3.5 MB PDF - Saturday Briefing

DECEMBER 6, 2014
Outrigger bids aloha to Gregg Enright
A MESSAGE FROM RICHARD R. KELLEY
TO OUR OUTRIGGER ‘OHANA
After 27 years of dedicated service with Outrigger, Gregg Enright
retired on Dec. 3 with almost 3 decades of contributing much to the
success of Outrigger. Gregg was most recently regional director of Condo
Operations for our Kaua‘i resorts, as well as general manager of the
Outrigger Waipouli Beach Resort & Spa since 2007.
Gregg’s Outrigger career began in 1987 as manager of Trellisses
Restaurant at the then Outrigger Prince Kuhio. Three years later he was
promoted to food & beverage manager. In 1995, Gregg joined Outrigger’s
general manager training program and during that time worked as
assistant hotel manager at the Outrigger Reef, The Royal Waikoloan and
Outrigger Ala Wai Towers. After completing the training, Gregg joined
the Outrigger Islander Waikiki, where he was project manager during the
hotel’s renovation then operations manager when the hotel reopened.
Gregg furthered his career by moving to Hawai‘i Island as hotel
manager at the Outrigger Waikoloa Beach Resort and previous to
that, general manager of the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort and
the Lae nani Resort. Gregg said that he stayed at Lae nani for a long
time because the area was a wonderful environment for his growing
daughter. And, that the Keauhou Beach Resort assignment was filled
with many fond memories, including the invasion of the cats, the special
sense of place, and the hosts. Kris Nickelsen recalls, “Gregg worked
Dr. Richard Kelley’s column will return next week.
By Barry Wallace
Gregg Enright >> 4
Dr. Chuck Kelley, Gregg Enright, Barry Wallace and David Carey
Trying to Bias
TripAdvisor® Reviews –
Bad Idea!
By Dr. Chuck Kelley
The Internet has given
us many helpful new
ways to communicate
– to convey and receive
information. Posting
reviews and consumer
opinions on websites
like TripAdvisor® is now
an extremely powerful
shopping tool for travelers.
TripAdvisor is the
Dr. Chuck Kelley
world’s largest site that
provides consumer reviews of travel-related
businesses. Many potential customers visit
TripAdvisor when planning a vacation, and it has
a powerful impact on consumer spending. Today
TripAdvisor-branded sites reach 315 million unique
monthly visitors, with more than 190 million
reviews and opinions on more than 4.4 million
accommodations, restaurants and attractions.
Consumer comments can make or break
a business. Fearing the impact of negative
comments, some businesses are tempted to try
manipulating the review system in their favor. One
obvious tactic is to try to overwhelm negative
comments by having owners, employees and
their friends submit positive comments. However,
TripAdvisor quality assurance specialists claim
that their extensive screening process can
differentiate between real and fake comments,
quickly removing fakes from the system. Hotels
TripAdvisor® >> 14
Page 1
Happy birthday!
Employment opportunities
Dec 17: Donald W. Chapman, Lordel J.
Kapika, Ok Soon Kim, Sharon C.Y. Kim, Kiana
J. MacDonald, Michelle H. Manantan, James
Muller, Miriama Nai, Laureano B. Sanchez,
Teresa Z. Shepherd, Sisilia Tauelangi, Vitalina
Tinanivalu and Shanly Wu.
If you are interested in the position listed below and meet
the qualifications, please go to OUTRIGGER.COM and click on
EMPLOYMENT at the bottom of the page. We only accept online
applications for the open positions from internal candidates. If you have
any questions, please call Chad Teramae at (808) 921-6989. Application
deadline for the following position is December 12, 2014.
Dec 18: Laisayani Domolailai, Advent M.
Escoto, Inosi Kacavou, Sally S.I. Lu, Josivini
Seniu, Rose Wapol and Alvin Yturralde.
THE KAPALUA VILLAS
Maintenance 2C (Full-Time)
Must have two years of experience with interior and exterior
maintenance, including the demonstrated ability to install, repair,
service, inspect and maintain FF&E facilities. Must also have experience
with heating, cooling, plumbing, ventilation, water, electrical and
mechanical systems and be able to work any day and shift.
