| NEW YORK, August 21, 2001 - Business Enterprises
for Sustainable Travel (BEST) has selected the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel,
a 430-room property in Maui, as the subject of its latest "Best Practices"
report. BEST, an initiative of The Conference Board in association with
the World Travel & Tourism Council, regularly profiles travel-related
companies whose exemplary sustainable practices advance business objectives
while contributing to the social and economic well-being of the communities
in which they operate. BEST has recognized the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel for
its extensive cultural awareness and preservation efforts.
 In
1986, in response to concerns from the tourism industry and local communities
about the accelerating disappearance of native Hawaiian culture, Ka'anapali
Beach Hotel General Manager Mike White, who was born in the islands, decided
to take action. He enlisted the help of Dr. George Kanahele, a consultant
and expert in Hawaiian and cultural history, to develop a staff training
program giving employees an understanding and appreciation of native Hawaiian
culture. Together they created Project Po'okela - Hawaiian for "excellence"
- in which the hotel's cultural resource department trains its 300 employees
on Hawaiian culture and traditions.
| The ongoing program also focuses
on how this knowledge can be incorporated into the hotel's business operations.
Classes are mandatory and attended on company time. Class subjects
have included language, music and dance, native foods, flora and fauna,
and traditional health and medicine, as well as ancient methods of conservation.
Employee response has been extremely positive.
This enthusiasm for Hawaiiana is also instilled in the guests through
an array of employee-led cultural activities such as hula dancing, lei
making and pineapple carving. The hotel also offers garden tours,
traditional Hawaiian entertainment and a children's program.
By preserving culture and integrating Hawaiian values into its operations,
the Ka'anapali Beach Hotel has developed a unique personality that helps
the company stand out from competitors. |
Kä�anapali Beach Hotel
Named
Most Hawaiian Hotel
Kä�anapali Beach, Maui, Hawai�i - Kä�anapali
Beach Hotel has distinguished itself within the ranks of Hawai�i�s hospitality
industry as Hawai�i�s Most Hawaiian Hotel. This prestigious honor was conferred
upon the Maui hotel by the Honolulu based Waiaha Foundation, a Hawai�i
non-profit organization dedicated to the perpetuation of the Hawaiian culture.
In the selection process, the Waiaha Foundation acknowledged the unique
pioneering role Kä�anapali Beach Hotel personnel have in helping preserve
and nurture the rich culture and history of the indigenous islanders. The
hotel was further recognized for sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm
with the hotel�s diverse clientele, and with others within the industry.
"The recognition is an honor," said hotel General Manager,
Mike White. "As exciting as this award and the acknowledgment of our efforts
are, it�s the continued support of those who make it possible that is truly
the best reward of all. To our employees, return guests, non-profit organizations,
community and industry partners, mahalo (thank you)!" |
|
According to Smith Travel Research, as of May 2001, the Ka'anapali Beach
Hotel's 12-month occupancy rate was 88.8 percent - among the highest
in Maui - while the average occupancy rate in Maui was 79.4%.
Since it began Project Po'okela, the hotel has experienced an increase
in staff loyalty. In 1985 (a year before the program began) its already
low employee turnover rate was 36.5%, but in 2000, it decreased even more
to 9.6%, among the lowest in Maui.
White commented, "We have directed our cultural awareness efforts toward
employees rather than guests so that the values become a permanent part
of our company. Our enthusiastic staff conveys a cultural appreciation
to guests and instills a sense of 'family' throughout the hotel."
Michael Seltzer, the Director of BEST, added, "The Ka'anapali Beach
Hotel recognizes that its most valuable asset is its people. By enhancing
cultural awareness among staff, the hotel has been able to stand out from
the competition and maintain a loyal client base while preserving the rich
heritage of Hawaii."
The Ka'anapali Beach Hotel has served as a role model for other large-scale
operations, such as Disney's Polynesian Resort. Clyde Min, Director of
Hotel Planning and Operations, said, "The Ka'anapali Beach Hotel is a great
role model and 'living laboratory' for evaluating our process at Disney."
About BEST
Business Enterprises for Sustainable Travel (BEST) is the first industry-specific
initiative undertaken by The Conference Board (www.conference-board.org)
in its 84-year history. The Conference Board is the world's leading business
and research organization, including more than 3,000 companies in 67 nations
in its global network. BEST is co-sponsored by the World Travel & Tourism
Council (www.wttc.org), which provides macroeconomic research data and
forecasts. Support comes from the American Express Company, the Ford, Charles
Stewart Mott and Pettus-Crowe foundations as well as the Rockefeller Brothers
Fund and The New York Community Trust. BEST serves as a leading source
of knowledge on innovative travel industry practices that advance environmental
sustainability and community, business, and travelers' interests.
BEST Practices, a publication distributed by the organization, profiles
the ways in which a selected enterprise has incorporated such practices
into its core operations. |
