HONOLULU — Former general manager of Hanalei Bay Resort Douglas Chang has been appointed chair of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement’s Kilohana Collective transition team to help fulfill the Hawai‘i Destination Brand Marketing &Management Services contract for the U.S. major market area awarded by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority to CNHA last month.
Chang, currently general manager of the Ritz-Carlton Residences in Waikiki, is former chair HTA chair, and had also been hotel manager of the Kaua‘i Marriott Resort &Beach Club on Kalapaki Beach.
“We are very pleased and grateful to have Doug lead the transition team,” said Kuhio Lewis, CNHA chief executive officer. “Doug brings a wealth of visitor-industry knowledge and experience to this role. This, combined with his deep love and appreciation for Hawai‘i’s culture and community, makes Doug the perfect person to lead our team’s transition to support HTA’s vision of a new, regenerative model for tourism,” Lewis said.
“We understand and respect the integrity of the contract-procurement process that HTA is still working through. We also felt it was important that we continue to move forward with our planning so that the Kilohana is ready, pending the outcome of that process,” said Lewis.
As a seasoned leader with nearly 40 years of hospitality experience, Chang has held numerous leadership positions in the visitor industry, including serving as HTA chair, general manager of The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Kapalua Bay, Maui, and general manager of Hotel Hana-Maui, where he landed after he left Kaua‘i.
He recently returned to serve on the board of directors of the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association, an organization where he was a founding board member and past president, and also the Hawai‘i Lodging &Tourism Association. Chang is an alumnus of Kamehameha Schools.
“As a Native Hawaiian and industry leader, this is an exciting time to be a part of HTA’s effort to transform the model for tourism in Hawai‘i,” said Chang.
“Embracing regenerative destination management will make both our communities and our visitor industry stronger. The Kilohana Collective is comprised of strong, passionate and talented professionals, and the transition team seeks to support their smooth transition into fulfilling the North American marketing and destination management contract.
“I am honored to serve with this group of leaders who, likewise, are committed to HTA’s vision, and we look forward to working collaboratively with HTA, HVCB, the visitor industry and the community to create a healthy future for tourism here in Hawai‘i.”
As chair, Chang leads the transition team’s efforts, including identifying and recruiting Kilohana’s executive director, solidifying scopes of work for Kilohana’s partners and continuing to engage with community and industry stakeholders.
