Founded on a vision of Hawaiʻi’s future.

NaHHA was founded in 1997 by Sen. Kenneth Brown and Dr. George Kanahele, two iconic Hawaiian leaders who understood the implications, opportunities and impacts that Hawai‘i’s largest industry was having on the people of Hawai‘i, Hawaiian culture, local ways and our state’s natural and cultural resources.

Inspired by a shared vision of Hawai‘i, Brown and Kanahele co-founded the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association to shape the future of Hawai‘i tourism by utilizing Hawaiian cultural values as the foundation for business development and leadership.

They knew the tourism industry in Hawai‘i needed to elevate its consciousness and operating priorities by identifying and committing to a bold range of stewardship responsibilities and begin to re-envision the entire industry as keepers of the Hawaiian culture. By nurturing Hawaiian culture and the Aloha Spirit, Hawai‘i tourism would in turn be nurtured here at home, and its identity would be empowered and celebrated around the world.

Brown and Kanahele assembled a founding board that represented a broad base of the visitor industry and the Hawaiian community at the time: Muriel Anderson, Peter Apo, Cy Bridges, Douglas Chang, John De Fries III, the late Albert Kanahele, Noelani Mahoe, Jace McQuivey and Lori Sablas.