SITE Classic in Maui celebrates a week of connection, culture, and giving

SITE Classic concluded yesterday at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, after three inspiring days that brought together more than 280 senior incentive travel professionals.

Originally a fundraiser for the SITE Foundation, SITE Classic has evolved into a thought-leadership summit focused on connection, learning, and cultural discovery, guided this year by Hawaiian values and SITE’s pillars of connect, learn, discover and shape.

Hosted on the iconic Hawaiian island setting of Maui, this year’s program blended high-impact education with immersive destination experiences. Highlights included a first look at insights from the 2025 Incentive Travel Index, roundtable discussions, and a co-created playbook capturing practical actions for the year ahead.

Bespoke touches that reflected this year’s Hawaiian destination were a central theme of SITE Classic 2025. Tuesday’s education presentations began with an Oli chant and a special presentation of a kapa artwork. Throughout SITE Classic, participants could also join a sunrise E Ala E ceremony, dig into a CSR activity to “seed the future” and protect Maui’s watershed, and explore some of the unique activities and settings Maui offers incentive groups.

“This week in Maui reminded us that incentive travel is at its best when it builds genuine relationships and leaves a positive legacy,” said SITE CEO Annette Gregg. “Hawai'i’s values of mindful meetings and the spirit of mālama, caring for each other and for the land, were woven through the program, showing how incentives in Hawai'i can be both rewarding and responsible. We are grateful to our partners, buyers and suppliers, and the local community who welcomed us. SITE Classic has evolved to become a powerful thought leadership summit, and the energy and ideas shared here will carry through to shape meaningful incentive programs around the world.”

A signature element of SITE Classic is its companion fundraising activities led by SITE Foundation. This year’s live and silent auctions raised USD$295,000, fueling the Foundation’s work to strengthen the industry, people and careers across the incentive industry.

“SITE Classic is generosity in action. Funds raised here translate directly into scholarships, new research, chapter and industry grants, and industry relief support that keeps talented people engaged and growing in the incentive profession,” said Rhonda Brewer, SITE Foundation President. “Thank you to every bidder, donor, and partner for continuing to make a tangible difference.”

Community connections through destination discovery at SITE Classic

During SITE Classic, attendees engaged with the destination through purposeful experiences that celebrated local culture and conservation. This included:

• Catamaran sailings with Trilogy, offering ocean-level perspectives on the West Maui coastline and marine life. 

• Maverick Helicopters scenic flights, revealing panoramic views of Haleakalā, waterfalls, and the ʻĪao Valley ridgelines. 

• A “Best of Maui” tour featuring a drive to nearly 10,000 feet above sea level at Haleakalā National Park, a lively Hali'imaile Distillery Tour & Tasting Room experience, lunch at the famed Hali'imaile General Store, and a tranquil afternoon visit to ʻĪao Valley State Monument.

“The incentive market creates meaningful opportunities to deepen relationships between visitors and our island home, fostering economic vitality while integrating cultural education and environmental stewardship,” adds Lynn Whitehead, vice president of Global MCI Sales & Marketing for Meet Hawai’i. “Programs like SITE Classic demonstrate how purpose-driven gatherings can strengthen these important connections, inviting participants to learn more about our culture, and restore our environment through seed planting and reforestation. We are grateful to SITE for choosing to gather here on Maui with intention.”

“Mahalo to our headline partners, Meet Hawai’i, MC&A, our local DMC partner, and our host hotel, The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua, for helping us deliver a program that was both rewarding and responsible,” concludes SITE CEO Annette Gregg. “Their leadership embodies the destination’s legacy as a leading incentive location and its commitment to mindful meetings, sustainability, and the spirit of mālama. Together, we showed how incentive travel in Hawai'i can connect people to culture, contribute to community, and send participants home transformed by the journey.”