October 2018 Archives - Pacific Edge Magazine

Jerry Gibson

Nov 19, 2018

More and more travelers are seeking authentic, localized experiences—what’s your strategy for staying relevant in the marketplace?

Guests have the place nearly to themselves as they walk or ride a horse along the beach or play golf in this beautiful setting—that’s a big part of our experience. There’s no other resort in Hawai‘i that can rival our four and a half miles of coastline, surf breaks and available acreage for sustainable projects.

We’re also very activity based—in addition to surfing experiences and golf amenities, we have everything from mountain bike trail riding to helicopters to glass-bottom kayaks.

We recently added a new canine ambassador to our team, a six-month-old Labrador named Pono. People love animals and miss their pets when they’re away from them on vacation, so when they come here they have a fast friend. As soon as he matures a little bit and is well trained, he’s going to be hiking trails with our guests and following along on their horseback rides. Any time he goes into the lobby, he’s swarmed by guests who have seen him on social media. He’s gotten more likes on Facebook than any of us ever will.

Have these curated experiences always been a part of the picture at Turtle Bay?

The resort has always done a good job of offering experiential activities, but we keep adding to them and have a lot more to go. We’re looking at ropes courses and other guest-involvement activities, such as sustainable agriculture experiences.

We have some very good farmers on the land, and I think we’re about three to five years away from getting our guests involved in that as part of the visitor experience. Imagine eating a pizza made with basil, tomatoes and spices that you picked yourself on property. It’s a very simple thing, but there’s a lot of interest now in experiences like that.

How does the Hawai‘i market different from other places you’ve lived and worked?

I don’t think there’s anything in the world even close to the spirit that’s here in Hawai‘i. I was with Hyatt hotels for 28 years and then Hilton for 10, operating hotels in New York, Las Vegas, Chicago and Monterey off and on but always returning to Hawai‘i.

What’s your take on the rise in popularity of short-term rentals like Airbnb and how have they impacted the resort business?

There’s certainly a place for Airbnb and short-term rentals, but right now it’s like the Wild Wild West. Tourism now is everywhere—even businesses that aren’t directly involved in tourism are affected by it.
Short-term rentals provide accommodations without the service and amenities, and there’s definitely room for that. But I think travelers who are seeking personalized experiences and high-level service will continue to choose hotels and resorts. And visitor expectations will only grow as short-term rentals become taxed and regulated like those of us in the hotel business.

Any other trends or dynamics in the industry?

We have to keep in mind is that we have two, perhaps three, main economic drivers in Hawai‘i—tourism, the military and, at times, construction—so sustainability of all three is very important. If we take our foot off the pedal in tourism, for example, and fail to market Hawai‘i properly, it’s very easy to lose that sustainability. We’ve had a pretty good run the last seven years, but we have to make sure we’re taking care of our parks and the natural environment and constantly refresh and maintain what it is we’re selling. If we do all these things in conjunction with our marketing arms HTA and HVCB, then I think we’ll have a sustainable industry into the future.

In what way is tourism a fragile industry?

People have so many choices in terms of tourist destinations, so Hawai‘i has to stay on top of its game and remind travelers worldwide about Hawai‘i. That means taking care of our environment, keeping a shine on the natural gifts we have here and sustaining the hospitality centers in order to make sure we’re always viable in the eyes of visitors. It takes a lot to want to get on an airplane and come here, so we need to give people a good reason to make that effort.

Robin Graf

Nov 19, 2018

You’ve held management positions for both local companies as well as global brands. How do those experiences compare?

I was fortunate enough to start my 30-year career in Hawai‘i tourism and hospitality with Hyatt Hotels when the Hyatt Regency Waikoloa opened. The individuals brought in for this first-ever destination-style resort were incredible, so I was learning from the very best in the industry. Most of the global brands doing business here in Hawai‘i have adopted a local style, but they’re more likely to rotate people in and out of Hawai‘i, which can cause issues if they don’t have an understanding of the local culture.

