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 ASTON Hotels & Resorts - Marketing to the World
Celebrating 50 Years of Aloha Sprit
 
Also see:
ASTON Hotels & Resorts Fact Sheet
ASTON - A 60 Year History
 

Introducing ASTON to the World

A coordinated communications program of advertising, public relations and publicity helped introduce the name. More importantly, the new name was used to further the company's image as one of the nation's innovators in all suite condominium resort management and a leader in the Hawaii hotel industry. The new name was a perfect vehicle to create vitally improved awareness and appreciation of the company, its management, its condominium resort and hotel properties and its innovative program.

Worldwide Sales & Marketing Reach

ASTON employs nearly three dozen sales staff throughout Hawaii and seven major cities across the United States. Additionally, Aston has sales representative international sales offices in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, and Germany. Aston is proud that leading wholesalers and travel agents, worldwide, extend the reach even further.

Reaching Out to the Travel Industry

Additionally, ASTON became one of the first hotel companies in Hawaii to offer special discounted rates for airline employees and members of the travel industry. The company recognized that Hawaii was promoted by thousands of travel agents who literally were "Ambassadors of Aloha."

Educating "Ambassadors of Aloha"

ASTON also created "ASTON Travel Agent Appreciation Days" (ATAAD) which allow members of the travel industry to visit the islands and learn first hand information about Hawaii and the resort condominium experience.

Creative Loyalty Programs

Reaching out to travel agents with special incentive programs has led to increased growth for ASTON. In 1990, ASTON developed the Reach for the STARs sm (Super Travel Agent Reward) the only continuing agent incentive program for Hawaii hotels and resort condominiums. Agents receive points for each verified booking and can redeem them for free nights, gift certificates with Eddie Bauer and Spiegel and more.

Aston has also reached out to the Kama'aina (Hawaii resident) market by designing the ASTON "Hana Hou Hui Program" (a repeat guest club) with department store gift certificate incentives.

Added Value / Service Programs

In 1990, ASTON became one of  the first hotel / resort condominium companies in Hawaii to offer 24 hour toll - free reservation service.

That same year, ASTON became the first hotel company in Hawaii to provide added value to a guest's stay when it introduced the "ASTON Fun Book," complete with certificates for free meals, gifts and admissions from area restaurants, stores and attractions. The booklet was renamed "ASTONishing Deals" in 1996.

In early 1986, ASTON became the first hotel company in Hawaii to offer a FREE CAR program year round.

In 1997, ASTON created the "ASTONishing Triple Deal" that offered guests at participating ASTON hotels and condominium resorts a fifth night free, the ASTONishing Deals �  booklet and two for one admission to a luau.

ASTON has been a featured partner in the award winning Continental OnePass mileage program since 1989.

A Special Deal for Multiple Island Travel

Many guest of ASTON enjoy traveling between the islands of Hawaii. As a special incentive, ASTON  created the "MIX 7" program in 1995 that offered guests 25 percent off each night's stay as long as they stayed seven consecutive nights with ASTON. The best part was that guests could combine their nights on any island. So, for example, many guests would visit Waikiki for three nights and Maui for four.

ASTON enhanced the program by increasing the discounts up to 30 percent off regular rates and renamed it "Island Hopper."

Hotel Corporation of the Pacific created the "Hawaii Hotel Pass" and the "Hawaii Condo Pass" in 1984. Both passes provided travelers with up to 30 percent savings from standard daily rates, plus the flexibility to move to another resort in a day's notice. They were essentially the "Eurorail Passes" to Hawaii's leading condominium resorts and hotels.

#1 Honeymoon Resort Condominium

A 1997 survey of travel agents for Modern Bride magazine ranked ASTON Hotels & Resorts as the leading resort condominium / villa chain for honeymoons.

ASTON Is For Lovers

Guests don't have to be on their honeymoons to enjoy romance at ASTON. For many years the company has offered a series of romance packages called "Seven Ways to Romance", which range from two to four night stays. Amenities may include champagne and chocolate upon arrival, breakfast in bed, dessert by candle light, oceanfront rooms and more.

