such as Four Seasons, Beachcomber and One & Only, all attracted by the island’s reputation as a tropical paradise.
The latest resort to join the party is the Outrigger Mauritius Resort and Spa in the Indian Ocean, which welcomed 350 guests for its opening ceremony on April 16, 2014.
The official opening party followed a nine-month multi-million dollar transformational renovation of the property, which is owned by Outrigger.
Showcasing the high level of collaboration between Mauritius and the hospitality brand, the island economy’s Tourism Minister Michael Sik Yuen attended the event as the guest of honour.
Michael Sik Yuen declared that Mauritius is a multi-award winning destination, especially in the wedding and honeymoon sectors, and that he wishes to see Outrigger Mauritius winning many new awards in the near future.
“I’m very proud to see Outrigger Mauritius Resort and Spa joining the league of the best hotels in Mauritius. There is no doubt that Outrigger will bring a new dimension to the tourism industry here,” the Tourism Minister told the audience.
The latter also noted that 7.1% of the Mauritian GDP is contributed by the tourism sector, which employs 15% of the labor force. The almost one million international visitor arrivals in 2013 generated revenues of USD 1.3 billion for the Mauritian economy.
On this occasion, Outrigger senior executives and founding family members came from Hawaii, while other guests attended from China, Australia, South Africa, France and United Kingdom.
The Chairman of Outrigger Enterprises Group, Charles R. Kelley, welcomed guests and gave a brief overview of Outrigger hotel history, beginning with the arrival of his grandparents in Hawaii in 1929.
The family runs businesses in Hawaii and owns or manages dozens of properties across four continents.
“The third generation has expanded the business. Today, everywhere we go, we supply genuine, authentic hospitality with a local culture experience,” said Dr Kelley.
Outrigger family members – including Charles R. Kelley, group chairman; Bitsy Kelley, Outrigger VP Corporate Communication and Darren Edmonstone, Managing Director, Asia-Pacific – joined the presentations on stage and played an important role in the celebrations for this special night which consisted of Mauritian, Hawaiian, and international sensations.
Outrigger President and CEO David Carey said that Outrigger is excited to be in Mauritius.Outrigger believes they can bring a special touch to the hospitality sector with well-trained employees who can translate a stay in Mauritius into a special experience for guests, according to Carey.
Further, he noted that the spiritual and emotive island links between Hawaii, Outrigger and Mauritius were evident.
Hawaii-based Outrigger Hotels and Resorts is one of the largest and fastest growing privately-held leisure lodging, retail and hospitality companies in the Asia-Pacific and Oceania regions.
The deluxe 181-room, all sea-view resort is the first for Outrigger in the Indian Ocean and the company’s 46th property now open or under development in eight countries.
Image (Outrigger): The official opening party followed a nine-month multi-million dollar transformational renovation of the property, which is owned by Outrigger.
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