Mufi's Message, September 14th

Oahu Charity Walk Allocations

Yesterday, HLTA distributed monies raised from this year’s Charity Walk to 135 O’ahu non-profits. Grant recipients joined us for the allocation ceremony held at Roy’s Eating House 1849 International Marketplace, where they were awarded their highly-anticipated funds and partook in the evening’s festivities. The 40th Annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk broke another record this year, raising a total of $2.6 million statewide. That’s a cumulative total of $34.5 million since its inception; and it all benefits local charities across our islands who are working tirelessly to help our community.

I’d like to give a special shout-out to Youth for Christ USA for again finishing as the highest-raising O’ahu County nonprofit. This is their second year in a row, and they began participating in 2017. The admirable organization works with troubled youth via programs offered at public high schools throughout the island. Kudos for setting the bar and leading by example as you continue to work with and nurture our future generations.

Mahalo to Chef Roy and his team for hosting our allocation ceremony at Eating House 1849 and a special thanks to our emcee duo, Bulla and Lynette Eastman, for always bringing the aloha spirit to our Charity Walk festivities. And of course, a huge mahalo to all of our participants: walkers, volunteers, fundraisers, donors, and nonprofits alike, for your enthusiasm and participation year after year. Charity Walk would not be a success without your continued support; after all, we are all in this together. Here’s to next year: we’ll see you May 18th, 2019!

Tourism 101: Next Date, 9/18! 

​For those who may have missed my previous message a few weeks ago, I have recently launched a new broadcast endeavor to highlight the importance of our exceptional industry. Like our ever-popular HLTA-sponsored radio show Tourism Tuesday, Tourism 101 showcases the diversity found in hospitality, and I invite guests to reflect this breadth. My first Tourism 101 guest was Senator Glenn Wakai, Chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development, Tourism, and Technology, on September 1st. If you did not get the chance to watch it, you may find it here.

Next on Tourism 101 will be guest Cha Thompson of Tihati Productions. Tihati is the longest-running entertainment company in the state, and will be celebrating 50 years of business in 2019. Cha and her husband Jack own Tihati together, and have an exceptional reputation for providing professional entertainment and quality stage productions.  Tune in at 10am on Tuesday the 18th to watch live via ThinkTech Hawaii’s website or Facebook page.

Congratulations to 2018 Clem Judd Scholarship Recipient Eden Te'o

​As we wrap up the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association 2018 scholarship season, we are excited to announce that our 2018 Clem Judd scholarship went to Punahou alum Eden Te’o of Brigham Young University-Hawaii. Born and raised on Oahu, Eden, the sister of New Orleans Saints star linebacker Manti Te’o, is pursuing her degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management and is scheduled to graduate this May from BYU-Hawai’i.

Eden’s passion and commitment to her faith led her to successfully complete an LDS mission in Japan, where she continued to improve her verbal and written abilities in Japanese, a valued skill in the tourism industry. She adds that the importance of attentive listening and effective communication can help improve the visitor experience, which will enhance their stay. 

With such great determination and bright futures, we are proud of our 2018 scholarship recipients. Not only have they exceeded our expectations, but we are gratified to see these students strive to gain and diversify their experience in the workforce. Congratulations to all our deserving scholarship recipients, and a warm mahalo to all the contributors and donors who make our scholarship program such a resounding success.