Blog & Features

Aipono Awards 2025

Aipono Awards 2025, Kapalua Maui This past weekend, we joined Maui No Ka Oi Magazine at the annual Ai Pono Awards Gala hosted at the Ritz Carlton Kapalua. As a strong proponent of workforce development, we were proud to support local talent in pursuing the hospitality industry by awarding six students scholarships! MHLA awarded...

Meet our Member Max Novena, The Sentry, PGA TOUR

Max Novena had a passionate, competitive spirit for sports since he was child. He learned early on, “The next best thing to being a pro-athlete is to sit next to it.” After working many internships, collegiate sports and even for the National Hockey League, the world of golf seemed to be a natural step. Twenty-five years later, as the...

Meet Desiree Vida of Dependable Hawaiian Express

Twenty-five years ago, Desiree Vida started working at Dependable Hawaiian Express (DHX), as a receptionist after graduating Maui High School. She credits her uncle, who had already been working for DHX, for introducing her to the family friendly work environment she still calls her second home. After working in every department of the...

Meet Herb Tedebjork of Premier Restoration

Meet Herb Tedebjork, the newly appointed, Business Development Manager of our member, Premier Restoration! We asked Herb to introduce himself with a few pointed questions:

Spotlight: Christine Christensen

Christine, otherwise known as “Bini”, Christensen, has been the stable rock of Maui Hotel and Lodging Association since taking on the Membership & Events position in 2015. Her hardworking nature, competitive edge and heart for the island became immediately apparent with her improvement of the statewide Visitor Industry Charity...

Meet the New GM of Hana Resort, Maui

We recently gained a new Hotel Manager of the renown Hana Resort. We asked Ryan Parker to introduce himself and give some insight on his career background that led to Maui. Here is what he had to say: One could say I’ve always been inspired to be a world traveler and a hotelier. I spent my childhood...

Scholarship Spotlight: Jacelyn Yun

Every year, Maui Hotel & Lodging Association selects scholarship recipients from three different programs that our memberships provide to Maui based students. This year, over thirty-five outstanding individuals were given a scholarship...

Meet Kohola Brewery, a Surviving Lahaina Business

We recently had a new member join the association, Kohola Brewery. They are already in partnership with another member of ours, Kona Brewing Company, which made this an easy relationship to discuss. With the wake of the fires, many stepped up to help others in need, including business to business support that Kona...

ClimbHI LEI Event Recap & Album

On April 4, 2024, we attended the 12th Annual LEI Program put on by ClimbHI and hosted at the Fairmont Kea Lani. Students from across the county attended to hear from leaders of Maui County and experience first hand what working in the hotels might entail. We were honored to have spoken to these students along side Senator Lynn DeCoite, County of Maui Chief of Staff, Leo Caires, Kono Davis...

Member Feature: Manaʻo Radio

At the top of the new year, we sat down with Michael Elam of Manaʻo Radio, one of our newer members, to learn about what Manaʻo Radio offers to Maui, what their goals are and how our association can bridge any gaps. Being Mana’o Radio is purely staffed and operated by volunteers, it is remarkable how long this...

Pilina Bar Pre-Opening Reception Recap

Last night, we attended the Pre-Opening Reception for Pilina Lobby Bar, at the Fairmont Kea Lani Resort in Wailea. General Manager, Michael Pye, Director of Food & Beverage, Tom Houston, and Executive Chef, Michael Lafaro, welcomed both the new Pilina Bar & Restaurant and its new General Manager, Cameron Hall with a Hawaiian pule...

Member Feature: Southwest Airlines

WAILUKU, MAUI – In the wake of the fires on August 8th, MHLA reached out to many contacts to help evacuation efforts as soon as possible. One of the first to respond to the call was Southwest Airlines on August 9th. They immediately lowered fares for tickets leaving Maui down to $19 a seat, helping many surviving visitors and...

Hawaii Tourism Authority Conference Recap

On October 2nd and 3rd, MHLA joined industry leaders at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu. While anticipated statistics from the airlines, cruise lines and international spending numbers were presented in HTA’s

Tales of Kapa Moe Recap & Album

On July 11, 2023, we were honored to join the Ritz-Carlton Maui at the unveiling of its latest offering, Tales of the Kapa Moe, a brand-new lūʻau and dinner show. Revealing elegant choreography and creativity, this beautiful performance gives a unique touch to the traditional lūʻau in the open-air ambience of the Ritz-Carlton pavilion. With at least five different poke bar options,...

Olakino Wellness Experience Feature

This summer, we’ve spent some time at our member’s newest additions, including pavilions, shows, renovations, and pools like this one; the Olakino Wellness Experience. The Wailea Beach Resort introduced a one-of-a-kind adult poolside in 2023 “for the health and vitality of the body.” The rock-wall enclosed sanctuary...