Dec 19: Aquila Bati, Nancy Bonilla, Lianne
L. Bryant, Eduardo Farfan, Marie Joanne
Anouska Jauhangeer, Rodel B. Juan, Sompote
Kaewpunya, Phakdee Khongrodpheng, Xiu
Qing Li, Kasanita Mainaqumu, Simeon Q.
Miranda, Wirat Noonin, Sunthorn Sricharoon
and Esperanza N. Walter.
Dec 20: Cynthia M. Cunningham, Fiona Hong,
Salote Kaitabu, Sharma Oshan Kasseeah,
Guidong Lei, Enyaflor T. Nicdao, Sergio Jr. A.
Pascual, Rajess Ramgutty, Sujitra Sriorn and
Michelle Tanglao.
Dec 21: Vishay Bhunooa, Norly S. Buemio,
Virginia Cunanan, Saudi Kaewsawang, Litiana
Kuridroya, Mary C.C. Loy, Roy E. Piliere and
Wipada Samdang.
Dec 22: Matthew Brown, Pepe Ernesto
R. Castro, Wichai Changnam, Lisebeth
Monica Constant, John Gerrard, Sohail Khan
Hassenkhan, Koliaci Masau, Jason Mondina,
Elpidio S. Oviedo and Nuanchan Sangchuang.
Dec 23: Benjaporn Banpian, Semisi Bitu, Pakarat
Bunna, Talilotu Carlson, Jasmine Field, Patricia
A.K. Kaahanui, Maca Kabakoro, Haninta Katzuda,
Carl B. Kruse, Hari Lal, Grace S. Nakamura, Vicky
Rickat, Sowamy Sanassee, Arkom Supapong,
Jackson Thai and Christine S. Tsubaki.
Saturday Briefing is published by and for
hosts of Outrigger Enterprises Group (OEG)
Editor-In-Chief: Richard Kelley
Supervising Editor: Pila Hanson
Senior Editor: Kathy Foley
Contributing Writers: Hosts of OEG
Visit us online at: www.saturdaybriefing.outrigger.com
Submissions to Kathy Foley at [email protected].
© 2014 Outrigger Hotels Hawaii
Page 2
An Equal Opportunity Employer
Hapalua Half Marathon – April 12, 2015
By Kathy Foley
This exciting fourth annual international running event offers
opportunities for both visitors and residents and is proving to have
great potential for the future.
The half marathon (13.1 miles) starts at Waikīkī’s famous Duke
Kahanamoku statue and ends along the slopes of Diamond Head. A
great turnout is anticipated, as the 13.1-mile race is the fastest growing
standard distance and who wouldn’t want to run in paradise?
There are several components to the event: The Hapalua Chase
where a selected group of 12 men and 12 women run competitively as
Team Hawai‘i against three world champion professional runners for
a nice cash purse. To even the field, Team Hawai‘i runners are given a
head start to ensure an exciting finish and it never disappoints!
Then there’s The Hapalua Relays where teams of four to seven
runners compete in relay races around Kapi‘olani Park. Team participants
run around the park seven times for a total of 12.6 miles (approximately
20 kilometers), or the rough equivalent of a half marathon.
Aside from a great run, a unique aspect of the Hapalua is the
event’s partnership with the online fundraising site Crowdrise, allowing
teams to run for an official charity. #teamOutrigger’s charity for 2015 is
the Polynesian Voyaging Society and we are thrilled to be able to help
them in their effort to perpetuate the art and science of traditional
Polynesian voyaging and the spirit of exploration through experiential
educational programs.
The combination of charities, runners and sponsors working
together to promote good health, raise money for worthy causes and
have fun is really a win for all.
Outrigger will be registering multiple relay teams of 4-7 people. Email
Ashley Cabradilla at [email protected] if you’re interested
in having fun and helping out the Polynesian Voyaging Society.
Save the Date!
