HONOLULU, OAHU, HAWAII -- Outrigger Hotels & Resorts has taken a major step toward enriching their guests’ experience with the wonders of the Pacific Ocean by partnering with Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society and the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, two of the most respected organizations in the field of marine exploration, education and preservation.

The Honolulu-based hotelier, which operates 50 properties in Hawaii, Australia and across the Pacific, has entered the agreements to jointly pursue projects in 2004 that inform, educate and enrich the experiences of guests staying at an Outrigger or OHANA Hotels throughout the Pacific.

The partnerships were jointly announced in Hawaii by Dr. Chuck Kelley of Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, Ocean Explorer Jean Michel Cousteau of Ocean Futures Society and Naomi McIntosh of the National Marine Sanctuary Program.

“We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with the leadership of Outrigger Hotels and Resorts and to say that we are all committed to being partners in protection,” said Jean-Michel Cousteau, board trustee of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and president of Ocean Futures Society. “People protect what they love. However, people can only love what they understand. In my more than six decades of life, I have come to realize that most people don’t understand the important role the ocean plays in our daily lives. That’s why partnerships of this variety are so critically important.”

The announcement was made during a special dedication ceremony that included the unveiling of the Humpback Whale Information Kiosk, a new whale-tail shaped touch-screen computer system created by the National Marine Sanctuary Program and installed in the lobby at the Outrigger Reef hotel in Waikiki. The 600-pound, one-of-kind prototype, was designed, built and programmed at a cost of $30,000 over a two-year period through a cooperative effort between the National Marine Sanctuary and its parent organization, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“We are extremely proud to be associated with these two fine organizations that are truly making a difference in educating the public and helping to preserve our precious marine life and ocean ecosystems,” said Dr. Chuck Kelley of Outrigger Hotels. “We are especially excited about what these partnerships mean for our guests. The wealth of information that will now be available to our guests will undoubtedly enrich their experience and appreciation of the ocean.”

National Marine Sanctuary Foundation will assist Outrigger with comprehensive educational and outreach programs centered around Hawaii’s unique marine life with an emphasis on the North Pacific Humpback Whale, which migrates each winter to breed and calve in the waters off the Hawaiian Islands. The foundation will coordinate a series of permanent educational exhibits, expert lectures, ocean activities and community service projects at Outrigger’s various properties. By far the most novel component is the Marine Life Kiosk, a prototype that took more than two years to complete.

“We are delighted to partner with the Outrigger Hotels and Resorts on this important outreach effort,” said Naomi McIntosh, Sanctuary Manager. “Awareness of our marine resources in general, and knowledge about Humpback Whales in particular, needs to be increased, and the best way to do this is through partnerships like this.”

Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society will provide a variety of multi-media information and learning tools for Outrigger guests. The main component to be introduced this summer is the “Friends of the Reef Adventure Guide” which will be distributed on a request basis at the front desk and inserted into all Island Explorer Kits given free to children ages 5 to 10. A series of five-minute mini documentaries entitled “Sea Scopes” will air throughout the Outrigger and OHANA Hotels in Waikiki and where video systems allow.

The Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, which prides itself on offering beachfront locations through Hawaii, Guam, Fiji and Australia, will partner with both organizations to coordinate activities like guest lecturer series, annual whale counts, children’s arts and crafts events and even overnight reef workshops.

“As the non-profit partner to the National Marine Sanctuary System it is our job to help build bridges between the public and private sectors,” said Lori Arguelles, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Executive Director. “Most people aren’t aware that these special underwater treasures exist, much less how to support them. This partnership is an important step in educating the public about how each person can make a difference.”

About Outrigger Hotels & Resorts
Outrigger Hotels & Resorts is a division of Outrigger Enterprises, Inc., the largest locally owned lodging company in Hawaii and one of the fastest growing lodging companies in the Pacific. Under various management contracts and its two hotel brands – Outrigger Hotels & Resorts and OHANA Hotels & Resorts – the company currently operates or has under development 50 hotels and resorts throughout the Pacific region, representing more than 12,000 hotel rooms and condominium units in Hawaii, Australia, Micronesia, Fiji and New Zealand. Through a franchise agreement with Marriott International, Outrigger Enterprises owns and operates the Waikoloa Beach Marriott and the Wailea Marriott Resort under the Marriott brand. Through a strategic alliance with Fairfield Resorts, the world’s largest time-share company, Outrigger Enterprises manages three vacation ownership properties on Hawaii’s Big Island. Outrigger's affiliate, Outrigger Lodging Services, operates nearly two-dozen hotels and resorts throughout the U.S. Mainland under a variety of brands.

About the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation supports the outreach and education efforts of the National Marine Sanctuary System, part of the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Through public and private sector partnerships, The Foundation creates conservation-based programs designed to preserve, protect and promote these underwater treasures. For more information see www.nmsfocean.org.

About the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary
The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary was designated by Congress in 1992 to conserve, enhance, and protect humpback whales and their habitat. The Hawaiian Islands are home to one of the only known breeding and calving grounds for the endangered humpback whale in the north Pacific. The Sanctuary is co-managed by the National Marine Sanctuary Program and the State of Hawaii. The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary is part of a 14-site system of underwater parks, encompassing 99,000 square miles of aquatic ecosystems. The National Marine Sanctuary Program works cooperatively with its partners and the public and serves as the Nation’s trustee to manage and protect these areas.

About the Ocean Futures Society
Ocean Futures Society is a non-profit marine conservation and education organization founded in 1999 by Jean-Michel Cousteau. The mission of OFS is to explore our global ocean, inspiring and educating people throughout the world to act responsibly for its protection, documenting the critical connection between humanity and nature, and celebrating the ocean's vital importance to the survival of all life on our planet. Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of famed ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, is a world-renowned advocate for ocean protection, and recently received the "Ocean Hero" Award from Oceana, a non-profit international advocacy organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the world’s ocean. For information, log on to www.OceanFutures.org.