Local brands have a different personality to them. The majority of the individuals working at Castle are either from Hawai‘i or have lived in Hawai‘i for many years. Castle is also not very top-heavy, meaning we don’t have floors of executives. It’s a much more intimate culture with less layers of executive management to maneuver through. We are very competitive and driven to succeed, but we have more of a relaxed approach at Castle.

More and more travelers are seeking authentic, localized experiences—what’s your strategy for staying relevant in the marketplace?

Know your customer. We have a wide customer base who all expect and want different experiences: active millennial travelers, business travelers, sports teams, young families, multigenerational families and beyond. I believe the best way to help our customers find what they’re looking for is to encourage our property team to share their experiences. Our team members are the best ambassadors we have.

Customers select their accommodations primarily on location, price and amenities. The savvy traveler already has an idea of what they want to do once they arrive, but since most of our team members were born and raised in the islands, they’re ready to share a favorite plate-lunch spot, hike, beach or music venue. Being able to talk story with a local and hear how they spend their time here are all part of bringing our guests a more authentic experience during their stay.

How has Hawai‘i’s visitor demographic evolved over the course of your career? What are some initiatives you’ve spearheaded or overseen to reach and engage this new demographic?

Travel has become much more affordable over the last several decades, which has truly affected the type of customers coming to Hawai‘i. More and more people who, at one time, could never afford to come to Hawai‘i—young adults, middle income families—are now visiting the islands. We’ve seen real growth in our Asian markets, especially Japan.

Japanese customers are booking online, through vacation rental sites and staying in vacation homes, whereas before they were heavily influenced by the travel companies on where to stay—landing them primarily in hotels, and specific ones at that. That’s all changed and we’re seeing it in the Korean market and Chinese markets as well.

Back in early 2000, I was heavily involved in increasing the Japan market to the Big Island. This was a huge boom at the time, especially for the Kohala Coast. I was also president of the Big Island Group, a marketing organization that partnered with American Express Publishing to create the Big Island Festival, combining several long-standing food and wine events into a multi-day food, wine, music and cultural event spread amongst the Kohala Coast hotels. We had Food & Wine’s best new chefs as well as our local celebrity chefs and wine sommeliers. We even had food competitions in an Iron Chef format, with Chef Morimoto as the facilitator. This really helped bring awareness to the local food scene at a time when Hawai‘i wasn’t considered an epicurean adventure.

What advice do you have for the next generation of hospitality leaders?

Communicate, communicate and communicate—to your team, your guests, your owners. For your team, set the expectations, hold your team accountable to those expectations and know that there will be mistakes along the way.

Respond immediately if a customer has an issue because a problem that goes neglected can become a disaster. Keep your owners informed of the good as well as the bad. This is a tough business, and there are times you will fall short of expectations—be honest about it.

At the same time, this job can be thankless, so when praise is due, don’t be afraid to promote your success—just do it in a way that praises your entire operation and team. If you won’t do a certain job, how can you expect one of your team members to do it? I always like to say that my title just tells me where I’m supposed to show up in the morning. Don’t be afraid to jump in now and then to help.

Peter Ingram

Nov 19, 2018

What are some of the most game-changing consumer trends you’ve observed during your time at Hawaiian Airlines?

In the 14 years I’ve been at Hawaiian, travelers have become more savvy and discerning. They have more choices than ever before when choosing where to take their next vacation, and they’re equipped with more and better information about their travel options thanks to technology that puts a world of information at their fingertips. All of this makes air travel much less of a commodity than it used to be.

Hawai‘i is also a very competitive market, and we believe consumers are increasingly placing a premium on value and the quality of their flight experience when they visit our islands. That is why as Hawai‘i’s destination airline, we tailor all aspects of our business to serve the needs of Hawai‘i’s visitors and kama‘aina, and offer customized products in recognition of the fact that different guests value different amenities. We spend a lot of time refining our product offerings, increasing comfort in our aircraft, making our network more robust and enhancing our services to ensure we exceed our guests’ expectations and provide a memorable experience that will keep them coming back.

How have you navigated expansion in the Asia-Pacific region? What global dynamics have affected business in this area?