Calendar of significant events celebrated worldwide
FIJI
December 19 - Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort
Excom Community Project: The Excom team, complete with Santa and the Outrigger
choir, will visit the Sigatoka Hospital to spread Christmas cheer with food hampers for
all the patients and hospital staff. They then continue on to downtown Sigatoka to sing
Christmas hymns and share sweets with the children.
THAILAND
December 5-7 – Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort
Beach Tennis: ITF-sanctioned Phuket Beach Tennis Tournament
2014 overlooking Bang Tao beach in Laguna Phuket, adjacent to
the Outrigger. The competition features highly ranked players
from Europe, the United States and Asia vying for prize money of
US$10,000. The tournament runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day, entry is free and
food and beverage will be available at the venue. For further information visit http://
www.thailandbeachtennis.com/.
Santa arrives at the
Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort
December 13th
By Ethan Chang
Save the date and plan on celebrating
the holiday season with a special guest, clad
in palaka, arriving by canoe to the shores of
Waikīkī. On Saturday, Dec. 13, at 9 a.m., come
down to the beach in front of the Outrigger
Waikiki Beach Resort and join us as we
welcome Santa Claus!
In the spirit of Aloha, Santa will be greeted
with Hawaiian music and a special hula
performance by Pua Kapele Halau O Hula and
then will be available in the upper lobby for
free photo ops with employees, guests and
the public.
Ho, ho, ho and Mele Kalikimaka!
US
December 7 - Kualoa Ranch
Paul Mitchell XTERRA Trail Run World Championship: 9 a.m. This
event, sponsored by Outrigger Resorts, is expecting more than 2,000
runners from around the world for a 21-kilometer half-marathon
course through some of the most diverse – and scenic – terrain on
the planet. It is open to runners of all ages, with skill levels that can range from elite
to beginner. In order to accommodate the various levels, there will be various courses
– the 21K championship course, a 10K, a 5K and an “adventure walk.” Interested in
volunteering? Contact Ellen Isidro at [email protected].
December 13 - Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort
Santa’s arrival by canoe: 9 a.m. Greet Santa on the beach at Waikīkī
and enjoy Hawaiian music and hula. Photo op with the big guy in red
in the upper lobby. See right.
December 14 - Honolulu
Honolulu Marathon: 5 a.m. start at the corner of Queen Street and
Ala Moana Boulevard. The Honolulu Marathon is the fourth largest
in the United States and attracts an elite field of men and women
to compete for a $150,000 prize money purse. More information:
http://www.honolulumarathon.org/
December 16 and 17 - Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort
Breakfast with Santa: 8 - 10 a.m. at Kani Ka Pila Grille. Breakfast
buffet, photos with Santa, airbrush face and body art and balloon
twisting. $27 adult/$14 child (5-11 years), tax and tip inclusive. For
reservations, (808) 924-4990.
SB signing off for 2014!
By the Saturday Briefing (SB) Staff
The SB staff takes their annual break the
last two weeks of the year (SB issues Dec. 20
and 27) and will resume with the Jan. 3 issue.
The Dec. 13 issue will be a 2014 recap.
Happy Holidays!
Page 3
Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas
celebrates 5th anniversary
By Patcharee Chanantho (Paew)
The Outrigger Laguna Phuket Resort and Villas (TLP) celebrated its
5th anniversary with Buddhist and Muslim ritual ceremonies led by General
Manager Khun Marc Landgraf.
The morning began by paying respects at the Spirit House, [the
Spirit House is intended to provide a shelter for spirits that could cause
problems for the people if not appeased], followed by a Buddhist
ceremony that included lighting a candle to respect Buddha’s image.
The Buddhists then prayed with nine monks (the number nine in Thai
represents “going forward”) and gave them an offering of dry food.
In the afternoon, a prayer session was held with Toh Imam, Islamic
leader from the nearby village, followed by lunch for Toh Imam and
other Islamic hosts.
Paying respects at the Spirit House
Buddhists and monks pray
Page 4
The Islamic prayer session
Gregg Enright ... << From 1
with me in Honolulu while at the Village
Group of properties, now Beachwalk retail.
