Owning our future From Alan Hopping

In terms of the future, Alan Hopping is not short on ideas. They come streaming out; but there are a number that are well on the way to reality. Getting there is not a smooth journey. It’s costly in every way. But the ideas have power and when a reality, will bring fulfi lment and pride to this community. Plans are to host 100,000 visitors a year. This might seem like a big number, but before Covid, The Lost Spring was attracting 60,000 a year and growing by 12,000 each year. It comes down to 320 visitors a day. “Sometimes we have had 800 visitors in a day – close to our highest visitor number,” says Alan. “We can return to our pre covid numbers and come back stronger but the best is to level out the visitor numbers to be consistent and provide an even fl ow for most of the year. We are passionate about our point of difference. The ambience is Pacifica and the experience of Spa and Dining must be luxurious for all our guests.” We need to make it through this difficult time. What we are working to achieve by the end of this year will be a challenge. Planning the detail and the work of the engineers is critical just now to have everything ready for when the better weather comes and the visitors return. Looking at other fi gures for Day Spas in New Zealand, Hamner Springs in the South Island attracted 600,000 visitors pre-covid, and Polynesian Pools in Rotorua had 380,000 visitors a year. Alan and the team at The Lost Spring are working hard on some enhancements and renovations to made every visitor’s experience world class. The Lost Spring has three projects in tandem and the fi rst one and closest one to completion is The Luxury Day Spa and Lounge. This has several components all coming together at the one time. - A separate reception area specifically for Spa clientele which will ease the pressure on the current space. It will enable visitors to enjoy their welcome and to browse the Pure Fiji product range in the new reception. - Access to the Tree Top Spa will be easier – a lift is now in place. - The New Luxury Day Spa and Lounge with its clam-shaped pool will have access by lift and be a complete luxury experience. - Art Gallery - Pacifica Theme. This is not a short-term project. It has been in the planning for a long time and will take more than a few months to complete. The gallery will be a vertical construction with an enlarged dining area over and above the current Function Centre. A feature that is part of the Art Gallery, and which Alan is very enthusiastic about, will be a suspended ’74 Corvette fl ying through a blue orb towards a starry infi nity. (You need to use your imagination until you see it.) “We will refer to it as. ‘Our space car’,” muses Alan. All of this is committed to a tranquil and luxurious environment for 100,000 visitors a year and it will be accomplished within the footprint of our current buildings. With the way everyone feels, we need to be talking about a new tomorrow. We all need a brighter future. It is part of me to want to change things right now - I don’t cope well living with mediocrity and most of us don’t. It could be seen as selfi sh, but I need to stimulate my daily life. If it helps others, so be it.