Our expansion in the Asia-Pacific region has been tremendously successful, and it validates the appeal of our brand and of the Hawaiian Islands. Japan, our largest source of international visitors, is a perfect example. Just eight short years ago, we didn’t serve Japan. Today, we are the second largest U.S. carrier on the busy Japan-Hawai‘i route, operating over 20 weekly wide-body flights from Tokyo, Sapporo and Osaka. We compete against much larger carriers, and our success demonstrates that our Hawaiian brand is resonating with travelers in Japan and in other markets on the Asian continent.

What advancements in the digital space have had the biggest impact on the airline industry? What strategies, approaches, or technologies are you utilizing to stay ahead of the curve?

The internet has completely changed how air travel is marketed and sold. A generation ago, airlines had limited ability to explain their products and services directly to consumers. Travel agencies were the prevalent intermediary between airlines and their customers, and this created a situation where it was hard to explain to the end consumer the different products and services that airlines offer. Now we sell over half of our tickets on our website, where guests can learn directly from us about our products, services and amenities. They don’t need to seek out an intermediary unless they find value in working with a travel agent. This direct information allows us to better explain the value in products like our popular extra-comfort seats, or how our lie-flat premium cabins differ from other airlines’ front cabins.

More recently, mobile technology has emerged as the primary way consumers connect with airlines between trips. This enables a lot of new ways for us to get information to consumers in real time, which can be particularly helpful with the day-of-travel experience. We’re in the midst of a significant investment in a new mobile app that will vastly change our capabilities in this regard.

How would you describe your leadership style? What does it take to be an effective leader?

I try to lead by example. I don’t think a leader should ask people to do anything that they wouldn’t do themselves. I also understand that, as an enterprise the size of Hawaiian, we can only succeed as a team. What we do as an airline requires careful choreography of every element of the business, and we are only as good as our weakest link.

Leanne Pletcher

Nov 19, 2018

How has Hawai‘i’s visitor demographic evolved in recent years?

Given the improvement in accessibility to Hawai‘i through increased flights from Asia, Oceania and Europe, we’ve witnessed a surge in international visitors.

More and more travelers are seeking authentic, localized experiences—what’s your strategy for staying relevant in the marketplace?

The most effective ways to stay relevant are to stay in close contact with industry partners and maintain a healthy level of curiosity about trends in the Hawaiian marketplace.

This trend of seeking localized experiences seems to be all about finding a personal connection with the place you are visiting. Another great tactic is experiencing the local lifestyle firsthand or learning about it through a journalist or social media influencer’s perspective.

What are some of the marketing programs you’ve spearheaded to reach and engage this new demographic?

Our marketing efforts are primarily in collaboration with the Hawai‘i Visitors & Convention Bureau, which currently includes a culturally based “Hawaii Rooted” campaign and a New York initiative targeting millennials. Our marketing advisory committee, which is made up of marketing executives from our resort and activity partners, also helps direct our marketing efforts with their firsthand experiences and expertise.

In conjunction with our social media messaging, we’re launching a new “Did You Know” campaign to help keep our community informed of our current tourism initiatives. With the evolution of media from traditional journalism to that of social media influencers, we’re also creating strategies to balance our messaging among digital, print and social media platforms.

What advice do you have for the next generation of hospitality leaders?

Be flexible, open-minded, engaging and learn to accept change. Stay grounded and focused—listen to what other hospitality partners are experiencing in relation to their guests. Take advantage of opportunities to interact one-on-one with visitors and media.

In my experience, Hawai‘i has a very special way of connecting people, where you get the true sensation that we live in a small world. The discovery process of finding those connections is all part of the journey.

Through the years, I’ve been extremely fortunate to engage with TV production crews, journalists, media and hospitality industry executives, visitors and coworkers, which has helped provide great support and connections.

What other trends and industry dynamics have you observed doing communications and marketing for the tourism industry?

It’s been refreshing and inspiring to see the efforts to connect visitors with not only the local culture but also the environment through sustainability messaging and voluntourism opportunities.

With the continued transition from print to digital communications, including the rise of online booking, review sites and social media, everyone has a voice now. The expectation of immediate responses to questions and instant access to comments and reviews has reshaped marketing and communication efforts within the tourism industry. Hospitality and activity companies are also creating more and more brands and experiences to help satisfy all of the new curiosities and expectations of visitors.

