The group properties

• The Raffles Group is over 40 years old and offers a range of product to suit most visitors.
• Plantation Island Resort in the Mamanucas is the quintessential island experience, a three-star value for money resort great for families of all ages, couples and groups.
• Lomani Island Resort is a boutique four-star adults-only resort nestled in the heart of the Mamanucas.
• Raffles Gateway Hotel is conveniently located across the road from Nadi International Airport and provides pre and post accommodation for an island stay or exceptional service for corporates or last minute travellers.

Raffles Group of Hotels & Resorts is planning to undertake a major $10 million investment for all three of its properties.

These include Plantation Island Resort, Lomani Island Resort and Raffles Gateway Hotel.

Newly-appointed chief executive, Bradley Robinson, said the most significant and biggest redevelopment will be for Plantation Island Resort over the next two years.

However, they are going to be looking at some additional facilities for Lomani Island Resort and Raffles Gateway Hotel as well.

“So for Plantation, it’s really about a significant upgrade to the central facilities and to the rooms,” he said.

“Whereas for Lomani and Raffles, it’s about adding one or two facilities and just dressing it up a little.”

$10 million is given just as an estimate but depending on the extent the group decides, this could easily go above the amount.

“There is a master planning process that is currently underway for Plantation and to a lesser extent, a small master plan process for Lomani,” Mr Robinson said.

“Depending on what comes out of that process, as to how much redevelopment will happen over the next couple of years, we can then confirm the exact amount.

Decision for investment

Mr Robinson said their decision to invest was primarily as they were future proofing their business.

“We feel that mostly it is about ensuring the three properties remain popular and profitable well into the future,” he said.

He said Plantation Island Resort was 40 years old and in the past 10 years, it hasn’t had a great deal of new investment.

“So the board directors feel that it is now time to modernise the Plantation and in terms of Lomani, it’s time to add a couple of facilities as it is 10 years old.”

Commitments

Group director of Sales & Marketing, Akshay Singh, said it was also important to note the commitments of the owners to the Fijian tourism over the next few years.

“There is a lot of growth and the economic outlook is positive.

“Therefore it’s important that the directors redirect some of the profits into investing back into the properties and making sure we have the best offering that we could possibly have.”

The works

Mr Robinson said works will begin at the end of this year into early next year.

“For Plantation and Raffles, works will start by end of this year and for Lomani, it will be early next year,” he said.

“Those programmes will run over the next two to three years and it won’t all happen next year because there is a lot to be done and we cannot do it all in one year.”

All the works have been assured to be carried out with minimum impact to guests.

“So we know there will be a lot of work done in January, February, March and to some extend April,” he said.

Mr Singh said they have plan to actually shut down parts of the properties particularly at Plantation and Lomani.

“The properties are set up at the moment in such a way that you could actually close down 20 or 30 per cent of the resort and work on it while you still trade on the other side if you like,” he said.

“We are fortunate the current lay out of the properties will enable us to take portions of the resorts close it down, do some work and re-open it.”

Ownership

The Ray family owns the Raffles Group and they active directors currently in the board directors and it is 100 per cent owned by them.

Mr Singh said it was nice to see owners who are willing to continue to re-invest into their property.

“We are always looking at re-investing for additional opportunities to partner with Tourism Fiji and we have three significantly important properties,” he said.

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