How Aga Reef Resort used social media to diversify its offering

Glamorous Aga Reef Resort is the most instagrammable hotel in the Pacific – officially.

Contacted at the beginning of 2021 by New York luxury travel advisor, Myriad Marketing, to enter the competition, General Manager Leonyra Namulo said “sure, let’s go for it – nothing to lose, right?” 

Little did she expect Aga Reef would place first in the African/MiddleEast/Oceania region competition, then progress to the world final only to find the resort among the top four. That’s the top four most instagrammable resorts in the world. You can see why on their Instagram account – obviously – but also on their beautiful website which is packed with images that would make even the most reluctant finger hover over the “book now” button. 

Reaching these dizzying heights will surely lead to an influx of tourists greedy to experience the resort when the borders reopen post-COVID. This elevated presence on the world stage was only achieved with the help of Business Link Pacific’s subsidy to enhance their social media marketing and management, and to create expert professional website content. 

Liz Ahi, owner of Samoan creative agency Fine Mat Creative had been working with Aga Reef for some time when COVID hit and tourism cash flow disastrously contracted. Along with reducing staffing levels to an almost impossible 13, Leonyra still had to cut costs.

Liz suggested Aga Reef apply for BLP’s subsidy to really get their social media working to achieve greater levels of existing and potential customer engagement, and also to train Leonyra to manage the resort’s social media presence. Working together Liz and Leonyra prepared a proposal for BLP and were granted a subsidy to do this essential work. 

With Liz’s support, Leonyra has learned many of the tricks of the trade and now manages Instagram and Facebook accounts for Aga Reef Resort.

Leonyra reports: Bringing management of social media inhouse has been quite a challenge for me in terms of upskilling but also just finding the time. It’s very time consuming on top of everything else, including responding to enquiries on those social media platforms.

Taking practical steps in the face of adversity, Aga Reef quickly introduced a strict policy of only opening the doors if they had six or more rooms confirmed – as happened on the last weekend in November. Why this weekend? It’s palolo season, a Samoan seafood delicacy.

Just five minutes’ walk from the resort is a well-known site for palolo rising, an event which happens just once a year. Guests are roused at 4 am to be on the ocean before dawn to harvest palolo which disappear when the sun hits the water. Returning to the resort with their catch, chefs prepare the seafood and serve to guests on toast, resulting in a quiet afternoon around the resort as guests rest after their early start.

How did the guests know to book? Leonyra marketed it on Instagram and Facebook.

With few guests, Leonyra keeps the resort chefs productive by introducing inventive new avenues for their craft. Aga Reef doughnuts have become a highly prized staple in Apia, with free delivery every Thursday on the payroll run to town. Successfully using existing resources in different ways is a great example of adaptability in business. Combined with clever social media marketing, Aga Reef had presales of 11 boxes of a dozen doughnuts on the last Apia run. 

Acknowledging they aim only to keep their heads above water until the borders open, the team at Aga Reef are determined to survive the crisis. Using the time to develop their international brand while constantly learning new skills and coming to grips with new challenges, Leonyra believes BLP’s subsidy to be a real factor in Aga Reef’s future success.

Quality approved Business Link Pacific business advisors can offer advisory services at a discounted rate through the BLP subsidy service. Subsidies range from size based on the scale of the business and the services provided. An eligible company can apply for the BLP subsidy through an approved business advisor. 

BLP supports an extensive network of advisory partners across the pacific islands, who offer services in 15 different areas, including accounting, marketing, human resources, diversity and inclusion and business strategy. 

To get in contact with a BLP business advisor, businesses that employ 5 to 50 employees can use the free self-assessment online tools, such as the Business Health Check and the Continuity planner. Also, companies can book a free face-to-face consultation in the countries where BLP operates to go through the business diagnostic, a comprehensive assessment of business needs and opportunities. Based on the assessment results, a business is provided with a list of Business Advisory Service Providers that can help address relevant business needs.  

Visit Business Link Pacific Portal to use our free self-assessment online tools or book a local consultation in your country. Country contacts.