Scott Head

Nov 19, 2018

More and more travelers are seeking authentic, localized experiences—what’s your strategy for staying relevant in the marketplace?

Waikoloa Beach Resort has been an industry-leading resort destination for decades, providing culturally significant and locally based experiences. As we’ve grown and evolved, the resort’s offerings have increased and improved. Our resort provides recreational activities, helicopter tours on property and two shopping centers offering a full slate of cultural activities, local entertainment and locally owned and operated stores featuring made-in-Hawai‘i products. Waikoloa is also home to a 5,000-person outdoor amphitheater that plays host to hula competitions and performances in addition to world-class concerts and entertainers. And I can assure you that no other resort destination in Hawai‘i exceeds our food and beverage offerings, which are 29 and counting, most of them owned and operated by local F&B professionals. With all of these offerings at your fingertips, Waikoloa Beach Resort is able to remain a relevant and sought-out destination on Hawai‘i Island.

How has Hawai‘i’s visitor demographic evolved over the course of your career? What are some initiatives you’ve spearheaded or overseen to reach and engage this new demographic?

I’m not sure the demographic has changed all that much. Hawai‘i’s bread-and-butter visitor is coming from the West Coast and Japan. Many are repeat visitors over the course of their lifetime. This older demographic prefers to stay on the resort property, enjoying the offerings within arm’s reach. However, we’re also seeing younger, more adventurous travelers who are seeking activities on and off the resort. To better service this demographic, Waikoloa Beach Resort brings in a wide spectrum of exciting cultural and entertainment opportunities.

What other trends and industry dynamics have you observed over the course of your career? Anything specific to golf operations?

The biggest is the way travelers and visitors consume goods, services, media and information. Technology has changed every facet of our lives and has certainly changed the way people plan their vacations and interact with a destination. Golf’s biggest trend is the growing competition from other activities for one’s time and dollars. The experiential traveler is seeking activities that aren’t readily available at home. As a result, tourists are playing less golf.

What does it take to be an effective leader? How would you describe your leadership style?

Assemble and retain a good team, which is not as simple as it sounds. I’ve been blessed to work with a team of dedicated and competent professionals at Waikoloa, and as a result we’ve enjoyed many successes, even when the economy was in the doldrums. I consider myself a dynamic leader because I’ve had to adapt my leadership style to the environment, situation and individual.

Any predictions or new developments in the pipeline?

Despite recent short-term setbacks, like the volcanic eruption, I believe tourism in Hawai‘i Island is well positioned for long-term sustainable growth. Waikoloa Beach Resort will continue to welcome visitors looking to enjoy engaging experiences that our resort and this island have to offer. The future looks promising!

Matthew Grauso

Nov 19, 2018

More and more travelers are seeking authentic, localized experiences—what’s your strategy for staying relevant in the marketplace?

The very land on which ‘Alohilani resides is the site of Queen Lili‘uokalani’s summer cottage, so our property is dedicated to Queen Lili‘uokalani and her love and passion for Hawai‘i.

Our goal is to honor her legacy by presenting a modern-day ahupua‘a to a global audience. For example, we’ve partnered with the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative to add a one-time five-dollar tree fee to each guest stay in direct support of HLRI’s initiative to plant 100,000 indigenous hardwood trees and restore Hawai‘i’s natural ecosystem.

Our core values of being gracious, authentic and bold were designed to keep us locally rooted yet foster an internal culture of taking risks. By being bold, we will always find success. When a new program works, we thrive and build upon it. If we fail, we fail forward and evolve. Our associates are bringing a service swagger yet to be seen in Waikiki.

Highgate is at the tip of the spear in utilizing technology and data collection for revenue management. Can you share any findings that have been applied to operations at ‘Alohilani?

Technology has played a pivotal role in Highgate’s growth and success through the years and given us a head start over our competitors, particularly through our revenue management and trend-predicting proprietary software. We have tremendous respect for our online travel partners and continue to invest in technology so that we’re the easiest to do business with, including offering direct connectivity to our reservations system.

