A period of reinvestment has seen Outrigger Resorts & Hotels inject US$450 million into its hotels across the Pacific, with President and CEO Jeff Wagoner revealing more developments are on the horizon.
The company also recently acquired Zeavola Resort on Thailand’s Phi Phi Island. It is undergoing a total transformation and will reopen as Outrigger Phi Phi Island Resort.
To say the least, the nearly 80-year-old Outrigger brand, under the helm of Wagoner (who took over the role in 2018), has been in an expand-and-update ethos of late.
When speaking with him in New York last week, Wagoner told LATTE that further expansion—around the Pacific and even further afield – are more than a possibility for the Hawaii-founded company.
Noting LATTE’s Australian roots, Wagoner said the company made a push to acquire the property that is now the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Gold Coast. “That would have been an ideal property for us,” he said.
Outrigger Kona Resort u0026amp; Spa Presidential Suite
While Australia is still on the cards for Outrigger, Wagoner added he has his sights set on a couple other destinations – namely, Japan, California, Florida and potentially even the Caribbean.
First on that list would probably be California. “Southern California is a real target for us,” said Wagoner. It’s a natural fit since a “significant amount” of Outrigger’s customer base is in California and its brand awareness there is “very high.”
Wagoner then pointed to Miami and Naples as ideal landing spots for Outrigger’s first hotel on the East Coast. Specifically, he said he’s looking for “a property that represents the brand [since] it’s going to be new to that type of market.”
Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort Plantation Pool Bure
Should that project go well, he even sees the brand expanding to the Caribbean—although he did not provide much information on this route.
In addition, Outrigger will also almost certainly acquire a property in Okinawa or Ishigaki. “Japan is a location I’ve been looking at for a long time,” said Wagoner. He called Okinawa and Ishigaki “really beautiful destinations [with] spectacular resorts.” Wagoner told LATTE he has already spent time “driving up and down through Okinawa” and performing flyovers of Ishigaki “to look at all the assets there.”
While the destinations may vary, Wagoner reinforced that the properties will always be located on a beach or beach community.