PRINCE RESORTS HAWAII SUPPORTS LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS AND HAWAII'S REGENERATIVE TOURISM EFFORT THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH MANA UP

HONOLULU, Dec. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Committed to improving their communities, Prince Resorts Hawaii, Inc. (PRH) is partnering with Mana Up, an accelerator for Hawaii entrepreneurs creating Hawaii-based product businesses.  The recent success of a 1,000-square-foot pop-up shop at PRH's Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on the Island of Hawaii, led to the opening of an 800-square-foot in-lobby store at Prince Waikiki, PRH's Oahu property.

"This is a wonderful addition to the Prince Waikiki and a win-win for our guests and local communities," said Shigeki Yamane, PRH president. "Mana Up is having tremendous success in growing local businesses and adding to the state's economic growth and its regenerative tourism effort with products that educate guests about Hawaii's history, culture and land."

"We've seen how today's visitors connect with meaningful products made by local makers and artisans that are reflective of our islands, so we are excited about sharing Hawai'i products with Prince Resorts Hawaii guests," says Meli James, cofounder of Mana Up.

The in-lobby store features 400 products and complements Mana Up's ecommerce component, House of Mana Up, which has 1,400 products from 64 different brands. The opening coincided with the launch of products honoring Hawaiian Olympian and renowned surfer Duke Kahanamoku. Eight companies developed products that exemplified their brand and evoked Kahanamoku's spirit. Proceeds from the Duke items go to Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation that provides grants and scholarships to develop Hawaii ocean athletes and Na Kama Kai, founded by professional surfer Duane DeSoto to teach youth about ocean safety, conservation and stewardship.

Sustainability – economic, environmental and social – has been part of PRH's business model for years. In addition to corporate-wide efforts, each property develops programs unique to their location. For example, The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort has a partnership with Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative to plant 100,000 trees throughout the resort to become Hawaii Island's first carbon neutral hotel.

Recognized by Travel+Leisure in its list of top Hawaii hospitality properties, PRH owns three luxury hotels and golf courses: Prince Waikiki, The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Hawaii Prince Golf Club, Hapuna Golf Course and Mauna Kea Golf Course. Prince Waikiki was recently awarded a 4 Diamond rating from AAA and received a Hawaii Green Business Award. PRH is a subsidiary of Japan's Seibu Holdings, Inc. and part of that company's international family of Prince Hotels

Mana Up is an accelerator and venture fund for Hawaiʻi-based products growing to markets globally, with the mission to increase economic opportunity and jobs for the people of Hawaiʻi. To date, 74 local companies have graduated from the six-month accelerator program that provides expansion opportunities and helps solve business challenges, and an additional 11 companies are participating in its program this year. In 2020, Mana Up's portfolio had an average of $923,290 in annual revenue and an average annual growth rate of 65 percent. House of Mana Up is the company's retail initiative including an online shop, corporate gifting and a brick-and-mortar location at Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikīkī, highlighting products and entrepreneurs who have participated in the accelerator.

SOURCE Prince Resorts Hawaii