From a guest-experience standpoint, we are welcoming the first Relay robot to Waikiki. It’s a robot programed to deliver items to guest’s rooms upon request. This is an amazing guest experience powered by technology that we’re very excited about.

What other trends and industry dynamics have you observed over the course of your career in hotel management?

After 21 years in the industry, working primarily in New York City and the Hawaiian Islands, the biggest shifts I’ve seen have been the advances in communication and technology. Hotels are now challenged to keep things personalized even with technology, and that trend will continue.

What’s very interesting to me is the evolution of guest’s tastes and expectations. Where before it was about brand loyalty, now it’s all about the unique experiences and offerings at specialty resorts.

‘Alohilani is set up perfectly to capitalize on this. Not having the restrictions of large brand guidelines allows us to be extremely nimble. Even with Airbnb expanding our industry, the guest desire to be pampered and serviced has actually grown in our favor.

Today’s travelers value experiences and opportunities to seize the moment. They don’t wait for the weekend to enjoy life. Offering exciting and unexpected gathering places allows them to capture those social media-worthy moments.

The one constant in the industry is that it’s all about people. Take care of them and they will deliver on all levels.

What does it take to be an effective leader? How would you describe your leadership style?

I only know one way to live—with passion. That goes for every aspect of my life, from my family and friends to my faith and profession. Living each day with passion and focusing on why I do what I do allows me to overcome any challenge and bring a high level of energy to the operation. It’s a big motivator for your team to see that passion.

And even though our business is very demanding, I also respect the need for work-life balance and do my very best to ensure my team members have it. Life is short, so my approach is to work hard and live hard.

Jason Young

Nov 19, 2018

How has the Roberts Hawaii business or consumer demographic evolved over the course of your career?

Roberts Hawaii is one of the few local companies with strong family ties to the original owners, the Iwamoto family. Though it has become more than a tour company in the hospitality industry and merged into an employer of choice within the state, we still honor our mission statement of providing quality transportation, tours and entertainment in a safe and service-focused manner, delivered by employees who perpetuate the unique culture of Hawai‘i.

In the time since I’ve joined the company, we have expanded to include an airport express that does transfers to and from the hotel. We run our rental car passenger vehicles within the airport in close collaboration with the customs department and created a very high-end offering called the Hoku Luxury Tours. We still have our long-running dinner show, the Magic of Polynesia, and we provide constant shuttles to and from various attractions on four major islands.

We also operate 85 percent of the Department of Education school buses and assist with mass transit on the neighbor islands. We’ve grown our fleets to consist of motor coaches, mini buses, mini vans and school buses, and I’ve helped our Japan sales team increase their business and customer service.

What other trends and industry dynamics have you observed over the course of your career?

We live in a highly technological world where Instagram, Facebook and Twitter rule many customers’ decisions on what to do on their vacation. People rely on social media and things like Yelp reviews to see what is hot and trending, and we see Roberts Hawaii moving in that direction.

What does it take to be an effective leader?

Practicing active listening with your employees and their needs. I feel I am a good communicator and a good mediator between our executive-level and line employees. “Lokahi,” which means teamwork, is one of our key values that we preach every day and something I practice with all my team members.

I have always been fortunate to be around successful people with strong leadership skills. Being a self-starter, owning a business and learning what it takes to make that business work takes leadership to a whole different level. When you depend upon employees to manage your business, you look at things differently. Trust is a huge part of developing a team and that takes a long time to accomplish, but if you coach, educate, communicate effectively and listen to people, the outcome can be a positive experience.

How would you describe your leadership style?

Straightforward and to the point. I like to give my team achievable goals and make sure that I am available if they need my help to achieve them. I like to surround myself with people who have qualities that make me better at my job and, with that synergy, we all benefit by creating a winning team.

Any predictions or new developments at Roberts Hawaii in the pipeline?

I can’t reveal anything yet, but we are currently working on some new ventures that will position Roberts Hawaii to become a leader in the transportation business for visitors coming to Hawai‘i.

Allison Tomisato Alves

Nov 19, 2018

More and more travelers are seeking authentic, localized experiences—what’s your strategy for staying relevant in the marketplace?