I had transferred to Kona to work as GM
at Kanaloa to gain condo experience to
prepare for opportunities abroad. Shortly
after that transfer, Gregg contacted me
asking how condos were because he was
looking at trying something different
and mentioned he was thinking about an
opportunity that had opened up. I told him
it was awesome and he should go for it.
A few months after he got his feet wet in
condos, he called me and asked what the
heck did I get him into (only said a little
more colorfully, as only Gregg can do)…
well the rest is history. He quickly worked
through the transition from hotels to
condos and ended up contributing many
years to making this business successful
for Outrigger. When I look back at this, it
makes me smile and I trust Gregg will do the
same with the many memories he has had
working in condos.”
Gregg had a long history in food and
beverage before joining Outrigger. He worked
in a variety of restaurants from New York
City to California before moving to Hawai‘i.
He started in the hotel business at the Royal
Lahaina Resort on Maui, and was beverage
manager at the Westin Ilikai Hotel. A little
known fact about Gregg may be that he
attended the Fashion Institute of Technology
in New York City, with his eye to be in that
industry. This prompted Barry Wallace to
comment that Gregg always kept an eye on
both the bottom-line and the hemline!
According to Gregg, “It’s been a great
ride at Outrigger. The opportunities that I
have experienced, the people that I’ve had
the pleasure to work with, and the overall
culture of the company starting with the
Kelley family were just fantastic. Thank you
to everyone.”
Gregg, thank you for your dedicated and
unwavering support of Outrigger through
the decades. You have accomplished
and contributed much to the company’s
success. We wish you, Kathe and Danielle all
the best.
Outrigger University’s newest Management Fundamentals Program graduates
By Pila Hanson and Kaipo Ho
of the Management
Last week, 18 Outrigger
Fundamentals Program are
leaders from various
eligible to take the Certified
properties on O‘ahu and Maui
Hospitality Supervisors
spent three full days learning
exam to obtain a CHS
and practicing the skills
necessary to be a successful
designation, recognized
worldwide throughout the
Outrigger supervisor.
Hospitality industry.
The Management
Fundamentals Program
Congratulations to our
(MFP) curriculum is based
newest Management
on the American Hotel
Fundamentals graduates:
and Lodging Association’s
Carnita Encomienda, John
Educational Institute’s
Fayette, Thomas Gallagher,
Supervisory Skills Builder
Divina Garcia, Sandra Kama,
material. The training
Kyle Kawabata, Lacy Light,
Front:
Carnita
Encomienda,
Divina
Garcia,
Crystal
Salavea,
Naomi
program reflects Outrigger’s
Naomi Maitinnara, Dale
Maitinnara and Aitogi Totemese. Middle: Dale Mustard, Aprilyn
corporate culture and what
Mustard, Janice Ng, Fritzie
Salvador, Fritzie Ramones, Miho Shigeyasu, Ofelia Valdez, Sandra Kama
it means to lead in The
Ramones, Ray Rodney,
and Janice Ng. Back: Brandon Stalnaker, Kyle Kawabata, Lacy Light,
Outrigger Way. MFP modules
Crystal Salavea, Aprilyn
John Fayette, Ray Rodney and Thomas Gallagher.
include You as a Supervisor,
Salvador, Miho Shigeyasu,
Leadership, Time Management, Improving Communication,
Brandon Stalnaker, Aitogi Totemese and Ofelia Valdez.
Handling Problems and Conflict, Staffing and Scheduling,
On behalf of Outrigger, we are proud of your hard work
Conducting Orientation and Training, Improving Employee
and dedication to make Outrigger a great place to work!
Performance and Motivation and Teambuilding. Graduates
Congratulations, grads!
Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort hosts Black Tie Muay Thai event
By Tony Pedroni
After an extensive seven-month refurbishment
program, the Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort was
proud to unveil and host its very first event in the new
Similan Ballroom.
