Outrigger Enterprises Group has been around for more than 66 years, but the Honolulu-based, family-run company isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

Outrigger operates and/or is developing 46 properties, including ones in Hawaii, Australia, Guam, Fiji, Bali, Thailand, Vietnam and China. It currently has development deals in Vietnam and China for 2016.

The company just debuted Outrigger Mauritius Resort & Spa in January after purchasing the property in May 2013 and refurbishing it. The Mauritius resort, surrounded by volcanoes and secluded beaches, “reminds everyone of Hawaii 30 to 40 years ago,” says Sean Dee, Outrigger’s chief marketing officer.

The 181-room beachfront Outrigger Mauritius Resort & Spa leads guests to the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean just steps away. “It’s just a spectacular property for us,” Dee says. “It represents the best of Outrigger in the future.”

It also continues Outrigger’s long-standing focus on beachfront properties. Outrigger wants the hotels it manages to be “premier beach destinations,” according to Dee, and opening four properties in Mauritius, Fiji and Thailand in the past year is ample proof of that strategy.

Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort opened in April 2013 in Thailand. The 20-acre property includes 255 rooms, day spas, an 18-hole golf course and exclusive privileges at more than 30 restaurants and bars. Earlier this year, the resort launched a new tennis center featuring tennis pro James Corin. Laguna Phuket was hailed as a top Thailand hotel for families by TripAdvisor, as well as by other publications.

In February, Outrigger took complete control of Outrigger on the Lagoon Fiji after managing it since 2000. It also bought partner Geoffrey Shaw’s pristine private Castaway Island, a 174-acre spread offering 66 spacious bungalows. Castaway Island also boasts a 44 percent guest return rate.

TIES TO ASIAN CONSUMERS

Dee said that Outrigger’s growing presence in the Asia, Pacific and Oceania regions is a result of the company’s affinity with the Asian consumer, given its beginnings in Hawaii. The regions are also popular beach destinations, which fits Outrigger’s theme.

With expansion has come the need for a global marketing presence. In turn, Outrigger announced large-scale management changes and appointments in February, and in early March it brought on two new general sales agents — ADS Consulting in France and Union Way China in Beijing.

“It’s an interesting time for us,” says Dee. “We’re in our 67th year. In the past 12 months, we’ve opened four properties… . After opening our regional office in Phuket a few years ago, we mirrored that team here in Hawaii. It’s a recognition that we need to drive global support of our brand and global development of our brand.”

WAIKIKI BEACH WALK

Back in Hawaii, the Outrigger-managed Waikiki Beach Walk has done wonders for its brand. The entertainment district is the largest development in Waikiki’s history, spanning nearly eight acres and boasting more than 40 retailers. There are four accommodations choices directly on the Beach Walk, including Outrigger Reef on the Beach, Embassy Suites-Waikiki Beach Walk, Trump International Hotel & Tower Waikiki Beach Walk and Wyndham Vacation Ownership.

“This was the vision of our CEO David Carey,” Dee says. “To turn a famous, yet dilapidated part of Waikiki around. It’s been a real game-changer for us. Effectively, there are now six properties that we manage. It’s been a tremendous win for us. It’s a win for the guests.”

Hokulani Waikiki by Hilton Grand Vacations Club is one of the head-turning properties that opened recently on the Outrigger-led Waikiki Beach Walk. It sports 143 suites, Waikiki’s only open-air rooftop pool bar and six private cabanas. Each suite includes a boutique kitchen, a Tassimo espresso maker, a sleeper sofa, a comfy dining area, an integrated TV and gaming entertainment system, a soaker tub and an LCD screen built into the vanity mirror. That’s in addition to the private balconies that open up to city and skyline views.

OFFERING A LOCAL EXPERIENCE

One of the primary goals through all of Outrigger’s efforts has been to offer a local, personalized experience. It is one of the reasons why Outrigger has been successful and has stood apart from a lot of other hotel companies.

“We’re able to surprise guests and offer what they wouldn’t get in a traditional model,” says Dee. “Not only does it help us, it’s also probably the key difference for us in all of our markets.”

For example, in Hawaii that commitment to providing a local experience extends from the company’s employee training program to Outrigger Reef’s cultural activities and the popular monthly Na Mele No Na Pua Sunday Showcase concert series, which was brought back in February.

“Our training program is modeled on the premise of turning the local culture into a host mentality,” Dee says. “It’s really rooted in understanding this local culture and applying that to the guest experience.”

Outrigger Reef on the Beach in Waikiki has been a central part of this effort. Guests at the hotel can enjoy various cultural activities, including making ti leaf anklets and bracelets, taking ukulele and hula lessons, creating flower leis and taking a two-hour guided tour of Waikiki. Guests will also learn about native Hawaiian plants and their uses, the art of bamboo stamping, Hawaii’s myths and legends, and the history of the Polynesian tattoo design.

Outrigger Reef has also experienced success with its Kani Ka Pila Grille, which just celebrated its fifth anniversary in March. One of the restaurant’s main attractions is its line-up of legendary Hawaiian musicians who regularly play at the hotspot.

The Na Mele No Na Pua Sunday Showcase has attracted a lot of attention as well. The free concert series treats guests to live music performances featuring some of the most celebrated Hawaiian musicians every third Sunday of the month from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Waikiki Beach Walk Plaza Stage. The kickoff event in February showcased two-time Female Vocalist of the Year Ku‘uipo Kumukahi.

With destination experiences like these, it’s no wonder that Outrigger continues to grow, especially with travelers these days increasingly seeking unique travel experiences. Heck, at Laguna Phuket in Thailand they have a four-year-old baby elephant on site. How’s that for unique?