Former Outrigger Exec Founds Aloha Hotels and Resorts

HAWAII— Walter Bono, a former executive with Outrigger Hotels Hawaii and president of Hotel and Restaurant consultants, has founded Aloha Hotels and Resorts, a hotel branding company based in Hawaii. The company will focus on independent hotel owners who do not want to pay the expensive fees to join a major brand, and is seeking hotels worldwide to join its brand of properties. Aloha Hotels and Resorts will invest in promoting the hotel properties on the Internet, print media and sporting events, the company said, adding that it is committed to keeping the overhead low, which will allow more money to go into promoting the hotels. Aloha Hotels also claims it will offer hotels free sign up and free application. The Aloha Hotel and Resort brand is currently negotiating contracts with properties in the United States and Canada. It is planning to expand its brand by 12 hotels the first year and 24 hotels the second year.