Maui Hotel & Lodging Association

10/06/2026

The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua has been recognized as the No. 1 Resort on Maui in the prestigious 2026 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, earning the highest ranking among Maui resorts and securing the No. 2 spot among all Hawai‘i resorts.

The annual Readers’ Choice Awards are among the travel industry’s most respected honors, reflecting the experiences and opinions of hundreds of thousands of travelers worldwide. This recognition highlights The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua’s commitment to delivering exceptional service, authentic Hawaiian cultural experiences, and unparalleled luxury.

“We are deeply honored to be recognized as the No. 1 resort on Maui by the readers of Condé Nast Traveler,” said Melissa Lee, Hotel Manager of The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua. “This achievement is a testament to the dedication of our Ladies and Gentlemen, whose passion for creating meaningful guest experiences brings the spirit of aloha to life every day. We are grateful to our guests for their continued trust and support.”

In the 2026 rankings, The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua was the highest-ranked Maui property, leading a strong showing by resorts across Maui Nui. The Hawai‘i rankings are as follows, with Maui County resorts highlighted:

Four Seasons Resort O‘ahu at Ko Olina
The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua
Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort
Fairmont Orchid Hawai‘i
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa
The Ritz-Carlton O‘ahu, Turtle Bay
Ko‘a Kea Resort on Poʻipū Beach
Koloa Landing Resort at Poʻipū, Autograph Collection
Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott Maui Wailea Beach Resort
Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort
Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Autograph Collection
Grand Hyatt Kauaʻi Resort & Spa
Hāna-Maui Resort Hāna-Maui Resort
The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort
Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort Grand Wailea Maui
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea Four Seasons Resort Maui
Four Seasons Resort Lānaʻi Four Seasons Resorts Lānaʻi
Mauna Lani, Auberge Collection
Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa
Royal Lahaina Resort Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows

For information about The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, visit www.ritzcarlton.com/maui or follow on Instagram The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua.

10/03/2026

“Your state is the jewel in America’s tourism crown.”
- U.S. Tourism Minister, Nick Adams

Maui recently received a visit from the Ambassador Nick Adams, Special Presidential Envoy for American Tourism, U.S. Department of State. The purpose of this visit was to meet with tourism leadership of Maui and Oahu to further support our economy through a Japanese Pre-Clearance Initiative; to gain firsthand knowledge of how this opportunity would substantially support Japanese-Maui relations and pilot an example for other international markets. As the Ambassador’s position is entrusted to attract more international visitors to the United States, this visit strengthened Maui and Hawaii’s long-term opportunities and allowed us to showcase our hospitality community at new heights.

As Ambassador Nick Adams expressed in his KHON2 News interview (https://www.khon2.com/maui-news/hawaii-tourism-japan-direct-flights/), his thoughts on the initiative are “It’s good for Japan. It’s good for the United States, and it’s good for people everywhere.”

We hope our time with him – while short, filled Ambassador Nick Adams with the utmost sense of aloha. We look forward to working with him in the months to come.

Mahalo to all who took part in this initiative with the Special Presidential Envoy for American Tourism, Values and Exceptionalism!

A full briefing of this initiative is available on the website: https://mauihla.org/articles/pre-clearance-japan-initiative-and-ambassador-nick-adams-tourism-envoy

10/01/2026

“Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce to Honor
120 Years of Filipino Legacy at Annual Flag Raising”

The Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the County of Maui and Office of the Mayor, announced today that the annual Filipino American History Month Flag-Raising Ceremony will be held Thursday, October 1, 2026, from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on the front lawn of the Kalana O Maui Building, 200 South High Street in Wailuku. This year’s ceremony commemorates the 120th anniversary of the arrival of the first 15 Sakadas in Hawaiʻi in 1906, paying tribute to the generations of Filipino immigrants whose labor, sacrifice and perseverance helped shape Hawaiʻi and the community we know today.

Maui County became the first county in the State of Hawaiʻi to host a Philippine flag-raising ceremony in observance of Filipino American History Month on October 1, 2011. The ceremony has remained an annual tradition, with the Philippine flag continuing to fly at the County building throughout the month of October.

The program will include the raising of the Philippine flag, a County proclamation, community remarks and cultural presentations. Following the ceremony, guests are invited to remain for Filipino bites, art, culture and fellowship. The event is free and open to the public.

For more information about this event and the Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce, please visit
MauiFilipinoChamber.com, email [email protected], or call 808-359-1616.

