Groundbreaking agreement first such partnership between NOAA and a hotelier
Waikiki, Hawaii – Outrigger Hotels & Resorts and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP), have entered into a groundbreaking agreement designed to expand general public awareness about ocean conservation.
NOAA is a federal agency that falls under the U.S. Department of Commerce and focuses on the condition of the oceans and atmosphere. Among other responsibilities, the agency oversees the National Marine Sanctuary Program, a system of thirteen national marine sanctuaries and one marine national monument. Outrigger Hotels & Resorts is a family-owned hotelier based in Waikiki with properties throughout Hawaii and the Pacific. For years, both organizations have engaged in various efforts to increase public awareness about the state’s fragile marine environment.
Now, through a formal agreement, NOAA / NMSP and Outrigger are joining forces to establish a broad, collaborative framework for education and
outreach about the conservation of marine animals, plant species, and ocean habitats. This is the first partnership of its kind between NOAA and a hotel
company.
„Outrigger has a long-standing commitment to preserving and celebrating everything that makes Hawaii special and wonderful,“ said Kimberly Agas,
vice president of operations for Outrigger’s beachfront properties, which will host many of the NOAA-Outrigger initiatives. „We are tremendously
pleased to be able to partner with NOAA in a way that will promote better public knowledge about our ocean environment, enhance the quality of our
guests‘ experience, and support our greater island environment.“
NOAA, primarily through its National Marine Sanctuary Program, has
giving presentations about humpback whales at Outrigger properties. This newu003cbr />agreement is expected to greatly expand the number of educational programsu003cbr />in the coming months.u003cbr />u003cbr />"NOAA and the NMSP recognize the special educational and outreachu003cbr />capabilities that Outrigger can contribute to the conservation and recoveryu003cbr />of the marine environment throughout the Pacific Island Region," said Allenu003cbr />Tom, Pacific Islands regional director for the National Marine Sanctuaryu003cbr />Program. "We applaud Outrigger’s ongoing commitment to supporting Hawaii’su003cbr />beautiful, but fragile, marine environment. They are a valuable communityu003cbr />friend to NOAA."u003cbr />u003cbr />Among the first enrichment programs being offered to guests under thisu003cbr />agreement are NOAA videos about such subjects as whales, marine sanctuariesu003cbr />and coral reefs. The films are shown daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a newu003cbr />plasma screen television in the lobby of the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resortu003cbr />on the Big Island. Also at the hotel is a newly installed Humpback Whaleu003cbr />Information Kiosk, a whale-tail shaped touch-screen computer system that wasu003cbr />designed, built and programmed at a cost of $30,000 over a two-year periodu003cbr />through a cooperative effort between the National Marine Sanctuary Programu003cbr />and NOAA. The public is welcome to view the videos and whale informationu003cbr />kiosk for free.u003cbr />u003cbr />In the coming months, additional joint programs are being planned for theu003cbr />Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach and Outrigger Reef on the Beach, both on theu003cbr />island of Oahu.u003cbr />u003cbr />Outrigger has previously partnered with the National Marine Sanctuaryu003cbr />Program and the Ocean Futures Society to develop marine education programs.u003cbr />The hotelier also collaborates on various cultural and environmentalu003cbr />programs throughout the year with other community organizations includingu003cbr />the Bishop Museum, Girl Scouts, Mission Houses Museum, Waikiki Aquarium andu003cbr />“,1]
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collaborated with Outrigger on various programs in the past, including
giving presentations about humpback whales at Outrigger properties. This new agreement is expected to greatly expand the number of educational programs in the coming months.
„NOAA and the NMSP recognize the special educational and outreach capabilities that Outrigger can contribute to the conservation and recovery
of the marine environment throughout the Pacific Island Region,“ said Allen Tom, Pacific Islands regional director for the National Marine Sanctuary
Program. „We applaud Outrigger’s ongoing commitment to supporting Hawaii’s beautiful, but fragile, marine environment. They are a valuable community friend to NOAA.“
Among the first enrichment programs being offered to guests under this agreement are NOAA videos about such subjects as whales, marine sanctuaries
and coral reefs. The films are shown daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a new plasma screen television in the lobby of the Outrigger Keauhou Beach Resort
on the Big Island. Also at the hotel is a newly installed Humpback Whale Information Kiosk, a whale-tail shaped touch-screen computer system that was designed, built and programmed at a cost of $30,000 over a two-year period through a cooperative effort between the National Marine Sanctuary Program and NOAA. The public is welcome to view the videos and whale information
kiosk for free.
In the coming months, additional joint programs are being planned for the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach and Outrigger Reef on the Beach, both on the
island of Oahu.
Outrigger has previously partnered with the National Marine Sanctuary Program and the Ocean Futures Society to develop marine education programs.
The hotelier also collaborates on various cultural and environmental programs throughout the year with other community organizations including
the Bishop Museum, Girl Scouts, Mission Houses Museum, Waikiki Aquarium and
u003cbr />For more information about Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, visitu003cbr />u003ca onclicku003d“return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)“ hrefu003d“http://www.outrigger.com“ targetu003d_blank>www.outrigger.comu003c/a>.u003cbr />u003cbr />———————u003cbr />High resolution digital images of the hotels are available for editorial useu003cbr />upon request. Contact Luly Unemori, Pono Communications, at 808-986-0404 oru003cbr />u003ca onclicku003d“return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)“ hrefu003d“mailto:luly@ponocomm.net“>luly@ponocomm.netu003c/a>.u003cbr />———————-u003cbr />u003cbr />CONTACT:u003cbr />MaryLou Foley, Outrigger Beachfront Divisionu003cbr />808-924-6040 * u003ca onclicku003d“return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)“ hrefu003d“mailto:marylou.foley@outrigger.com“>marylou.foley@outrigger.comu003c/a>u003cbr />u003cbr />Nancy Daniels, APR, Outrigger Enterprises Groupu003cbr />808-921-6839 * u003ca onclicku003d“return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)“ hrefu003d“mailto:nancy.daniels@outrigger.com“>nancy.daniels@outrigger.comu003c/a>u003cbr />u003cbr />———————–u003cbr />About Outrigger Enterprises Groupu003cbr />Outrigger Enterprises Group is one of the largest and fastest-growingu003cbr />hospitality services companies in the Asia-Pacific region. Outrigger is au003cbr />family-owned company with nearly 60 years of hospitality experience and runsu003cbr />a highly-successful, multi-branded line of hotels, condominiums and vacationu003cbr />resort properties, including Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, OHANA Hotels &u003cbr />Resorts, Outrigger Condominium Collection, Outrigger Resort Club byu003cbr />Fairfield and Embassy Suites(r)-Waikiki Beach Walk(tm).* Outriggeru003cbr />Enterprises Group also operates and develops hotel properties andu003cbr />hospitality-related retail and real estate opportunities for partners inu003cbr />Hawaii, the Pacific, the mainland USA and Asia. For on-line information, logu003cbr />on at u003ca onclicku003d“return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)“ hrefu003d“http://www.outriggerenterprisesgroup.com“ targetu003d_blank>www.outriggerenterprisesgroupu003cwbr />.comu003c/a>“,1]
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Friends of Hokulea & Hawaiiloa.
For more information about Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, visit www.outrigger.com.