Partnering with the local charity “Phuket has been
good to us,” the new ballroom played host to a stunning
event “Black Tie Muay Thai.” Over 180 guests dressed to
impress, enjoying a sumptuous three-course dinner while
being entertained “Vegas Style” by a series of traditional and
modern forms of Muay Thai boxing, a culturally significant
from of martial arts in Thailand. The charity was formed after the tragic 2004
tsunami and creates vocational opportunities
by developing English skills both through formal
education as well as after school activities. The
foundation teaches English to over 1000 children in
three government schools; employing qualified, fluent
English-speaking teachers to provide the best possible
English language education.
The event, that also comprised a charity auction, raised
enough money to employ an additional full-time teacher
for next year.
Page 5
Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort Reservation Manager
Nidawadee Raksayot (Tar) shares “The Art of Living Well”
My name is Nidawadee Raksayot. I am the reservation
manager at Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort. Reservations is not always easy because the position
requires a keen attention to detail and focused
concentration. While I really enjoy my job, sometimes I
need to give my brain a break, particularly after a busy day
of emails, faxes and telephone calls. One way I do this is by
playing a sport that is best suited for my personality type.
My favorite sport is badminton.
I started playing badminton just over a year ago and
I spend 2 hours after work, 2 times a week on the court.
Badminton makes me laugh, especially when I battle
against my close friends. I feel energized and I think it’s
really worth the time and effort. After playing badminton,
I feel that I am getting fit and my mind clears. On top of
that, I also feel that I am gaining muscle and burning fat. It
is really awesome!
Eating is also an important part of my life. I have no
rules and basically eat everything I like in moderation. I love
streaky pork, cake and desserts very much. I am a happy
eater and enjoy most things but always include fruit and
vegetables at every meal. I believe this combination of diet
and exercise helps me stay energized at work and enjoy my
life to its fullest.
Some weekends my friends and I take a trip to waterfalls
or islands nearby. Taking a day trip with your friends is
another way to de-stress and forget your worries for a
while. Even though some trips are tiring, I have many good
memories of days spent in the company of friends and family.
So my secret to living well has been to find I job I love, eat
a little of what I like and find a sport I love to play with friends.
Khun Tar battles against her close friends on the badminton court
Badminton is primarily an anaerobic sport
meaning your body burns stored energy
as fuel. It’s a high energy sport so it’s a
good way to burn calories. Your weight
is a major factor in determining calories
burned and so is the intensity of play.
For a social player who weighs 150 lbs,
calories burned would be approximately
272 in an hour. That same person playing
competitively, would burn about 500
Khun Tar (middle) and friends always enjoy a good game of badminton
Page 6
Outrigger Hawai‘i sales and PR team hit the road
By Ellie Agustin
A team of Outrigger sales and marketing executives hit
the road from Nov. 17 to 25 for the fall Outrigger Resorts
Aloha Tour Showcase.
The six-day Showcase was held to update our Travel
Partners and select media outlets with the new Global
Branding campaign, property updates and to present new
choices available in the Outrigger portfolio, including those
under development throughout Asia Pacific.
It was a whirlwind trip that crossed more than 1,300
miles for a series of gatherings and one-on-one meetings
for Travel Partners and media held in Orange County,
Westlake Village, San Jose, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle,
and Vancouver, Canada. The team hosted breakfast, lunch
and dinner with presentations made by our sales team.
The briefings also gave us the opportunity to highlight
Outrigger Expert Agent, our premier travel agent
education and rewards program.
While the sales group met with our Travel Partners,
Outrigger’s PR team of Bitsy Kelley and Nancy Daniels
met with key travel editors, bloggers and social media
influencers sharing Outrigger’s latest news.
An endeavor of this magnitude is possible only
through the dedicated support of many. That support was
given by the team in Hawai‘i at the Corporate Office and
at the properties. The team handled each and every detail
with professionalism and a big dose of humor!
Mahalo to the Outrigger sales and marketing team
who traveled afar to participate in the Aloha Tour
Showcase. Representing Hawai‘i were John Limper, Bitsy
Kelly, Richard Oshiro, Tom Wakita, Alani Liu, Nancy Daniels,
Ellie Agustin, Robin Estrada, Mary Loy, Pam Cabrera, Susan
Koehler and Natalie Caceres.
