This webinar took place on Thursday, November 16, 2023. Watch now.
This panel discussion brings together hospitality professionals, public officials and community leaders to discuss the lessons learned from Maui’s most recent wildfire disaster response and recovery. Maui serves as an insightful case study for examining the challenges and successes in managing disasters in a tourism-dependent destination. The discussion will explore Maui’s preparedness efforts, immediate response actions and the long-term strategies employed to rebuild and revitalize the island’s communities and travel economy.
Key Takeaways:
- Preparedness and response strategies: The importance of collaboration between local government agencies, emergency services and community organizations in ensuring a coordinated response.
- Cultivating community resilience: How community-driven initiatives have been instrumental in meeting the immediate needs of residents, visitors and emergency workers.
- Fostering economic recovery: Managing the balance between respect and resilience, how to restore tourism, support local businesses, encourage sustainable growth while minimizing vulnerabilities to future disasters.
WATCH NOW
And for a full range of resources and information related to helping with Maui's recovery, visit Northstar's exclusive meeting planner landing page.
Earns 1 CMP Credit (1 hour)
Read highlights from the session as well as the Destination Hawaii event at which it took place here.
Panelists
John Reyes
Senior Vice President and Chief MCI Sales Officer
Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau/Meet Hawaii
With more than 36 years of DMO experience in meetings and conventions, Reyes oversees the creation and direction of the Hawaiʻi Visitors & Convention Bureau’s single source sales and service team for
global meetings, conventions and incentives sales and marketing (both citywide and single property) for all Hawaiian islands and the Hawai‘i Convention Center. Prior to Meet
Hawai‘i, Reyes was the chief operating officer of Visit Sacramento. He has also served in leadership roles at the San Francisco Travel Association (formerly the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau), Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau,
and Visit Jacksonville. Reyes holds an MBA from Champlain College and a BS from San Francisco State University.
Angela Vento
General Manager
Wailea Beach Resort
From her first role out of college as housekeeping management trainee to now leading operations at the sprawling 22-acre oceanfront Wailea Beach Resort in Maui, Vento is proud to serve as the only female general manager at Marriott Hawaii’s properties. Vento is the current Chair of Maui Hotel & Lodging Association and active with many local tourism organizations and community groups. She also leads Marriott Hawaii’s Business Council and serves as a member of both Marriott’s Inclusion Council and General Managers Advisory Council
Jonnie Torres
Director Of Sales Marketing
Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa
Jonnie Marie Ku’ulihokaikamahineonalani Torres brings an undeniable passion and true aloha spirit to her role as Director of Sales and Marketing for the Sheraton Maui Resort and Spa. While Torres has been an integral leader at the historic Pu‘u Keka‘a property since joining the team in February 2020, she has honed her expertise across twenty years of hotel sales experience.
She began her career with Starwood Hotels where she rose from sales executive to sales manager of all three Starwood Resorts in Maui in the span of nearly ten years. Torres then went on to spend the next decade working with the Marriott International portfolio including Wailea Beach Resort and Marriott Maui and has earned countless accolades and awards including Sales Leader of the Year for North America.
Leanne-Pletcher
Director of Public Relations & Marketing
Maui Visitors Bureau
A 22-year veteran of Hawaii’s tourism industry, Leanne has more than 33 years of experience in communications and marketing. As director of public relations for Maui Visitors & Convention Bureau, Leanne focuses on developing and executing strategic communications programs that align with MVCB’s parent company, the Hawaii Tourism United States managed by the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and Maui County. Before joining MVCB, Leanne most recently served as director of marketing communications at Hilton Waikoloa Village for 14 years.
Moderator
David Blansfield
Executive Vice President & Group Publisher
Northstar Meetings Group
David Blansfield manages Northstar Travel Group’s global meetings brands and events businesses across all platforms – digital, in-person, social and print. In addition to managing business and financial operations of the Meetings Group, he oversees all
buyer/supplier relations and programs.
