WITH its rustic and traditional charm, Castaway Island Fiji is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the country.
What began as a simple holiday spot for travellers in 1966 has today bloomed into a 64-bure resort, while still maintaining its easy going and relaxing atmosphere.
Last week Castaway Island Fiji celebrated its 50th birthday on Qalito Island in the mamanucas. The festivity also commemorated years of success the resort has enjoyed during this period.
This success would not have been possible without the support of the hosts (staff), says former resort owner Geoffrey Shaw.
A well-recognised figure in Fiji’s tourism industry, Mr Shaw was also responsible for plucking Castaway Island Fiji out of obscurity and turning the property into a five-star resort during his 22-year ownership period.
“Castaway has been and remains, I think, a jewel in the Mamanuca chain of islands,” he said.
“There’s no question about it and it is made so because of the dedication of its staff and family it will remain so forever.
“Fifty years is an absolute milestone event and this is the first resort to be developed in the Mamanucas so it is a significant milestone not only for the resort and its staff but also for Fiji tourism.”
Mr Shaw said the success of the resort showed how far Fiji tourism had come over the years.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Tourism Fiji CEO Mathew Stoeckel.
“It’s really important to celebrate these milestones and it is an incredible achievement for this resort to be here for 50 years,” he said.
Mr Stoeckel also commended the resilience of the property and its staff, saying the quick turnaround after Tropical Cyclone Winston was extraordinary.
“To turn around and be such an iconic destination as they are, it really resonates with their visitors.
“There are people who have been here more than 28 times so that just shows it’s a product that really connects with people and it’s a tribute to the great job that Castaway has been doing and 50 years is amazing, next up is 100.
“The only thing I would like to add is huge congratulations to the Castaway team, to all the staff and management, former management for 50 years of fantastic service to the tourism industry and we look forward to working with them in the future.”
It was in 2014 that Castaway Island Fiji changed ownership once again after Mr Shaw sold the property to Outrigger Enterprises Group.
For the group, the acquisition has been one of the best investments made in Fiji.
Outrigger Enterprises Group president and CEO David P. Carey III said Outrigger had a presence in Fiji for about 15 years.
“We own a property on the mainland (Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort) and we’ve bought this property (Castaway Island) a few years ago,” he said.
“It’s really a pleasure to participate in a long line of Castaway family, the heritage here is tremendous and one of the longest standing guests has been here over 40 times so it’s special and it is one of the unique products that Fiji has.
“It’s great to be able to celebrate and Outrigger is proud to be a part of this because we feel like the newcomers but we think it will add value in terms of global marketing.”
According to Mr Carey, out of all the resorts owned by the group, the bula spirit in Fiji was at the top of the class.
“We’re very proud to be a part of it.”
Castaway Enterprise Group was recently acquired by Denver-based KSL Capital Partners LLC.
