Island of Hawaiʻi Visitors Bureau Media Contact:
Cheyenne Gomez, (808) 539-3409, [email protected]  

Island of Hawaiʻi (February 5, 2024) – The Island of Hawaiʻi Visitors Bureau (IHVB) today announced that Kalei Bridges has rejoined its team as sales manager.

Bridges’ primary responsibilities include visitor education and visitor industry engagement collaborating with Hawai‘i Tourism Authority’s Global Marketing Team in the following major market areas: United States, Japan, Canada, Oceania, Korea, China and Europe. Bridges will create and implement sales familiarization (FAM) tours and site visits to educate travel advisors and meetings, conventions and incentives professionals about the island, encouraging mindful visitation. In addition, Bridges will work closely with IHVB’s director of sales to develop a calendar of opportunities in HTA’s major market areas to provide island-based visitor education support during promotions, trade shows and travel missions.

“We’re excited to welcome back Hawaiʻi Island kama‘āina Kalei Bridges to the IHVB team,” said Scott Pauli, Island of Hawaiʻi Visitors Bureau Executive Director. “Kalei will be instrumental in helping us to execute and achieve our objectives to educate visitors and travel advisors on a responsible approach to tourism in which our communities and residents will benefit from.”

Raised in Hāmākua on the island of Hawaiʻi, Bridges is no stranger to the hospitality industry as she previously held sales management positions at Hilton Waikoloa Village and the Island of Hawaiʻi Visitors Bureau. Bridges is a haumana of Hālau Manaola as well as an educator and cultural practitioner of Polynesian music and the arts.

“I’m honored to be able to return to IHVB once again and together share with visitors and travel agents how they can mālama this special place,” said Kalei Bridges, IHVB Sales Manager. “I look forward to using my upbringing as a Native Hawaiian, island of Hawai‘i resident and cultural practitioner to better encourage mindful visitation to the island of Hawai‘i.”