Along left railing: Gary Hunn (Pleasant Holidays - PH), Susan Koehler,
Natalie Caceres, Pam Cabrera, Bitsy Kelley, Ellie Agustin, Kimberly
Daley (PH). Center: Richard Oshiro, Amy Terada (PH), Nancy Daniels,
Michael Pede (PH), Heidi Ralphs (PH) and Jack Richards (President &
CEO, PH). Along right railing: John Limper, Tom Wakita, Dal DeWolf
(PH) and Duke Ah Moo
Right: Ryan Rudnansy, writer with TravAlliance,
with Nancy Daniels and Bitsy Kelley
Ellie Agustin (4th from right) and Robin Estrada (far right)
with travel agents from the San Francisco area
Deanna Foley, Tom Wakita and Sherrie Cain
Page 7
Bula spirit
By Alan Darr and William Visser
Bula! We recently had the opportunity to visit our
award-winning Outrigger resorts in Fiji.
Fiji is made up of over 330 islands and the first stop of
our visit was Castaway Island, Fiji (FCI). The bond between
our hosts and guests at Castaway is so strong that we met
many guests and their families who were on their 10th or
12th annual visit.
Our visit to Castaway was to discuss some of the
capital expenditures planned for the property and to
review the progress, including the new engineering
workshops and resort laundry. These facilities should be
completed late in the first quarter or early in the second
quarter of 2015. We reviewed plans for new host housing
for our married couples and discussed landscaping ideas
for the general host living areas.
We met with many of the managers as well as the
resort’s famous culinary team led by Chef Lance Seeto.
Chef Lance is a guest chef for Fiji Airlines and three
members of his team, Rohit Singh, Krisneel Chand and
Nicholas Maharaj, who have won several gold, silver and
bronze awards at a recent Salon Culinaire event.
The next part of our journey took us to Outrigger Fiji
Beach Resort (FOR). We arrived just in time for the Bula
Day celebration with our hosts where everyone wears their
favourite bula shirt. Monthly awards were presented as
well as several lucky drawing prizes. It was a nice afternoon
celebrating with the team.
Earlier that morning Hospitality Excellence Training
was conducted with 15 of the management staff and we
met with many of the management team as well as some
Salon Culinary Chef’s Challenge award winners from Chef
Shailesh’s apprenticeship program. Shivanjani Lata was
also named Spa Therapist of the Year at the Australasian
Spa awards.
We visited the local community to see the support
that the resort is involved in. One area of particular
support is Conua School where the school is contributing
funds for a new multi-purpose building. The other we
toured was the new maternity ward opening at the local
hospital. The resort has been very involved in this project
and the Housekeeping team was recently there cleaning
as part of their departmental community service project.
It was apparent during our visit to both properties that
our hosts do more than just their jobs. They work hard to
provide experiences for our guests that are truly from the
heart, and we have a great appreciation for their efforts.
Photos top to bottom:
Host monthly birthday party and award celebration at FCI
Bula Spirit Day celebration with FOR hosts
The FOR HR and Training team
William Visser and FOR GM Peter Hopgood at Conua School
Page 8
Global gatherings celebrate the season!
By Kathy Foley
Enjoy photos of celebrations at our properties across the globe (Pages 9-13). Happy holidays to one and all!
Back: Aurelio Garcia, Renato Garingo, Erlinda Barredo and Elizabeth
Aguinaldo. Front: Agnes Bactad, Norilyn Pagaragan and Angelita Padua.
