The Aloha Spirit of Marriott
Sponsored Content: According to Harris Chan, Area Vice President for Hawaii and French Polynesia for Marriott International, Inc., the future is as bright as ever
Q: Kenneth Shapiro, Editor-in-Chief: What did the early days of Marriott International, Inc. look like?
A: J. Willard Marriott opened a nine-stool A&W Root Beer stand in Washington, DC. Marriott stock became public in 1953 at $10.25, and shares have continued to grow with the focus on making every day count.
Our presence in Hawaii began with Waikiki’s first hotel, Moana (First Lady of Waikiki), in 1901; The Royal Hawaiian (The Pink Palace of the Pacific) in 1927; Sheraton Kauai, as the first major resort on south shore of Kauai; Sheraton Maui as the first major resort on Maui’s famous Kaanapali Beach; and Mauna Kea Beach as the first major resort on Hawaii Island. A landmark in 1981 for Marriott was Maui Marriott, the 100th hotel in the Marriott portfolio. Our goal in Hawaii with our 33 hotels and resorts is to help fulfill Marriott International’s vision, which is to be “the world’s favorite travel company.”
Q: Can you share the company’s secret sauce?
A: Our success is a reflection of our culture and core values of putting people first, pursuing excellence, embracing change, acting with integrity and serving our world with the aloha spirit.
Q: Is company culture important to Marriott International?
A: “Take care of associates, and they will take care of the customers” — this is our founder’s philosophy, and it has made Marriott International a great place to work for more than 85 years. Our “people first” culture has consistently earned us awards and recognition around the globe. Giving associates opportunities to grow and succeed is part of our company’s DNA.
Q: How are travel advisors a core part of your business?
A: We value travel professionals as they are an extension of who we are. They engage our guests and actively promote our destination and culture.
We have the longest running Travel Professional recognition program in Hawaii, Aloha Amenity, and the award-winning Hotel Excellence, an educational tool highlighting our 7,000-plus hotels and 30 brands worldwide.
Q: Looking ahead, how will Marriott International – Hawaii evolve?
A: As we change and grow, our future is bright. We will continue to focus on our evolving customers, engaged employees and great ownership, while investing multimillions of dollars in renovations of our properties to maintain Hawaii at the forefront of the global travel industry.