I’m focused on telling authentic stories and sharing each of our islands’ unique identities. Videography is the best way to share this, in the most genuine way possible. Drawing narrative inspiration from travelogues to bloggers to our own local storytellers, compelling video will inspire travelers of now and of the future. Content also has to respect our sense of place.

Can you give some examples of the marketing programs or digital initiatives you’ve spearheaded?

I’ve been fortunate to partner with creatives who bring Hawai‘i to life. From videographers or photographers to cultural influencers, these storytellers have a unique perspective of Hawai‘i and hold a tremendous amount of credibility.

Our recent partnership with the company Create & Cultivate gathered Hawai‘i-based female creatives to discuss entrepreneurship and innovation, and how travel helps to inspire both. By highlighting local small business owners, we bring these types of programs to our larger audiences and see the stories that result from shared collaboration.

Today, the marketing world leads with a digital-first approach, but that same digital content is based on in-person connections and experiences. Digital initiatives are intended to inspire more personalized connections and experiences. Marriott Traveler, for example, offers a digital platform of online editorial content that travelers can trust. We’ve used it as a global platform to share our favorite Hawai‘i stories with a larger audience and offer visibility to small business owners, local artisans and chefs.

What advice do you have for the next generation of hospitality leaders?

Read and draw inspiration from other industries—especially technology! Experimentation and falling forward are natural parts of the creative process, and the best ideas come from trial and error. No one understands this better than the tech industry. I read Wired and Fast Company.

Travel. In an industry that’s on 24/7 and 365 days a year, it can be hard to escape, but I think that exploring domestic and international destinations is key for career growth. It’s particularly exciting to explore the hotels and resorts of Asia, in cities that are balancing major economic growth with eons of cultural history.

Explore professional development outside the hospitality industry. Whether volunteering with nonprofits or participating in a professional program such as the Pacific Century Fellows, expanding your network beyond the tourism industry is vital.

What other trends and industry dynamics have you observed doing branding and marketing for the tourism industry?

I’m closely following the inclusion of technology in the guest experience. This evolution is balanced by hospitality’s innate love of personalized connections, and I’m excited to see how technology enables those personalized connections instead of replacing them. As social media continues to evolve, efforts have become much more dynamic. Social media enables us to increase touch points with our guests via technology and ultimately ensure we surprise and delight them.

I’m passionate about redefining what luxury means. We’ve moved beyond luxury as white-glove service to a new form of modern luxury, with hyper-personalized, intuitive service that anticipates a guest’s needs. Modern luxury is no longer defined by physical assets—it’s now about spaces that allow for private moments and connections, and extraordinary experiences that are curated and highly coveted.

There’s no greater luxury than the time you spend creating unforgettable memories with family and friends. I’m excited to see that trend continue to evolve in the next generation of luxury travelers. From a marketing perspective, our greatest challenge is to determine programming that creates these indelible moments.

Doug Sears

Nov 19, 2018

More and more travelers are seeking authentic, localized experiences—what’s your strategy for staying relevant in the marketplace?

Our strategy is to focus on culture and a sense of place. The main responsibility of our director of Hawaiian culture and community relations, Ku‘uipo Kumukahi, is to make sure we keep our cultural consciousness ever present in all that we do with our Hyatt ‘ohana and our visitors. Here at Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa, we have a rich history to preserve and communicate. This is a continuous journey, and there is always more to achieve.

How has Hawai‘i’s visitor demographic evolved over the course of your career? What are some initiatives you’ve spearheaded or overseen to reach and engage this new demographic?

We have continued to increase our mix of international clientele over the years. I go back to our initiatives that are based in creating authentic Hawaiian experiences as the foundation for engaging any demographic we try to reach.

What other trends and industry dynamics have you observed over the course of your career?

The hospitality delivery focus of our industry over the years has been increasingly difficult, as financial returns have become more challenging with the increased costs of doing business. Striking a balance between returns and service and product can be very delicate and precarious for our industry as a whole.

What does it take to be an effective leader? How would you describe your leadership style?

