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Outrigger Hotels & Resorts & Cousteau's
Ocean Futures Society
Outrigger Hotels & Resorts has formed an association
with Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society (OFS) to explore ways to
educate guests and school children in the Pacific of the importance of
preserving and protecting the world's ocean environment.
Tentative plans call for a cooperative effort to
develop a "Friends of the Reef" adventure guide that encourages children and
adults to explore and appreciate a reef's delicate ecosystem. Other
components being considered for distribution include a free membership into
the Ocean Futures Society and an interactive CD Rom, "Jean-Michel Cousteau's
Cities Under the Sea - Coral Reefs," which serves as a fun and dynamic
learning tool that allows kids to explore the ecosystem of a reef from the
comfort of their computer.
The association was announced at the Outrigger Waikiki
on the Beach by Jean Michel Cousteau, who was in Hawaii following a 30-day
voyage to the Northwest Hawaiian Islands to film a documentary. The goal of
the association is to help guests better appreciate the wonders of the reef
and promote reef stewardship through research materials produced by OFS.
Cousteau, son of famed ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, is founder and
president of the non-profit Ocean Futures Society.
"We are all very excited about the potential of
reaching a new audience by helping Outrigger's guests to better appreciate
the wonders of nature by learning about coral reef stewardship," said
Jean-Michel Cousteau of Ocean Futures Society. "We are looking forward to a
long relationship that will hopefully benefit everyone involved and enhance
the health of our ocean."
Already underway is a cooperative project called
Ambassadors of the Environment, an in-depth overnight camping experience for
young people on the Big Island in South Kona, which is conducted in concert
with the OHANA Keauhou Beach Resort, operated by Outrigger. Participants
snorkel on coral reefs, learn about marine ecology, hike coastal trails and
become involved in sustainable living projects to help them become
Ambassadors of the Environment in their home communities.
"We are very excited about this relationship which we
feel will enhance our guest's appreciation of the ocean environment that
surrounds us, while at the same time, supports the goals and efforts of
Jean-Michel Cousteau and the Ocean Futures Society," said Perry Sorenson,
Chief Operating Officer of Outrigger Hotels & Resorts. "The tourism industry
and our entire life in the Pacific are entirely dependent on health and
well-being of the ocean. We hope this partnership will make it fun for our
guests to learn about the ocean and the importance of being a good steward
so that it can be enjoyed for generations to come."
Furthermore, the two organizations hope to develop
various educational outreach projects targeted at the children and schools
in the communities around the Pacific where Outrigger owns and manages
properties.
About Ocean Futures Society
Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society is
dedicated to providing the global community with a forum for exploring
issues affecting the ocean -- its inhabitants and its habitats.
Ocean Futures serves as a comprehensive information
resource by providing a participative, web-base databank, by conducting
research, by developing marine education programs and by fostering a
conservation ethic for our water planet.
Ocean Futures creates action partnerships with leading
environmentalists and organizations, proposing cooperative solutions to
business, industry and government, and calling upon all people, particularly
the young, to raise hope for the health of the ocean through active
participation.
Ocean Futures reaches out to people throughout the
world, helping them understand our global water system, take personal
responsibility for the restoration and preservation of precious marine
habitats, and mobilizing them to protect the inhabitants of the ocean.
Jean Michel Cousteau is founder and president of Ocean
Futures Society with offices in Santa Barbara, California and Paris, France.
He is the son of famed ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau who introduced
millions of people around the world to the fascinating secrets of the deep
through his documentaries, "The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau."
About Outrigger Hotels & Resorts
Outrigger Hotels & Resorts is 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 its two
hotel brands - Outrigger Hotels & Resorts and OHANA Hotels & Resorts - the
company currently operates or has under development 49 hotels and resorts
throughout the Pacific region, representing more than 12,000 hotel rooms and
condominium units in Hawaii, Micronesia, Australia and the South Pacific.
Outrigger's affiliate, Outrigger Lodging Services, operates nearly two-dozen
hotels and resorts throughout the U.S. Mainland.
For reservations or information, call your preferred
travel professional or Outrigger Hotels & Resorts toll-free at
1-800-OUTRIGGER (688-7444) within the U.S., Guam and Canada. Elsewhere call
303-369-7777. For online information or reservations, Internet users can log
onto
www.outrigger.com. Outrigger's e-mail address is
reservations@outrigger.com.
Edited by Dave Shultz
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