09/24/2026

On Sep. 10, we announced our new Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting & Trade Show hosted by the Westin Maui Resort! Attendees took part in the MHLA Annual Membership Meeting & Trade Show, where 14 allied vendors showcased products and services, MHLA gave a review of the year’s work, and a forum featuring candidates of state districts 11 & 14. In addition to the Westin Maui, sponsors of this event included Encore, Southwest Airlines, Maui Fruit Jewels, Venture Physical Therapy, Nathan Hindman Photography, Integrity Building Consultants of Hawaii, Hawaiian Discovery Furniture, Allana Buick & Bers and media sponsors: Maui Photo Hub and Pacific Dream Photography.

Guest of Honor, State House Representative Tyson Miyake, gave the official induction of the following 2026-2027 MHLA Board members:

•Stephen Bennett, President of Trilogy Excursions
•William Bethel, General Manager at Hilton Grand Vacations
•Naomi Cooper, Deputy Director of Maui Hotel and Lodging Association (non-voting)
•Eric Duff, Dual General Manager at AC Marriott Hotel & Residence Inn
•Richard Elliott, General Manager at Andaz Maui
•Fred Findlen, General Manager at Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa
•Myra Galinato, Vice President at Blue Hawaiian Activities
•Stephen Hinck, Area Managing Director & General Manager of the Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows
•Kaleo Kenui, General Manager at the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa
•Melissa Lee, Hotel Manager at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua
•Gregg Lundberg, General Manager at Courtyard Marriott – Kahului Airport
•John Pele, Executive Director of Maui Hotel and Lodging Association (non-voting)
•Aaron Placourakis, President & CEO of AMP Restaurant Group
•Michael Pye, Fairmont Regional VP of Hawaii & General Manager of Fairmont Kea Lani
•Chris Rabang, Market General Manager – Westin Vacation Club, Maui & Marriott Vacation Club, & Island of Hawaii
•Angela Vento, General Manager of Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott Maui
•Maile Wong, Vice President & Region Manager of First Hawaiian Bank

*Representing Melissa Lee in the event was Angela Berkey, Director of Recreation at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua.

For more information on the MHLA Board, visit mauihla.org.

09/19/2026

The Celebration of the Arts continues tomorrow, September 19 at from 8am to 11pm.

Daytime events are complimentary. See more at https://kapaluacelebrationofthearts.com/mauka-to-makai/

09/17/2026

You are invited, complimentary by the Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows on Saturday, September 19, 2026 to Mele of Maui featuring Hawaii Symphony Orchestra.

MAIN EVENT 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
MĀKEKE 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
ROYAL LAHAINA RESORT & BUNGALOWS
FREE CONCERT

More info can be found at: https://www.royallahaina.com/mele-for-maui/

09/15/2026

09/14/2026

Last Thursday, members joined us at the Westin ballrooms, to meet allied members showcasing their businesses to leaders of the hospitality industry. This would not have been possible without our supporting sponsors, including our long time member, Allana Buick & Bers.

Allana Buick & Bers, Inc. (ABB) is a multidisciplinary architectural-engineering and consulting firm with more than 39 years of industry experience and 23 years serving communities throughout Hawaii. With a local presence in Maui, ABB provides building enclosure, roofing, waterproofing, mechanical, fire protection, forensic, and construction management services. Their work includes numerous hospitality and residential properties across Maui, and they are proud to support the local hospitality community by helping protect, maintain, and extend the service life of properties.

ABB is an example of how many industries are intertwined with the visitor industry. The success of tourism in Maui brings success to many other businesses including construction and building development. To encompass our membership, one must encompass the network behind the scenes of the hotels and airlines, and understand how large of a community the visitor industry is!

Mahalo to everyone who joined us, supported us, and attempted the very long traffic the Pali coast last Thursday! Details of the program portion of the event will be released soon.

09/10/2026

Meet our newest member and supporting sponsor of the Annual Membership Meeting & Trade Show, IBC Hawai’i !

Trisha Egge is the Founder and Principal of Integrity Building Consultants of Hawaiʻi (IBC Hawaiʻi), a Maui-based construction management, owner’s representation, and building consulting firm. After 25 years in Hawaiʻi’s construction industry, Trisha founded IBC Hawaiʻi in March 2026 because she saw an opportunity for a better approach to managing construction—one with stronger owner advocacy, greater accountability, and quality control built into the process from the beginning rather than addressing problems after they occur.

Through IBC Hawaiʻi, Trisha brings that experience upstream, helping owners protect their investments throughout design and construction. Her goal is simple: build it right the first time - reducing premature failures, unnecessary repairs, wasted materials going into Hawaiʻi’s landfills, and the long-term costs of correcting preventable problems.

Last month, IBC Hawai’i broke ground on the Front Street Channel House Rebuild, unifying hope for the entire community of Maui. We are honored to be “Building better today for a stronger Hawaiʻi tomorrow” with members like these. Meet them tomorrow, September 10th from 3-7pm at .