NEWLY appointed Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort and Spa general manager Francis Lee hopes to take the resort back to its glory days when it was one of the best hotels in the country.

He said the Yanuca Island resort remained the country’s longest established property and continued to be well-placed despite formidable competition from other brands.

Mr Lee said he was unfazed and would endeavour to make the best of the situation.

“Competition is tough and it is a lesson for us to improve ourselves,” he said.

“Twenty five years back those days were easier so to speak and the challenge now is to improve our services.

“You can improve so much on your infrastructure and your landscaping and your outlets but if your services are not good then it doesn’t mean anything to anybody really.”

He said the resort was near to completing renovations on two of the lagoon blocks.

“We have five blocks that we are working on and at this moment block one and two is scheduled to be completed by June.

“Once this is finished we will carry on with blocks 3 to 5 and we are very mindful not to disturb the guests while doing this.

“Some with the heavier jobs can be carried out while they are at the pool or out on an excursion.

“We have informed the guests about the renovations so that they are aware and informed prior to their arrival.”

Mr Lee said they would also include changes in their activities in a bid to provide guests with a more holistic experience.

“I want to be able to create a big inflatable water sport that can have at least 30-40 people participating to make their experience more fun.

‘We plan on creating tree houses because we have such a big land and these would easily accommodate guests needs.

“As a brand, we are well-established but the wow factor is what we are working on and I believe that will have a great impact in bringing more people to the resort.”