The team at the Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort, on Viti Levu’s Coral Coast, wanted to give back to the local community, and it turns out their guests are just as motivated to help.
Enter Outrigger’s Community Tourism initiative. A powerful program born after Outrigger Fiji spotted their local school district was in need back in 2014.
The project, assisted by roomsXML’s Mark Luckey, began with building a large hall at the Conua School in the Sigatoka Valley. Completed, the building accommodates 100 people for both school and village meetings.
Other achievements include the construction of the Eddie Betts kindergarten (aided by Adelaide Crows legends), two new classrooms, a computer room, a library and a meeting hall.
The construction of additional teachers’ quarters is now underway.
Outrigger have also put their weight behind a maternity ward and medivac helipad at the Sigatoka District Hospital, plus an eye scanner for the eye clinic which helps doctors detect early-onset diabetes.
The resort also provides accommodation for the eye specialists fromthe Benevolent Mission International which restores eyesight to around 80 locals per year.
So where do the guests come in?
This Community Tourism project, gives guests the chance to volunteer one or two days of their time during their holiday, to assist the resort’s engineering team with basic labor work and skilled trades.
“When guests participate in the project, not only do they have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Fiji community but they also have the opportunity to interact with the local school children, share a bowl of kava with the local villagers”.
Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort
In addition, each department of the hotel conducts a monthly community service, like the annual Outrigger Walk for Kids Walkathon raising funds for the Sigatoka School for Special Education and Conua District School.
Guests are more than welcome to take part.
For more information on a holiday in Fiji and to #traveltochangetheworld, take a look at the project’s Facebook page.