Back: Nora Valdez and Ofelia Valdez
Front: Nena Tran, Mindy Nakagawa and Charlotte Kanau
Mady Agcamaran, Gary Tachina and Marlyn Locquiao
Mitchel Gusman, Lorraine Sales, Jacqueline Balubar and Sonia Damasco
Jennifer Agdeppa and Taryn Wong
Eva Burd, Hyang Suk Yu and Saturnina Agonoy
Han Bin Lin, Qiao Hui He, Qi Xue Fang and Brenda Chen
Janice Yee, Blane Yokota and Max Sword
Page 9
Global gatherings ... << From 9
Back: Milagros Robiniol, Santa and Chong-Ja Kim
Front: Herman and Barbara Lam
Luana Maitland and Char Luning
Jerry Dolak and Danette Lionetti
Back: Dr. Chuck Kelley, Santa, Charlene Goo, Colleen Heyer, Judd Klinger and Robert McConnell
Front: Simeon Miranda, Sean Dee, Colleen Kelley and Bitsy Kelley
Back: Alan White. Front: Hien Le, Zie Zhen Li and Xi Li Liu
Page 10
Back: Jamie Wong, Bev Fidel and Shae Gallardo
Front: Mary Loy, Santa and Puna Ortega
Global gatherings ... << From 10
Back: Filomena Mercado, Adelina Balmilero, Leonida Lumantas,
Carlita Herring and Rose Galiza. Front: Nelia Navarro, Zenaida Cachola,
Annie Catingub, Purie Garcia and Abella Carroll.
Back: Ethan Chang and Amante Castro
Front: Rowen Colling, Lindsay Michaelson and Sharon Lampitoc
Back: Lilia Domingsil, Michael Salvador, Hipolita Rosete and Karen
Villarmia. Front: Marylene Lagasca and Daryl Yoshimura.
Back: Stanley Louis-Charles, Mandy Cruz, Alfredo Encomienda and Welfredy
Baoit. Front: Benjamin Ranada, Edmundo Villanueva and Allan Sagucio.
Michelle Paiaina-Makua, Jose Solorio and Lori Ishiyama
Back: Ryan Kotani, Sara Kamada and Sara Tokunaga
Front: Leigh Bernard, Benjamin Holliday and Chad Oshima
Abe K-Aloha, Santa and Bruce Tauanuu
Back: Conseta Serdenia and Cristina Agmata
Front: Emely Tacbian, Gaudena Domingsil and Lilia Arca
Page 11
Global gatherings ... << From 11
Back: Sophia Luo, Feng Shi Yee, Jin Feng Han, Yu Xia Huang and Winnie Ho
Front: Karen Fong, Yu Ying Lin, Angela Wan and Li Xing Liang
Kathy and David Carey, Colleen Heyer, Bitsy Kelley,
Dr. Chuck Kelley, Linda Jane Kelley and Judd Klinger
Jim Heather, Kris Nickelsen and Charlene Goo
Joey Fukuoka, Debbie Hendrawidjaja,
Kelli-Ann Morihara and Jana Baniaga
Back: Janice Yee, Mia Kato and DJ Nash
Front: Ashley Cabradilla, Lauren Chow and Santa
Ricol Akana-Phillips, Tom Wakita, Santa, Richard Oshiro and Tammy Vergara
Page 12
Back: Charlene Luning, Jerry Dolak, Nancy Daniels and Val Tanaka
Front: Nurhan Enustun, Barry Wallace, Santa and Danette Lionetti
Back: Chiu Tai Cheng Wong, Zhie Liang, Zhi Mei Liang, Zhi Bo Liang
and Maxim Guan. Front: Su Xian Zhou, Zhang Ming Chen,
Li Hu Kuan-Tu and Shao King Lui.
Global gatherings ... << From 12
Back: Brandon Sakata, Shilla Lee, Santa, Kyle Richards and Bob Yeoman
Front: Frank Poei, Mary-Ann Andrade, Sheila Bernardo and Kay Lee
John Limper, Milton Lafitaga, Jennifer Cabasag, Santa,
Stephanie Nojima and Mildred Courtney
Santa, Robert Ishihara, Will Bethel, Neil Murakami and Tom Wakita
Back: Lazar Bogdanovski, Claire Morikawa, Santa and Grace Nakamura
Front: Chuck Okazaki, Carol Hanna, Connie Apuna-Diego,
Gary Correia and Melany Hunter.