We were given two ears and only one mouth for a reason. The more we listen, the more empathetic we become, and the more we learn what our stakeholders need from us to be good leaders. I don’t have all the answers, so I enjoy collaborating with my team knowing we can all be comfortable sharing our points of view. Of course, at the end of the day, if no one agrees, it’s up to me to lead our team to the best decision.

Any predictions or new developments in the pipeline?

As we move forward, we fully know and understand that our Hawaiian and local community must be an integral part of our future plans and development. We have begun to develop a relationship with our neighboring Kaimuki High School, which has a Hospitality Academy with a Hawaiian-based curriculum.

To provide authentic content to the visitor industry, we are now home to the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame and showcase live performances by the inductees. We are also developing a sense-of-place curriculum for our contractors and are in the early talk-story stage of reforesting native Hawaiian trees in partnership with the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative.

Gary Hogan

Nov 16, 2018

More and more travelers are seeking authentic, localized experiences—what’s your strategy for keeping your properties relevant in the marketplace?
Larger hotel chains can sometimes be limited by a standardized model, but we have the advantage of emphasizing the uniqueness of each of our properties. We don’t use a cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we identify what makes each property unique and leverage those strengths to create one-of-a-kind experiences.

We recently hosted a tennis camp at Royal Lahaina Resort’s tennis ranch with professional power players Michael and Bob Bryan, considered the greatest doubles team in the history of tennis.

The Bryan brothers were joined by legendary doubles player Tom Gullikson, offering an exclusive experience for tennis enthusiasts.

At Royal Kona Resort overlooking the beautiful Kona Coast, our 10th annual Mai Tai Festival held in August has become a signature experience for our guests and brings in bartenders and mixologists from around the world.

Hogan Hospitality Group has a long history of owning and managing its resorts. Can you talk a little about this owner-centric approach to hotel management and how that makes the company unique?
My parents, Ed and Lynn Hogan, were pioneers in Hawai‘i’s travel industry as the founders of Pleasant Travel Service, launched in 1959 and later known as Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays. They instilled many values that our company holds dear today, including treating our employees as family. We’re proud to have one of the lowest turnover rates in Hawai‘i’s hospitality industry. Many of our employees have been with us for decades—some upwards of 50 years. We have built a culture of trust and open communication that fosters high performance and has become integral to our signature brand of hospitality.

As an independent, privately owned local hotel company, how do you remain competitive with large hotel companies and global brands?
It all comes back to our employees and the hospitality they provide. They make our guests feel welcome and provide a positive experience that keeps many of our visitors coming back again and again. As owners, we are able to control every aspect of our business in order to provide guests with the greatest value, which is why we don’t charge resort fees or high markups in our sundries stores. We keep our guests top of mind in every decision we make.

Further, we have developed a highly skilled and trusted sales team with exceptional global relationships with travel agents, wholesalers and online travel agencies. Our sales team is constantly canvassing the U.S. as well as internationally to spread our message with our industry partners. Staying front of mind with accurate messaging is critically important in celebrating our great product, service and team of employees.

What’s your take on the rise in popularity of short-term rentals and in what ways has it impacted the full-service resort business?
While short-term rentals have risen in popularity in certain markets, they are missing the hospitality, service and overall experience that full-service resorts provide. Our biggest market is families, so we offer services and amenities that make it easy for multiple generations, from grandparents to grandchildren, to enjoy their time with us. When planning their vacation, many people seek out the convenience of having everything under one roof, which is exactly why we’ve seen record growth over the past few years, even with a rise in competition.

Any industry predictions or new developments in the pipeline?
Visitors to Hawai‘i, and travelers in general, are much more educated and proactive thanks to the wealth of information available at their fingertips. People do their research and consult review sites to find accommodations with a great location, unique experiences and convenient amenities.

This means hotels must embrace traditional and new ways of reaching their target market—working with travel agents and wholesalers as we have in the past, while also marketing directly to customers through digital ads, email promotions and social media. With competition from short-term rentals and other lodging options, it’s important for every property to be able to communicate its differentiators to potential guests.

Jerry Gibson

Robin Graf

Peter Ingram

Leanne Pletcher

Scott Head

Matthew Grauso

Jason Young

Allison Tomisato Alves

Doug Sears

Gary Hogan

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