HTA to Hold Tourism and Cultural Conferences in August

The 2015 Hawaii Tourism Conference.

By Maui Now Staff

The two-day, 2015 Hawaii Tourism Conference begins on Thursday, Aug. 27, at the Hawaii Convention Center on O‘ahu, offering attendees a variety of informative presentations, discussions and networking opportunities.

This year, one of the panel discussions, “Alternative Accommodations: Specialty Resorts and Vacation Rentals,” will offer insight into the growing demand for alternative accommodations, the unique challenges for these properties and their role in Hawai‘i’s lodging industry.

The panel of experts for this session include David Owens, regional head of public policy at Airbnb, a website offering more than 1.5 million lodging options in 190 countries; LJ Bates III, executive director of Kalani Honua, a nonprofit educational retreat center and eco-community on Hawai‘i Island; Daniel Monck, president of the Hawaii Association of Vacation Rental Managers, and owner of Exclusive Getaways and Abbey Vacation Rentals; and Richard Holtzman, vice president and managing director of Montage Kapalua Bay, an all-suite residential accommodation on Maui.

Registration for the conference is available through Tuesday, Aug. 25. Sign up for “Alternative Accommodations: Specialty Resorts and Vacation Rentals” Concurrent Session 2 on Aug. 27, or register for the conference online.

Shirt-Sleeve B2B Sessions
Don’t miss the opportunity to network with key visitor industry members at the 2015 Hawaii Tourism Conference’s Getting Down to Business – Industry Shirt-Sleeve B2B Sessions. Sign up for the pre-scheduled 10-minute, one-on-one appointments to share product and service information and develop partnership opportunities. Appointments will be confirmed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Register online.

NaHAA’s Kipa Aloha Conference
HTA is also presenting Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association’s Kipa Aloha, a Hawaiian cultural education conference for Hawai‘i’s hospitality and travel industry. The event will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at the Hawaii Convention Center, prior to the Hawaii Tourism Conference.

For more information and to register for the event, go online or call (808) 628-6374.