Back: Kathy Kaai, Maria Cabanas, Santa, Aitogi Totemese and Jolynn Nihipali
Front: Helen Peau, Jhon Pelayo, Cathy Bray and Jessica Thomas
Alan Lee, Santa and Hong Nguyen
Back: Kenneth Shimabuku, Marlene Espinada, Santa,
Jaymar Acidera and Andrew Boyd. Front: Lorena Rosete,
Julia Hara, Brandon Stalnaker and Sandra Kama.
Santa and Pureza Baptista
Allan Yeung, Eileen Rosaro and Susana Macadangdang
Page 13
TripAdvisor® ... << From 1
found to be trying to manipulate the system are then
penalized by having their property ranking lowered and a
customer warning message displayed on their listing.
TripAdvisor’s actions to combat fraud and its public
statements about these policies appear to have succeeded
in reassuring the traveling public. A July 2011 PhoCusWright
survey of 3,641 respondents, solicited at random through a
pop-up invitation link on TripAdvisor.com and commissioned
by TripAdvisor, showed that “98% of participants found that
TripAdvisor’s hotel reviews accurately reflect the experience.”
Recently, a small, independent three-star hotel in the
seaside resort of Blackpool, England, tried a novel strategy
to rig the system and improve its dismal TripAdvisor
ranking. The strategy failed horribly and spectacularly.
The hotel inserted into the small print on its
registration form the following sentence: “Despite the
fact that repeat customers and couples love our hotel,
your friends and family may not. For every bad review
left on any website, the group organiser will be charged a
maximum £100 [about $150] per review.”
When guests Tony and Jan Jenkinson spent one
uncomfortable night in the hotel and later posted a highly
unfavorable review, the hotel is reported to have charged
£100 to the couple’s credit card! The Jenkinsons were
understandably quite upset, and their strong complaints
led to investigations by several government bodies and
a news story on the BBC, which was then picked up and
carried by print and broadcast media around the world.
Extensive publicity, yes! But not the type any hotel wants!
At Outrigger, we take a straightforward, honest approach
to guest reviews. We believe that offering our guests an
outstanding experience will produce overwhelmingly positive
reviews on sites like TripAdvisor. And it has. We consistently
receive excellent traveler reviews. Thanks to this winning
strategy, earlier this year we were delighted to announce
that 13 of our properties in Hawai‘i and across the Asia-Pacific
region were in the top 10 percent of businesses reviewed on
TripAdvisor, resulting in their being awarded the TripAdvisor
“Certificate of Excellence” for 2014.
We understand the importance of Internet sites
that offer people the opportunity to comment on their
experience, and TripAdvisor is just one of many such sites
that our team monitors and interacts with every day. By
simultaneously providing exceptional hospitality and
embracing technology we have made customer-review
websites a powerful marketing tool.
Like all companies, Outrigger has many ways to
advertise and build its reputation. We believe that by
providing our employees an opportunity to be their best,
and by providing our guests with exceptional hospitality,
our reputation will shine in every format, from word-ofmouth to online comments.
We are grateful to every member of our ‘ohana for
providing the kind of wonderful hospitality that makes our
guests cheer.
Page 14
Kiahuna Plantation Resort Kauai by
Outrigger® celebrates Thanksgiving
By Marianne Thesken
Kiahuna Plantation Resort Kauai by Outrigger®
hosts kicked off the holiday season by giving back to the
community. A record-setting donation was given to the
Kauai United Way, approximately 40 percent more than last
year and well over the target set by Kauai United Way. We are very proud of our hosts’ commitment to
those less fortunate. In their honor, we celebrated with a
traditional Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings. Hosts
gathered to give thanks and enjoy each other’s company.
Noraida Marvil, Mylyn DelaCruz, Liza Ramos, Melanie Soriano, Julia
Tambio, Eugenia Pasion, Josie Corpuz, Editha Udarbe and Agnes Ramiro
Dado Eschavez, Dennis Bonilla, Moises Pastor, Eddie Soriano,
Ben Melchor, Ranato Luna, Arsenio Alejandro (other table in back),
Elvis Tacazon, Edgar Melchor, Harris Nishikawa
Correy Naumu, Keith Hardy, Caesar Duarte,
Darren Alcos, Richard Arruda and Delmer Albano