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Conference Board/BEST Recognize
Ka'anapali Beach Hotel for Cultural Preservation
Staff Training and Guest Enrichment Program Enhance Appreciation
for Hawaiian Heritage
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 Kaanapali Beach Hotel has developed a unique personality that helps the company stand out from competitors. 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 Pookela, 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 Kaanapali 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 Kaanapali 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. Information on BEST may be obtained by contacting The Conference Board; phone 212-339-0335, or visit the following web site: www.sustainabletravel.org.
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