Stuart Gow

Current

Director at Marine Ecology Consulting
Hotel Management Consultant/Director at Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort
National Coordinator of DiveComm at Fiji Island Hotel and Tourism Association

Owner at Resort Support

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Past

General Manager at Tui Tai Adventure Cruises
Safety Management Consultant at Shangri-La Fijian Resort
Business Management Consultant at Beqa Adventure Divers

Operations Manager at Sea Saba Dive Centre
Cruise Director & Shore Operations Manager at Nai’a Cruises
Resort Consultant & Project Manager at Yasawa Island Resort (Sole Proprietorship)
Dive Operation Consultant at Captain Cook Cruises
Resort Manager at Marlin Bay Resort
Dive Operations Manager at Subsurface / Musket Cove Resort
Dive Operations Manager at Garden Island Resort/Aquatrek

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7 more...

Education

Penn Foster College
Fiji Institute of Technology
Divers Unlimited

The University of Glasgow

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Recommended

4 people have recommended Stuart

Connections

142 connections

Industry

Hospitality

Websites

Stuart Gow’s Summary

We help small-medium size tourism businesses during their development and growth, and have a range of services to assist you in times of change. Our approach enables just the right level of support to suit your own particular circumstances, so that you can achieve a higher level of consistency in product, service and profitability!

We provide individually tailored, practical and effective solutions suitable for small-medium size businesses, and have developed a range of packages to suit your specific needs.

Stuart Gow’s Specialties:

Resort Support was established in 1998 to fill a need within the tourism industry for outsourced expertise in management consulting, marketing solutions and business development in the context of small medium tourism properties in the Fiji Islands.

The team at Resort Support have been operating many different tourism products throughout the the Fiji Islands and the South Pacific, from dive shops to cruise ships, from hotels to resorts.

Stuart Gow’s Experience

Director

Marine Ecology Consulting

(Partnership; 1-10 employees; Environmental Services industry)

January 2006 — Present (3 years 11 months)

One of two Directors of the business.
Hotel Management Consultant/Director

Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort

(Hospitality industry)

April 2005 — Present (4 years 8 months)

Business Development Director to design and implement hotel solutions while coordinating 3 new Directors/Owners in Hotel Operations.
• Assisted in developing intial draft of Business Development Plan and 5 year financial projections
• Reduced costs and increased safety by designing & implementing new Food & Beverage Management System (including HACCAP)
• Increased occupancy by assiting, developing & implementing new Marketing Plan 2005-2006
National Coordinator of DiveComm

Fiji Island Hotel and Tourism Association

(Hospitality industry)

April 2005 — Present (4 years 8 months)

National Coordinator of the Fiji Island Hotel and Tourism Association Dive Sub Committee. This is Fiji's National industry body for all matters concerning the scuba diving industry.
Owner

Resort Support

(Management Consulting industry)

May 1998 — Present (11 years 7 months)

We help small-medium size tourism businesses during their development and growth, and have a range of services to assist them in times of change. Our approach enables just the right level of support to suit the client's particular circumstances, so that they can achieve a higher level of consistency in product, service and profitability!

We provide individually tailored, practical and effective solutions suitable for small-medium size businesses, and have developed a range of packages to suit their specific needs.

Resort Support was established in 1998 to fill a need within the tourism industry for outsourced expertise in management, marketing and development in the context of small medium tourism properties in the Fiji Islands.

The team at Resort Support have been operating many different tourism products throughout the the Fiji Islands and the South Pacific, from dive shops to cruise ships, from hotels to resorts.
General Manager

Tui Tai Adventure Cruises

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Hospitality industry)

April 2005 — July 2006 (1 year 4 months)

Senior Executive Manager responsible to Board of Directors for strategic planning, operations & crew of 36. Primary directive was business development & growth.
• Designed and project managed $1 million, 4 month refit of all accommodations/cabins on Tui Tai adventure cruise ship
• Increased on board sales and profit by designing & installing in-house dive operation on adventure cruise ship
• Reduced costs and increased safety by designing & implementing new Food & Beverage Management System (including HACCAP)
• Reduced accounts receivable by recommending and implementing MYOB Premier v9 including Payroll as Accounting system
• Increased occupancy from 62% 2005, to 84% 2006 (mean) by designing & implementing new Marketing Plan and Reservations System
Safety Management Consultant

Shangri-La Fijian Resort

(Public Company; 201-500 employees; Shang; Hospitality industry)

November 2003 — November 2004 (1 year 1 month)

Senior consultant and designer contracted to design and implement a custom proprietary Shangri-La Watersports Safety Management System (SWSMS)
• Achieved safety target within time and under budget
• Implemented and trained 28 staff in Fiji’s first structured Watersports Safety program
Business Management Consultant

Beqa Adventure Divers

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Leisure, Travel & Tourism industry)

July 2003 — November 2003 (5 months)

