HONOLULU – Outrigger Hospitality Group has won a PATA Gold Award 2021 for its campaign, “The Outrigger Promise.”
Outrigger was announced winner in the Marketing Hospitality category at a virtual PATA Gold Awards ceremony which was broadcast globally on the PATA YouTube Channel 8 September.
The annual Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Awards recognise exceptional achievement in the travel and tourism industry across the Asia-Pacific region. PATA said that since the inception of the PATA Gold Awards in 1984, the awards “have set industry standards for excellence and innovation, serving as examples for others to follow”.
After receiving the award on behalf of Outrigger, Monica Salter (pictured above right), Outrigger VP for Global Communications and Social Responsibility, said that the Outrigger Promise was a bold and innovative marketing campaign that gave travellers confidence to travel safely to Hawaii despite challenges caused by COVID.
The Outrigger Promise, in effect, underwrote the guest’s satisfaction in their entire Hawaii destination experience. If the Outrigger guest wasn’t satisfied with their Hawaii vacation, Outrigger would take responsibility and offer a free stay to any guest, no questions asked.
The Outrigger Promise generated tens of thousands of room nights and a return to work for dozens of hotel hosts, many of whom hadn’t worked in months due to COVID-travel impacts.
“In a very difficult time for would-be travellers and hotel operators due to COVID, the Outrigger Promise was a resounding marketing success as it also complied with all existing public health guidelines, which were liable to change at short notice,” said Ms Salter.
“The Outrigger Promise gave visitors public health confidence due to Outrigger’s Clean Commitment and Hawaii Safe Travels protocols. In uncertain times, it gave tourists confidence to book and travel again,” she said.
Outrigger has over 70 years of history in Hawaii. Outrigger’s founding family opened their first hotel there in 1947. This year, PATA is celebrating its 70th anniversary. It was also founded in Hawaii — in 1951.
“Both Outrigger and PATA have been on an amazing journey over the last 70 years,” said Ms Salter. “No matter where you travel, Hawaii is a beautiful place full of promise that keeps calling you home.”