Connecting With & Within the Maui Nui Visitor Industry

Monday, July 29, 2024

Maui Arts & Cultural Center

This workshop focuses on helping businesses and organizations who either want to work in- or currently work in Hawaiʻi’s visitor industry establish connections between to broader visitor industry throughout Maui Nui including the islands of Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi. The panel featured experts and success stories from within the industry and offers businesses and organizations who want to grow in the industry the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by those who have paved the road to a regenerative tourism model for Hawaiʻi.

This workshop was initially held in-person on Maui and invited attendees to take advantage of opportunities beyond this panel discussion to network with and build relationships with partners and others throughout the visitor industry.

The topics covered in this workshop included:

  • How to maintain your integrity and your mission when working within the industry and particularly the hotel sector

  • Collaborations and partnerships throughout the industry

  • What it takes to get in the hotels throughout the industry

  • Building pilina

  • How to incorporate Hawaiian culture into your business, organizations, etc. authentically, and whether or not to use it if you are not Native Hawaiian or Native Hawaiian owned/run

Speakers Profiles

Lisa Paulson

Executive Director, Maui Hotel & Lodging Association

Lisa Paulson is the Executive Director of Maui Hotel & Lodging Association (MHLA). In addition to being a registered lobbyist, she has over 25 years of Senior Executive experience driving strategic growth and visibility for businesses and nonprofit organizations. She has a background in public relations, marketing, statistical analysis, partnership building, and fundraising. Lisa has worked with many of Maui’s nonprofits, such as Maui United Way, Hui No'eau Visual Arts Center, Malama I Ke Ola Health Center, and Maui Humane Society, in addition to the many nonprofit collaborations with MHLA. Lisa has lived in Maui for nearly 30 years with her family, sings classical opera, loves windsurfing, gardening and tennis.

Britney Alejo-Fishell

Founder & Owner, Haku Maui

Britney Alejo-Fishell is the founder of Haku Maui. Located in the heart of Makawao Town since 2017, Haku Maui offers fresh Lei and nā mea Hawaii as well as immersive cultural lei workshops with the goal of perpetuating lei in Hawaiian Culture. Britney has most notably been featured in several newspapers and magazines, as well as television shows, including the Paris Film Festival. She was nominated in 2023 as Pacific Edge Magazine’s Native Hawaiian Business of the Year. Britney is a cohort graduate of both Mana Up Hawaii and Hale Kua Hawaii. She also currently serves as the Vice President on the board for the nonprofit Maui Growers and Floriculture Collective.

Lehia Apana

Co-Founder, Polipoli Farms

A co-founder of Polipoli Farms with Brad Bayless, Lehia founded the farm in Waiehu, Maui in 2020, producing native and Polynesian plants in regenerative agroforests. Moving away from her journalism experiences, what started as a hobby in her backyard garden, became then a farm that she cultivates to connect back to her Indigenous roots. Using traditional methods of farming in order to honor the past while growing for the future, Lehia envisions for people to pilina to the ʻāina, reverse the broken food system that Hawaiʻi currently faces, and also supporting local mahiʻai and their agricultural products.

Maile Kekona

Advertising Sales Executive, Maui No Ka ʻOi Magazine

Maile Kekona is a seasoned Sales Executive at Maui No Ka 'Oi Magazine, leveraging over two decades of experience in business, finance, and economic development. Having worked in organizational leadership across multiple states, with the last 10 years on Maui, Maile has developed a deep understanding of local economic needs and opportunities. With extensive experience in strategic planning, finance, and marketing, Maile is committed to honoring Hawaiian culture and values. This dedication underpins Maile’s work in promoting the self-sufficiency of our island community.

Moderator Profile

Kainoa Horcajo

Principal Owner, The Mo’olelo Group

Kainoa focuses on sharing and building cultural competency in organizations and businesses through training, strategic consulting, and experience design. By applying traditional narratives and innovative indigenous philosophies, in ways both deep yet approachable for today’s audience, he creates meaningful experiences for his clients and the community. Derived from a native worldview and highly localized sense of place, he creates mo’olelo (stories and traditions) for his clients that help them shine.

Resources

Maui Nui Workshop Informational Packet

What is the FTA program?

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