Contracted to develop the Business plan for a new dive centre as a specialist shark feeding operation
• Developed and implemented business plan and 5 year budget projection for dive centre within time and budget
Operations Manager

Sea Saba Dive Centre

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Leisure, Travel & Tourism industry)

March 2001 — December 2002 (1 year 10 months)

Management Team Member responsible for operations & Direct Reporting staff/crew of 6,
• Reduced costs and increased safety & efficiency by designing & implementing new Operations Management System
• Increased customer service level and satisfaction by leading HR Selection Team in recruiting new exemplary staff worldwide
Cruise Director & Shore Operations Manager

Nai’a Cruises

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Hospitality industry)

March 2000 — March 2001 (1 year 1 month)

Cruise Director in charge of Customer Service (with my partner) during 7 night cruises, managing crew of 16. During lay-up periods as Shore Operations Manager, responsible for project management of refits and Direct Reporting of shore crew of 8
• Significantly reduced costs by implementing new Ship Maintenance System
• Increased profit after installing in-house Nitrox/Tech Diving facilities by attracting new niche market segment & teaching courses
• Team Member managing Customer Service and promoting retention throughout Coup 2000 Crisis, successfully maintaining occupancy
Resort Consultant & Project Manager
Yasawa Island Resort (Sole Proprietorship)

(Sole Proprietorship; 11-50 employees; Hospitality industry)

November 1999 — March 2000 (5 months)

Contracted to design, build and operate a new dive centre in a remote 5 star luxury resort
• Designed and project managed 5 month construction, set-up and staff training for dive centre within time and budget in remote location
• Increased Resort sales and profit by designing & installing in-house dive operation
Dive Operation Consultant

Captain Cook Cruises

(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Hospitality industry)

May 1999 — October 1999 (6 months)

Senior consultant and designer contracted to design and implement a new on board dive centre on board MV Reef Escape (cruise ship)
• Authored and developed specific Dive Operations System and Manual
• Maximised customer service and on board profits through frequently offered dive opportunities.
Resort Manager

Marlin Bay Resort

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Hospitality industry)

October 1998 — April 1999 (7 months)

Resort Operations management, responsible for daily resort operations and managing 42 staff in all departments
• Increased efficiency and standard of service by systemising the staff structure into a hotel structure with Department Heads
Dive Operations Manager

Subsurface / Musket Cove Resort

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Leisure, Travel & Tourism industry)

May 1998 — September 1998 (5 months)

Sole consultant and designer contracted to design and implement a new dive centre at Musket Cove Resort for company. Management of daily operations of dive centre, 2 boats, staff of 5
• Designed and project managed 3 month rebuild of facility within time and under budget
• Implemented sales strategy and surpassed projected sales within 2 months of opening
Dive Operations Manager

Garden Island Resort/Aquatrek

(Partnership; 51-200 employees; Hospitality industry)

November 1996 — April 1998 (1 year 6 months)

Management of daily operations of dive centre, 26 divers daily, two 30-ft aluminium hulled boats, staff of 12
• Increased profit by installing in-house Nitrox and Tech Diving facilities by attracting new niche market segment
• Increased advanced bookings by marketing and upgrading of centre to PADI 5 star Gold Palm Resort Award
• Increased niche market bookings by installing Photo/Video facilities (E6 Slide processing and video-editing)

Stuart Gow’s Education

Penn Foster College

Diploma , Hotel and Restaurant Management , 2005 — 2006

- Marketing and Sales
- Hospitality Accounting, Cost Controls,
- Legal Aspects and Insurance
- Menu Planning
- Food Preparation,
- Restaurant and Banquet Service
- Food Service Sanitation, Purchasing and Storage
Fiji Institute of Technology

Class 5 Master , Deck, Certificate of Competency (Captain Licence), 80 tonnes Ocean , 2003 — 2003

IMO, STCW & FIMSA Class 5 Master,
Certificate of Competency (Captain Licence),
80 tonnes Ocean
Maritime Safety Certificate STCW 95 (Officer Class)

Activities and Societies:

School of Maritime Studies
Divers Unlimited

OWSI , PADI Scuba Instruction , 1994 — 1995

Current Instructor PADI (since 1995) - IDC Staff Instructor
Specialities; Photography, Videography, Night, Deep, Wreck, Equipment, EANx, Oxygen Provider)
Current TDI Rebreather and Nitrox Instructor
Current DAN Oxygen Provider Instructor
ANDI Nitrox/Enriched Air Instructor (since 1997)
ANDI Nitrox Service Technician and Gas Blender
Sea & Sea Camera Field Service Technician
PSI Visual Tank Inspector Instructor (only one in Fiji)
The University of Glasgow

B.Eng. , Civil Engineering , 1987 — 1991

4 year Honours degree specializing in Civil Engineering.

Activities and Societies:

University of Glasgow & Strathclyde Air Squadron 1987-1990, GU Kayak Club 1988-1991, GUU