DATE  June  22,  2017    RELEASE  NUMBER  48/17      

Outrigger  Hotels  and  Resorts  wins  “Best  Hotel  Chain  in  Hawaii"      

Iconic  hospitality  brand  recognized  by  more  than  5,000  travel  partners  at  TravelAge  West  WAVE  awards    HONOLULU  –  Outrigger  Hotels  and  Resorts  was  honored  recently  as  the  winner  of  the  “Best  Hotel  Chain  in  Hawaii”  category  at  the  2017  TravelAge  West  Western  Agents'  Vote  of  Excellence  Awards  (WAVE).  In  a  competitive  field  of  finalists  that  included  Aqua-­‐Aston  Hospitality,  Four  Seasons  Hotels  and  Resorts,  Hilton  Worldwide  and  Starwood  Hotels  and  Resorts  Hawaii,  Outrigger  was  chosen  as  the  top  favorite  hotel  chain  by  more  than  5,000  west-­‐coast  travel  agents.      “Now  it  its  12th  year,  TravelAge  West’s  WAVE  Awards  have  attained  an  industry-­‐wide  reputation  for  reflecting  the  very  highest  standards  of  achievement  among  those  in  the  travel  and  hospitality  community,”  said  Bruce  Shulman,  Senior  Vice  President  &  Group  Publisher  at  Travel  Weekly  and  TravelAge  West.  “As  the  top  travel  trade  magazine  in  the  Western  U.S.  region,  we  are  pleased  with  the  opportunity  to  acknowledge  the  hotels,  cruise  companies,  tour  operators  and  destinations  that  go  above  and  beyond.”    To  celebrate  a  successful  year  and  bring  together  the  “best  of  the  best”  in  the  travel  business,  TravelAge  West’s  annual  WAVE  gala  recognized  leaders  in  the  hospitality  industry  to  award  product  innovation  and  performance,  along  with  high  guest  satisfaction  ratings  and  outstanding  service.  As  the  Best  Hotel  Chain  in  Hawaii  winner,  Outrigger  Hotels  and  Resorts  experienced  months  of  careful  deliberation,  including  product  analysis,  on-­‐site  visits,  a  travel  agent  survey  and  online  research  to  be  considered  for  nomination.      

     

-­‐more-­‐  

Accepting  the  award  on  behalf  of  Outrigger  (left  to  right):    Bob  Froio,  Sean  Dee  and  Geraldine  Harvey.  Photo  courtesy  of  TravelAge  West.  

Outrigger  Hotels  and  Resorts  wins  “Best  Hotel  Chain  in  Hawaii"    Page  2  

 “This  award  embodies  our  team’s  continued  efforts  to  deliver  unparalleled  service  to  our  valued  travel  agent  partners,  while  providing  authentic  Outrigger  Signature  Experiences  with  each  guest  visit,”  said  Sean  Dee,  executive  vice  president  and  chief  marketing  officer  at  Outrigger  Enterprises  Group.  “We  are  honored  to  be  recognized  as  one  of  the  best  and  beyond  proud  to  accept  the  WAVE  award  on  behalf  of  our  travel  agent  partners  and  the  entire  Outrigger  team  who  make  our  success  possible.”      Celebrating  its  70th  anniversary  this  year,  the  Hawaii-­‐based  Outrigger  Enterprises  Group  is  a  privately  held,  leisure  lodging,  retail  and  hospitality  company  operating  in  the  Asia  Pacific,  Oceania  and  Indian  Ocean  regions,  with  vacation  resort  properties  in  Hawaii  (Oahu,  Maui,  Kauai,  Hawaii  Island);  Guam;  Fiji  (Coral  Coast  Viti  Levu,  Castaway  Island);  Thailand  (Phuket,  Koh  Samui);  Mauritius;  and  the  Maldives.  Outrigger  Hotels  and  Resorts  built  its  global  reputation  of  hospitality  through  unwavering  standards  of  service  and  the  promise  to  share  the  spirit  of  aloha  with  the  world.     The  goal  of  TravelAge  West’s  WAVE  Awards  is  to  give  travel  agents  in  the  Western  U.S.  the  opportunity  to  recognize  the  outstanding  qualities  and  services  of  their  travel-­‐supplier  partners.  The  magazine’s  special  WAVE  Awards  Spotlight  Issue  is  due  out  next  month.  For  the  full  list  of  results  from  TravelAge  West’s  2017  WAVE  awards,  please  visit:  http://www.travelagewest.com/Wave-­‐Awards.        ABOUT  OUTRIGGER  HOTELS  AND  RESORTS  Outrigger  Hotels  and  Resorts  is  a  privately  held  leisure  lodging,  retail  and  hospitality  company  with  corporate  offices  in  Hawaii  and  operating  globally   in   the  Asia-­‐Pacific,  Oceania   and   Indian  Ocean   regions.   From   its  Outrigger   Signature   Experiences   to   its  Outrigger  DISCOVERY   loyalty  program,   the   values-­‐based   company   invites   guests   to   escape   ordinary   with   exceptional   hospitality   and   authentic   cultural   experiences,  incorporating  local  traditions  and  customs  at  each  of  its  properties  worldwide.  Founded  in  1947,  Outrigger  has  grown  into  a  highly  successful,  multi-­‐branded  portfolio  of  hotels,   condominiums  and  vacation  resort  properties,   including  Outrigger®  Resorts,  OHANA  Hotels  by  Outrigger®,  Hawaii   Vacation   Condos   by   Outrigger®,   Embassy   Suites®,   Holiday   Inn®,   Best   Western®,   Wyndham   Vacation   Ownership®   and   Hilton   Grand  VacationsTM.   Outrigger   currently   operates   and/or   has   under   development   37   properties  with   approximately   6,500   rooms   located   in   Hawaii  (Oahu,  Maui,  Kauai,  Hawaii  Island);  Guam;  Fiji;  Thailand;  Mauritius;  and  the  Maldives.      Find  Outrigger  at:  www.outrigger.com  or  visit  @OutriggerResorts  on  Facebook,  Instagram  and  Twitter.    Note:  Outrigger  Resorts  is  sensitive  to  and  understands  the  importance  of  diacritical  markings.  In  mediums  where  the  reproduction  of  these  markings  is  true  (i.e.,  in  print),  diacritical  markings  will  be  used.  If  a  communication  crosses  several  mediums  to  include  the  Web,  which  does  not  always  reproduce  diacritical  markings  correctly,  diacritical  markings  will  not  be  used.  

   MEDIA  CONTACT:    Monica  Salter,  VP  Corporate  Communications      Outrigger  Enterprises  Group            Ph:  808-­‐921-­‐6839            Email:  monica.salter@outrigger.com              

###