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.