ASTON Means Business

The ASTON Corporate Travel Club (A.C.T.) offers business travelers discounts of up to 50 percent, guaranteed reservations and 24 hour cancellation courtesy. Members of the military and government employees are included in this program. ASTON also has created a "Specialty Properties for the Business Traveler" program that offers complimentary extras such as parking, local calls, morning newspapers, in room coffee, continental breakfast, computer compatible phone port, voice mail and more.

ASTON Golf Links

Another market ASTON reaches out to is golfers. The company offers packages with the top, world - class golf resorts on the four major Hawaiian Islands.

Reaching Seniors

ASTON was one of the first companies in Hawaii to offer a special discount for the rapidly expanding seniors market. Developed as "ASTONs', Sun Club" in 1987, the program offered special deals for seniors.

A free car for every day of a guest's stay was added to the program in 1991 as ASTON developed a more competitive program. No other hotel operation in Hawaii was able to match this offer. In 1997, a seventh night free was added to the program and the age requirement was dropped to 50. Also, ASTON renamed the program "50+ Rates."

Family Bargains

ASTON launched the "ASTON. At Home in Hawaii®" campaign in 1993. This successful program emphasizes the spaciousness, convenience and value of resort condominiums for families.

ASTON prides itself on being "kid - friendly." All guests, ages 18 and under, who use existing bedding in their parents room, stay at no additional charge.

Children's Programs

ASTON Wailea Resort and Aston Kaanapali Shores offer fun and educational supervised children's programs year round.

"Keiki Club Gecko" is the ASTON Wailea's program, which offers arts and crafts, lei making, hula lessons and more for children.

Camp Kaanapali, at the ASTON Kaanapali Shores, treats kids to educational nature walks, Hawaiian crafts, storytelling and hula lessons.

Inside ASTON®

The people of ASTONHotels & Resorts set the company apart. Many have worked their way up through the company and understand that ASTON exports the Aloha Spirit in exchange for tourism dollars.

Our ASTON Ohana, our family of employees, has been a critical factor in our success. Their commitment to service is reflected in the management of our properties, our relations with our owners and the community and our ever increasing number of repeat guests.

Through the years, the staff of ASTON has become experts in running complex buildings in the hospitality industry.

Imagine cleaning more that 5,000 houses a day. That's exactly what ASTON housekeeping staff does each day in an amazing turnaround time of 45 minutes for a one bedroom suite. For larger three bedroom suites, it can take up to 1 1/2 hours to complete the job.

ASTON goes through a quarter - million little bars of soap every month and more than one million rolls o toilet paper a year.

The numbers get even more mind boggling when you consider there are literally acres of carpet to vacuum, thousands of trash cans to empty and hundreds of thousands of windows to wash every year.

When you think of mowing the lawn on a weekend, consider that ASTON Wailea Resort on Maui covers nearly 22 acres and approximately 12 acres are in manicured grass which must be mowed 2 times a week.

These are some challenges the staff of ASTON look forward to completing every day as they strive to exceed the expectations of guests on their vacations. And return visits.

New Affiliates Emerge Spreading the ASTON Brand

A sister company, Seattle - based Northwest Lodging - with its roots in Hawaii, was founded in 1990. Andre Tatibouet serves as its chairman, with colleague and former ASTON senior vice president of sales & marketing, Lawrence Horwitz, as its president.

In 1997, Northwest Lodging was named the Franchise of the Year by Cendant Corp., the parent company of AVIS Rent -A - Car, Century 21, Coldwell Banker, Ramada, Howard Johnson, Days Inn and many other internationally recognized brands. Horwitz credits winning this award to importing and adopting the ASTON building blocks of exceeding the expectations of guests, owners, associates, employees and the community.

A second affiliate, ASTON International, LLC was created in 1997 to handle the company's expansion westward throughout the Pacific and into Asia. Tatibouet also serves as chairman, with Charles Brookfield, as its executive vice and chief operating officer. Brookfield also serves as president for ASTON Hotels & Resorts.

ASTON International, LLC is operating and growing the licensing of the ASTON name into the Pacific and Asia.

 
 

Contact:
David Sayre
PR Works
444 Hobron Lane, 4th Floor
Honolulu, HI 96815
808-955-8411
email:[email protected]
 


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