Maui Health Active Attacker & Stop the Bleed Training Recap

On June 27, 2023, we attended Maui Health’s Active Attacker/Stop the Bleed Training at the Maui Memorial Medical Center. Directed by Cameron Rogers, the Trauma Injury Prevention & Outreach Coordinator, MHLA was invited to learn the “Run, Hide, Fight” methods to survive potential attacks and methods of blood loss prevention, especially that of bullet or stab wounds. While this...

Kapalua Wine and Food Festival Recap & Album

On June 10, 2023, we attended the 42nd annual Kapalua Wine & Food Festival at the Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua. The Grand Tasting, held that Saturday night, feaured wine, spirits and beers from around the world and pupu style tasting plates from chefs across the island. This year’s line up of tasting hosts and vendor samplings included: Champagne Louis...

Ag Fest and Livestock Fair Recap & Album

On June 3, 2023, we attended the 14th annual Ag Fest & 4H Livestock Fair at the War Memorial Complex in Wailuku. MHLA once again sponsored the Maui Legacy Farmers Pancake Breakfast, supporting Fairmont Kea Lani and their Executive Chef Michael Lofaro’s classic meal of pancakes, breakfast sausage, scrambled eggs, Maui Gold Pineapples, and Maui OMA Coffee. Alakaʻi Paleka, KPOA radio...

Member Feature: Accel Events & Tents

WAILUKU, MAUI – This week, we spoke with Accel Events & Tents at their Waikapu warehouse to get the inside scoop on recent trends across weddings, graduations, celebrations of life, and corporate events. Accel, based on Oahu, had wanted to expand their business to neighbor islands, identifying Maui as a bursting opportunity for...

Citizen-Scholar Awards Recap & Album

On April 26, 2023, we attended the annual Citizen-Scholar Awards congratulating 42 exceptional public high school seniors at the Prince in Waikiki. This year marks the 19th year of Hawaiʻi Lodging & Tourism Association hosting this scholarship and recognition program along with Honolulu Star-Advertiser and the Hawaii Department of Education. Awards of $1,000 were given to each of these 42...

Member Feature: Enterprise Holdings

WAILUKU, MAUI – This week we spoke with Kiko Camacho, Area Rental Manager of Enterprise Holdings, otherwise known as the Enterprise, Alamo and National Rent-A-Car. Kikoʻs insight on the tourism market combines first hand conversations with tourist and sales data that doesn't lie. For when post-Covid reopenings began for the island, demand...

Member Feature: Kona Brewing Hawaii

Meet Kona Brewing Hawaii, an Allied Supporting Sponsor of MHLA. Kona Brewing Hawaii is one of the first craft breweries here in the islands. Born in the 90's with young-gun titles and gecko stamped branding that screams native roots, it's been a name on radar for years now. However, massive popularity and demand in growth led...

ClimbHI LEI Program Recap & Album

On March 28, 2023, we joined ClimbHI in hosting the 11th annual LEI program on Maui. Explained best by Julie Morikawa, President of ClimbHI, “LEI” is a project to inspire Hawaiʻi's youth to select careers in the Hawaiʻi visitor industry by providing them with the necessary means to achieve success. From the student's perspective, LEI represents an opportunity for Leadership, Exploration, and...

Women in Lodging and Tourism Luncheon Recap & Album

On March 10, 2023, we were honored to attend the Women in Lodging & Tourism Luncheon celebrating their awarded Woman of the Year at the Hawaii Convention Center. The Keynote speaker, Lieutenant Governor Luke gave a down-to-earth real-talk, inspiring all with her practical viewpoints of hard work, financial realities in Hawaii, and how women have gained ground in the workforce, respect and...

Tourism Day Recap & Album

On March 10, 2023, we attended the annual event at the Capitol in Honolulu, Hawaii. The exhibit was put on by Hawaiʻi Lodging & Tourism Association, Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, Hawaiʻi Visitors & Convention Bureau, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, & the Native Hawaiian Hopitality Association. As noted by the event partners, the objective of the exhbit was to help raise awareness of...

Member Feature: Ameresco

WAILUKU, MAUI – Today we talked with Dricka Thobois, Account Executive of the Ameresco Hawaii team. Dricka, who has a background in Environmental Studies has been in the sustainable building industry since 2005, now having the privilege of working with Ameresco, an energy solutions provider. Prior to Ameresco she joined...

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Member Feature: Premier Restoration

WAILUKU, MAUI – Today we talked with Erin Anuhea Pascua, the Business Development Manager of Premier Restoration, a full service restoration company. Originally founded as Maui Fire and Flood, this locally owned Maui based company has roughly 150 employees throughout the state servicing commercial and residential damages from water, mold, asbestos, fire and smoke. Erin explained that...

Member Feature: Young Brothers

WAILUKU, MAUI – Last week we had a visit from, Keith Kiyotoki, Manager of Sales and Marketing, and Jennifer Lim, Communications Specialist of Young Brothers LLC and they caught us up on the company’s latest. Currently, the company is working on electrifying all the fleets including forklifts and golf carts, to reduce their ecological footprint and...