One of my first trips for the magazine was to Honolulu to meet travel leaders in Hawaii. As one hotelier told me during that visit: “Never forget that the editor of TravelAge West may have his desk in California, but his heart had better be in the islands.”
It would be hard to overestimate the connection between TravelAge West and the tourism industry in Hawaii, and for the past 30 years, the publication has enjoyed working with a true destination expert. Marty Wentzel is a legend in travel trade publishing, to the point where the rest of us only needed four words when dealing with Hawaii public relations reps: “You know Marty, right?”
Unfortunately, this will be the last issue with her name on the masthead, as she has decided to step down as Hawaii Editor.
Marty came to TravelAge West in 1990 after a stint with the Smithsonian Institution and as editor of Spotlight Hawaii, a visitor guide to the islands. Marty lived in Hawaii for more than two decades before resettling in Seattle. She says she has always loved writing about Hawaii’s remarkable natural beauty and its wealth of outdoor experiences.
“I also love the islands’ culture — from its music and dance to its history and legends — and its people,” she said. “Hawaiians are passionate about their home, and they have been so generous about sharing their stories with me.”
Marty is a great team player who is always ready to share her insights with the rest of the staff. On a personal level, she was the first writer I worked with at TravelAge West, and if it wasn’t for her patience dealing with a young editor who didn’t know what he didn’t know, my time at the publication would have been short-lived.
