Q: Why is the Australian market so important to Aqua-Aston?
A: Aqua-Aston has a strong presence in Australia because Aussies are avid travellers who frequently visit Hawaii.
Aqua-Aston manages 23 hotels and condo resorts on Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii Island for the perfect blend of relaxation and adventure.
Q: Do you get many Aussies staying with you and how do you find them as visitors?
A: Yes, we host a significant number of Australian guests. Our condo resorts include traditional hotel services, residential amenities (full kitchens, laundry facilities, separate living rooms and bedrooms) and more room, so Aussies love staying in our spacious layouts and having the option to self-cater.
Aussies appreciate Hawaii’s natural beauty and cultural richness and seek unique experiences that align perfectly with our lifestyle in the islands.
Q: What can guests expect from a stay at one of your properties?
A: Aqua-Aston’s guests enjoy a warm Aloha welcome and unique amenities and appreciate being in excellent locations close to Hawaii’s most famous attractions.
For example, we manage 11 properties in the heart of Waikiki on Oahu and five resorts in Kaanapali on Maui, which TripAdvisor ranked as the #1 top beach in the USA.
Our associates are passionate about sharing Hawaiian culture. Upon check-in, guests are presented with a keepsake Hawaiian shell lei and we recently introduced a “Hawaiian word of the month” program, which is a fun way to learn about the local language and culture.
Plus, guests on Oahu enjoy complimentary access to both the Bishop Museum and the Honolulu Museum of Modern Art – an added valued of $US136 (approx. $AU207) for a family of four. We also offer complimentary cultural activities, like hula and ukelele lessons, lei making and traditional weaving.
Select locations – such as Aston Kaanapali Shores on Maui – also offer entertainment and a weekly pop-up market where local small businesses present their goods for sale.
Q: How is the tourism industry in Hawaii looking at this moment in time?
A: Hawaii remains one of the most dreamed-of destinations in the world. Tourism now is robust, but visitor numbers to Maui are down. After overcoming the challenges of the 2023 wildfires, Maui needs visitors to support its recovery and stabilise its economy.
Because of this, the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority recently launched a comprehensive marketing campaign to encourage visitors to mālama (take care of) Maui through responsible tourism that will benefit the entire community.
Q: Are travel agents still an important part of your marketing strategy?
A: Absolutely, travel agents remain a vital part of our marketing strategy. We appreciate agents because they provide personalised service and expert advice that many travellers value.
By working closely with travel agents we can reach a broader audience and ensure our guests have a seamless booking experience.
Q: You developed the #ForOurReef campaign, which helped ban reef-damaging sunscreens in Hawaii. Sustainability and protecting the environment are clearly important to you?
A: Yes, sustainability and environmental protection are core values for Aqua-Aston. The #ForOurReef campaign was a significant initiative to protect Hawaii’s delicate marine ecosystems.
By supporting the ban on harmful sunscreens, we aim to preserve our coral reefs for future generations and promote eco-friendly tourism practices.
Even the Aqua-Aston uniforms, which feature coral reefs and were designed by local Aloha brand Tori Richard, constantly remind us of the importance of sustainable tourism and the need to move away from single-use plastic.
Aqua-Aston Hospitality has completed the shift to bulk bathroom amenities across its Hawaii properties, eliminating 5.5 million pieces of single-use plastic waste from our operations.
We seek to help further limit single-use plastic and many of our locations offer filtered bottle filling stations.
Q: Finally, what are some of the spots in Hawaii that you like to visit when not working?
A: My current passion is bodyboarding, a new hobby I took up during the pandemic. After spending years watching my husband surf, I finally decided to get in on the action myself. There’s nothing more beautiful than starting your day in the ocean and catching some waves.
Some of my favourite things to do on Oahu include hiking Diamond Head at sunrise, indulging in an ʻono malasada (doughnut) from Leonard’s Bakery, visiting Mānoa Chocolate in Kailua for a chocolate-tasting experience (made from cacao farmed in Hawaii) and spending the day on the beach at Waimea Bay.
On Maui, a visit to Haleakalā National Park is a must, followed by lunch in Makawao, a historic paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy town) and watching sunset on Pu’u Keka’a (Black Rock) beach.
I can’t visit Kauai without spending a day at Waimea Canyon Park – ideally hiking along the trails with views of the Kalalau – and on Hawaii Island I could spend a whole day mesmerised at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org
