LUX Hotel & Spa Awards 2016

LUX - Hotel & Spa Awards 2016 41 Best Contemporary Zoofari Retreat – Australia & Best Experience Accommodation - New South Wales connections with wildlife and compelled to act for the wild. “Whilst this may be a popular choice for visitors today, Taronga Western Plains Zoo has long been forging its own path in this sector having established Zoofari Lodge in the 1990s, offering a unique in-zoo experience before the industry started to expand. Now there are glamping experiences all over the country from the coast to the outback, including many other zoos nationally and internationally. “The accommodation experiences led by Zoofari Lodge are also key components of the zoo’s business model transformation, ensuring the future financial sustainability of the zoo and its contribution to a wide array of conservation and community programs. “We are very excited for the future of Zoofari Lodge and overnight experiences generally at Taronga Western Plains Zoo. We feel Zoofari Lodge is a unique way to connect people with wildlife and provide us with the opportunity to engage people with our conservation endeavours. We hope to continue to build on the success that we have achieved to date for this truly unique overnight experience.” These plans for Zoofari are directly tied into the growth plans for Taronga Western Plains Zoo. “The zoo is always looking for ways to continue to evolve and develop, and will now undertake a comprehensive Visitor Experience Plan, which will see new and exciting wildlife exhibits along with key upgrades and redevelopments across the site, providing unique ways for visitors to directly connect with wildlife. “The new plan will see a number of significant projects take place at the Zoo over the coming years, with $49.7 million being invested to improve the visitor experience and set Taronga Western Plains Zoo aside from any other Zoo in Australia.” Speaking of the achievements of this concept, Director Matthew Fuller offered a glimpse into the range of accommodations on offer. “Following a $7.5million investment over two years the zoo now hosts three unique and innovative overnight accommodation options - Zoofari Lodge is catered towards luxury safari; the Savannah Cabins are self- contained accommodation; Billabong Camp offers a truly Australian bush camping experience. These experiences are now the flagship offerings at the zoo and intrinsic to the zoo’s overall proposition as a major regional tourism destination. “By day, visitors can drive, ride, walk, or safari cart around a six-kilometre circuit, amongst rare and endangered animals.” Mr Fuller expanded upon the Zoofari Lodge accommodation, describing it as “the zoo’s premier overnight experience offering an African style safari. It’s an intimate retreat comprising stunning Guest House, luxurious accommodation, African inspired cuisine and guided Zoo tours. “The unique accommodation consists of 15 lodges available in two styles. Animal View lodges are perched on the edge of a vast savannah area where giraffe and antelope roam. Bushland View lodges are nestled in nearby native forest. The Guest House includes a fully licensed dining room and bar, lounge area, library and outdoor swimming pool. “The experience is made possible thanks to Taronga Western Plains Zoo’s strong focus on conservation; its vision is to connect people with wildlife, making the overnight accommodation an extension of that same goal. Information about the animals, their plight in the wild and what people can do to help is imparted to all Zoofari Lodge guests.” One delicate matter to consider in the consumer experience arises in the matter of technology. “The Best Contemporary Zoofari Retreat – Australia & Best Experience Accommodation - New South Wales Zoofari Lodge experience does not rely heavily on technology,” Mr Fuller states. “It is about taking time out to immerse yourself in nature and the wilds of the zoo. There are no televisions in the lodges or Guest House, instead intimate guided tours and the opportunity to relax and take in the surrounds are the forefront of the experience. Free Wi-Fi is offered in the Guest House, and guest surveys are collected via iPad.” These enhancements aside, the Lodge appears to strip away the more ostentatious remarks of modern society. The lodges are located near the illustrious Guest House, where guests can relax at the bar with a quiet drink, whilst indulging in culinary delights, enjoying a coffee in the lounge area, or even taking a dip in the saltwater swimming pool. A lot of this has to do with how guests’ expectations have changed since the inception of Zoofari Lodge. “With the increased appetite for high quality immersive experiences has come increased awareness of and expectations for those experiences. When the new lodges opened, we received and responded to feedback that our guests wanted to spend as much time as possible in the lodges in order to fully appreciate the view. We’ve listened to this feedback and changed the program accordingly, and we will continue to monitor and respond to guest feedback, reinvesting in our product along the way, to ensure that it continues to deliver an exceptional experience and exceeds the high expectations of our well-travelled audience.” This ongoing development speaks volumes of Matthew Fuller’s commitment to Zoofari’s continual development; looking into the future, he expresses great enthusiasm. Picking up on modern trends, he singles out the growing demand for luxury and “glamping” overnight experiences from travellers, both domestically and internationally. “Visitors are looking for truly unique experiences and the challenge for us is to continue to meet and exceed guest expectations so that they go away with an amazing memory from their stay, inspired by their HO160056 Company: Taronga Western Plains Zoo Email: [email protected] Web: www.zoofari.com.au Address: Obley Rd, Dubbo NSW Australia 2830 Phone: +61 2 6881 1400 Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo, New South Wales, was established in 1977 as the first open range zoo in Australia, spread across 300 hectares of bushland and home to over 500 animals. It is also the only Zoo in Australia to have three unique overnight accommodation experiences; since the 1990s, customers have been clamouring to make a break for Dubbo for their unique ‘zoofari’ experience. Zoofari Lodge