By RACHNA LAL
The Tanoa Hotel Group has been doing a fair amount of celebrating over the past few days following one of its properties wins at the AON Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards 2013.
The Tanoa Hotel Plaza in Suva was handed the Accommodation Quality award during the event the past Friday at Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa on Denarau Island.
Tanoa Hotel Group Area general manager Fiji and Samoa, Matthew Gillespie, said: “The AON Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards is the showcase of the best in our industry.
“They are designed to celebrate success. And within the Tanoa Hotel Group, one of our internal practices is to celebrate success and this is what we have been doing over the past few days.
“As a company, and individually, we are very proud of our achievements at this year’s AON Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards.”
The group had four of its six Fijian properties shortlisted as finalists.
Tanoa Rakiraki Hotel was in the Accommodation Budget category and Tanoa Waterfront, Tanoa International and Tanoa Plaza Hotel’s in the Accommodation Quality Category.
Mr Gillespie said Tanoa Plaza Hotel’s win was tremendous recognition of all of the hard work by the Hotel manager Mere Rakoroi and her team at the hotel.
Commitment and dedication
An elated Ms Rakoroi believes this award was an affirmation of what commitment and dedication can achieve.
She always felt that such awards would be difficult for properties in Suva to win based on the limitations and restrictions of being in the city.
She said this was as hotels here aren’t able to have white sandy beaches and facilities like a tennis court, Bowling Green, golf course and so on.
However, Ms Rakoroi reiterated that despite being in the CBD, if a property is committed to providing the best to its guest it can attain wonders.
She also added that the win reinforces the commitment that the Tanoa Hotel Group has towards its guests and the industry as a whole.
Ms Rakoroi dedicated the win to the chairman of the Tanoa Hotel Group, YP Reddy, for his vision and dedication and her hardworking and determined team.
“Tanoa Plaza has come a long way these past ten years and it is through Mr Reddy’s visionary leadership, the support of the directors and the management and staff of the entire Tanoa Group,” she said.
No looking back
Ms Rakoroi said the uniqueness of the win was the challenge which the beautiful trophy brought.
“After this win, there is no looking back as it provides the impetus to maintain the good work, ensure consistency and to take to another level our standards, services and facilities,” she said.
“The onus is now on my team and I to continue to strive to provide our customers value for their money and more.”
Ms Rakoroi said this win was the beginning of another level for Tanoa Hotel Group and its brand image.
Revving up development
Ms Rakoroi is now looking at revving up their training and development programmes to ensure there is consistency and high standards at all times.
“My message to the other hoteliers is that anything is possible with dedication and hard work,” she said.
“No matter what the star rating of your property is, it is what you do with your resources and limitations that matters.
Both Mr Gillespie and Ms Rakoroi also acknowledged the group’s training department for the several internal programmes that also has contributed to this recognition.
Mr Gillespie said: “The Tanoa Hotel Group invests considerable time, effort and resources into our people development programmes.
“We believe Our People are the key to our success, both in the past and in the future. Strong focused development is the key to keep developing our people, our brand and our guests experience.”
The Tanoa Plaza Hotel team in Suva with their AON Fiji Excellence in Tourism Award 2013 for Accommodation Quality.