Steve Anstey is originally from Zimbabwe, but he gained his hotel training in Australia. He then developed his professional experience from the very best in the country, first as Resident Manager at Lilianfels Blue Mountains followed by stints as General Manager at Silky Oaks Lodge and Lizard Island Resort, and later as the pre-opening General Manager at Sea Temple Resorts & Spa, Palm Cove.
In 2005 Steve took up the position of Group General Manager for Ahura Resorts. Likuliku Lagoon was recently named No. 3 in Top 10 Most Romantic Islands in the World by “Islands Magazine” USA and it was entered into the Hall of Fame after winning Best Overseas Resort for the fifth consecutive year by Australia’s Luxury Travel Magazine.
1. To start with and most importantly; how is business?
After the devastating cyclone Evan in Dec 2012, we had to close both resorts for general repair and upgrade. Likuliku was closed for 5 months while Malolo was closed for 9 months. Never the ideal scenario, but business actually jumped back remarkably well after we re-opened each resort. We also have a loyal repeat business segment on both resorts and this certainly helped propel things forward for us. The losses one incurs at these times are always hard to digest, but we have picked up from where we left off in 2012. Following a general trend in Fiji, the Malolo family market forwards are slower this year but the forwards for Likuliku Lagoon, a couples-only market, are looking positive.
2. And the future for Fiji?
A lot of positive influences happened in the last 3 years – in particular the restructuring and rebranding of Fiji Airways with the introduction of three new aircraft. There is also a lot of enthusiasm about the rebranding of Tourism Fiji: a new logo, increased activities and a new tag line: “Where Happiness Finds You”. It’s referring to the genuine friendliness of the Fijian people and their open-hearted welcome – the Fijian people are really the most valuable asset of our destination. The happy island atmosphere and the safety and cleanliness of our destination are the major reasons we have so many repeat clients; they have become a cornerstone of our business. There is a lot of excitement and optimism in the tourism industry at the moment.
3. Likuliku is not part of group or a chain. Is that an advantage?
Obviously it is harder to establish a reputation without an affiliation or being part of a hotel group. It took us five years to create our brand, which we built on our high standards and individualized service. There are a lot of travellers in the prestige market segment who still value that individual and unscripted approach of service delivery. It seems that we have achieved that – this month we were awarded Best Overseas Resort in the prestigious Australian Luxury Travel Magazine’s 2014 Gold List Awards for the fifth year, which now places us in the Hall of Fame. That is certainly a recognition of our achievements. I certainly do not think it is crucial to be part of a chain. It may take longer, but you come out of it with your own personality and individuality in tact which are the characteristics that endears us to our guests and this style of product.
4. Congratulations on your awards – it must be great to receive such accolades. However, it is hard work to get such recognition. How do you train and motivate your team in a relatively remote location?
We have a huge advantage here in Fiji in that the Fijian people have a natural flair for hospitality. They are genuinely friendly and warm-hearted. They have strong sense of “family” and love to sing and quick to laugh and have fun. They like and want to work in hospitality and this makes a huge difference. They imbue the BULA spirit which is what Fiji is really all about.
We have a less scripted approach to training – we foster a more common sense direction. There are no volumes of dusty training manuals written somewhere else in the world with little respect or understanding of the culture. Why would you try and stifle and suppress such wonderful spirit? This does not mean that we compromise on our high standards of professionalism and conduct, factors that we enforce with respect and good leadership. The team feels like the resort is theirs and the awards are their achievements of which they are immensely proud and they defend that every day with hard work.
5. And even more importantly, how do you motivate yourself and how do you keep current with the development of tourism worldwide?
I must say the nine years in Fiji has passed very quickly. I love the resorts and am passionate about them and Fiji as a destination. At Likuliku I have had the incredible opportunity to be part of a unique Resort development overseeing the building, opening, and over the years the development and emergence of a consistent reliable award winning product. At Malolo I have also had the opportunity over time to totally rebuild, upgrade and reposition another stunning Fijian product. I have been kept busy, focused and motivated. I travel and attend various travel marts in the USA and Australia, and of course attend our own Fijian Tourism Expo, meeting with agents and hoteliers. And of course I keep abreast with worldwide professional news through the eHotelier News!
6. Have the expectations from guests in resort hotels changed and what can you offer more to stay trendy and in demand?
We offer Island Resort experiences…opportunities to remove oneself from the day to day stresses and pressures. But one thing that people cannot escape or remove themselves from for too long is communication. Many hotels and resorts still have to catch up with the demands and expectation for free WiFi and good connectivity. At Malolo we have hot spots around the resort but at Likuliku we opened seven years ago with free WiFi in all rooms. No mean achievement given our location. In this day and age people expect connectivity everywhere…even on an island…and it should be free.
Food has over recent years become hugely popularised globally though media and TV shows. There is more “awareness” and “expectation” of good quality food than ever before. The pressure on island resorts is even more so, where alternative venue choices may be restricted. You can’t exactly jump in a taxi and go down the road if you don’t like the food. Fortunately, food has always been a major focus of ours and both resorts have well equipped modern air conditioned kitchen facilities lead by talented internationally experienced Expatriate chefs who keep abreast of modern trends and food styles. We cater for a wide spectrum of international guests of all ages with an array of differing dietary requirements and an ever increasing array of food allergies. Keeping ahead in this area is crucial.
Adaptability and flexibility are crucial in this day and age. Being small allows one to be dynamic and move quickly to provide proactive service and meet the demands and requests of a ever changing customer expectations and needs.
7. Likuliku is located in a sensitive and pristine environment. Do you have any programs to support the sustainability of the hotel and can your guest be part of such a program?
As a Resort company operating in such a pristine sensitive environment, we support wholly the concept of sustainable tourism and believe that any development in such areas carries not only a legal but also a moral responsibility to ensure that the environment is not degraded through irresponsible activities and practices.
Sustainable tourism is also about the people and the culture. It is about providing opportunities for improving and helping island communities and individuals through the development of businesses that provide jobs, training and on going development without compromising or taking advantage of the culture or the people involved.
We are active members of the Mamanuca Environment Society of which I am Treasurer. MES and member resorts are involved in an array of activities including reef management and assessment, water quality testing, crown of thorns removal programs, local village and guest education programs, turtle conservation, iguana preservation and regeneration of dry forest eco-system.
In our hotels we conduct environment protection walks and talks for our guests and our kids club, conduct fun games to get the youngsters aware of what they can contribute which will, hopefully, influence their action for the rest of their lives.
About the author
Fritz Gubler is the President of eHotelier. He has many years of experience across the globe in a wide range of roles in the hospitality industry. Read more about his background in the About Us section of eHotelier.
