SITUATED on the idyllic Bang Tao Beach in the Laguna resort area of Phuket in Thailand, the Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort reopened earlier this year and has been receiving a very warm ‘welcome back’.
Outrigger, which has a substantial presence in Hawaii, plans to expand its brand within Asia Pacific and the Indian Ocean. TTN spoke to the property’s recently-appointed general manager Tony Pedroni to discuss how the property has fared since its reopening and future plans.
How has the year been since its opening in April this year?
With school holidays taking place in many of our key source markets, the months of July and August in particular have been very positive with occupancy averaging 80 per cent for that period which is very encouraging after four months of operations.
How is the hotel positioned in the Thai market today?
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Pedroni ... good response |
We are positioned in the five-star deluxe market in the very attractive Laguna area of Phuket. Our 255 stylish Thai contemporary guest rooms, wide ranging restaurant and recreation facilities and ideal location enable us to position the resort as the perfect haven for families and couples seeking time together in a fun and relaxing environment of great natural beauty.
What is the USP of Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort?
I believe our enviable beach front location coupled with extensive recreational facilities which include water sports, indoor and out-door tennis courts, squash, badminton and a water slide are certainly big pluses for the resort. Perhaps our USP however is our Club and Club room concept. Guest’s choosing this option can enjoy access to a lagoon front pavilion offering a wide range of benefits and personalised service.
What kind of response does the property receive from Arab travellers? How do you cater to their needs?
We have been delighted with the response and feedback we have received both at the resort and across the social media platform.
As we are fortunate to welcome visitors from many countries, we invest a substantial amount of time in cultural awareness training for all our resort hosts in order to ensure we are able to cater to the individual needs of all our guests. In addition to extensive resort facilities and varied menus we also provide prayer mats and are fortunate to have a mosque located less than 10 minutes from the resort.
What are your key source markets? What new markets are you looking to attract?
Australia, UK, Germany, Russia, China, Singapore, Korea, Hong Kong are all well established markets. The Middle East market is showing positive signs of growth with excellent airlift into Phuket and we believe given our ideal beachfront location in the sought after Laguna area, we have a great opportunity to work with our key travel partners in growing this market further.