Free Hawai‘i Hotel and Restaurant Show draws thousands
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
The inaugural Hawaii Hotel & Restaurant Show showcased the very best from Hawaii and beyond today. Attendees experienced the latest in lodging, hospitality and food service. The event continues Thursday.
The two-day Hawai‘i Hotel and Restaurant Show kicked off today connecting thousands of members of the state’s restaurant, hotel and hospitality industries with the businesses that exist to serve their needs.
Founded by the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association, the Hawaii Restaurant Association, and Star Events, a division of Oahu Publications Inc., the free event will continue Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. Online registration is closed but walk-ins may register at the event’s check-in booths.
More than 3,000 attendees already have registered for the two-day event, which includes exposure to more than 160 vendors and a full-day of educational programming on sustainability and other topics of interest to the restaurant, hotel and hospitality industries.
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“I am very excited that the Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association is partnering with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and the Hawai‘i Restaurant Association to hold the first-ever Hawai‘i Hotel and Restaurant Show,” Mufi Hannemann, HLTA president and CEO, said in a statement.
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Valerie King, Sea Life Park’s general manager, was among the satisfied attendees visiting the event today.
“I wanted to see what’s new in the industry as well as network and see vendors,” King said. “There’s plenty of food and drinks to sample, too.”
There’s also free parking thanks to Hawaiian Electric Companies, which was an expo exhibitor.
“This is a great way to reach out to members of the community to educate them about resilience and emergency preparedness, said Liane Lum, HECO senior community education consultant, who was manning HECO’s expo booth.
Dennis Francis, Honolulu Star-Advertiser president and publisher said the event also is a new addition to Oahu Publications Inc.’s line of annual expo and fair products.
“Our team is able to use valuable experience to provide professionals with the knowledge they need to compete locally, nationally and internationally,” Francis said in a statement. “The Hawai‘i Hotel & Restaurant Show is an all-inclusive resource that brings the best of Hawaii and the Pacific Rim together.We are also pleased to announce that a portion of the event proceeds will go to HLTA and HRA student scholarship funds.
