OUTRIGGER Kona Resort & Spa Names John Dominguez as New Director of Sales and Marketing

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September 11, 2026 15:34 GMT+5:30

OUTRIGGER Resorts & Hotels has appointed hospitality sales and marketing veteran John Dominguez as Director of Sales and Marketing at OUTRIGGER Kona Resort & Spa, strengthening the leadership team at the Hawai‘i Island resort.

Effective immediately, Dominguez will report to General Manager Geoff Pearson and take responsibility for the property’s sales and marketing strategy, with a focus on market growth, brand positioning, commercial performance and stronger engagement across key travel and tourism segments.

John Dominguez Returns to OUTRIGGER Kona

Dominguez brings more than 25 years of hospitality sales and marketing experience to the role, including extensive experience across Hawaii’s competitive resort market.

Before returning to OUTRIGGER Kona Resort & Spa, he served as Director of Sales and Marketing at Outbound Sedona. During his tenure, he helped establish the go-to-market strategy for the newly branded resort and developed relationships with local government bodies, tourism organisations and business groups.

His experience in destination marketing and commercial partnerships is expected to support OUTRIGGER Kona as the resort continues to strengthen its position within the Hawai‘i Island tourism market.

Extensive Hawai‘i Hospitality Experience

Dominguez has spent a significant part of his career working across Hawai‘i’s resort sector, giving him detailed knowledge of the state’s visitor economy and hospitality landscape.

He previously spent more than 10 years as Director of Sales and Marketing at Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, one of the major resort properties on Hawai‘i Island.

His wider Hawai‘i career has also included leadership positions at resorts in Waikīkī, Kaua‘i and Hawai‘i Island, providing experience across multiple resort destinations and customer segments.

That combination of island-specific knowledge and broader hospitality sales expertise is expected to be particularly relevant to his new responsibilities at OUTRIGGER Kona.

A Familiar Return to the Kona Resort

The appointment also marks a return to a property that Dominguez already knows well.

He previously served as Director of Sales and Marketing and Director of Group Sales at the resort when it operated under the Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa and Sheraton Keauhou Bay Resort & Spa names.

His previous involvement means that Dominguez returns with established familiarity with the resort, its market positioning, group business opportunities and the wider destination.

That background could provide continuity as the property works to strengthen its commercial performance while communicating the OUTRIGGER brand to domestic and international travellers.

Focus on Sales, Marketing and Revenue Growth

As a member of the resort’s Executive Committee, Dominguez will oversee a broad range of commercial responsibilities.

His role will include developing and implementing sales initiatives, guiding marketing plans and strengthening the resort’s positioning and brand communications.

He will also work closely with OUTRIGGER’s corporate and area teams covering sales, marketing, revenue management and business development.

The objective will be to increase market share while supporting the resort’s targets for average rate, occupancy and overall revenue.

The integrated approach reflects the increasingly interconnected nature of hotel commercial operations, where sales activity, digital marketing, revenue strategy and destination partnerships are closely linked.

John Dominguez: Career at a Glance

OUTRIGGER Strengthens Leadership in Hawai‘i

Dominguez’s appointment comes as OUTRIGGER Hospitality Group continues to operate a growing international resort portfolio while maintaining its roots in Hawai‘i.

The privately held hospitality company has developed its business from its Hawaiian origins into a wider collection of resort destinations spanning Fiji, Thailand, Guam, Mauritius and the Maldives.

OUTRIGGER currently operates and has properties in development across its portfolio, with 38 properties and approximately 6,500 rooms, according to the company information supplied.

The group positions its resorts around authentic destination experiences, supported by its OUTRIGGER DISCOVERY loyalty programme and its Escape Ordinary brand proposition.

Why the Appointment Matters

For OUTRIGGER Kona Resort & Spa, bringing back an executive with longstanding knowledge of Hawai‘i and direct experience at the property creates a combination of institutional familiarity and commercial expertise.

Dominguez’s background spans resort sales, destination partnerships, group business, marketing strategy and brand development. His previous work at the Kona property also gives him an understanding of its evolution across different brand identities.

The immediate priority will be translating that experience into stronger demand generation and commercial performance.

As competition intensifies across Hawai‘i’s resort market, effective sales and marketing leadership is increasingly important for maintaining visibility, attracting high-value travellers and building relationships with travel industry partners.

A Strategic Role for Kona’s Next Growth Phase

The Director of Sales and Marketing position places Dominguez at the centre of the resort’s efforts to expand market share and achieve its rate, occupancy and revenue objectives.

His responsibilities will extend beyond traditional hotel sales, incorporating marketing strategy, brand communications, revenue collaboration and relationships across the destination.

With more than two decades of hospitality experience and a substantial career history in Hawai‘i, Dominguez brings a combination of local market knowledge and broader resort-sector expertise to the position.

His return to OUTRIGGER Kona Resort & Spa therefore represents more than a leadership appointment. It reconnects the resort with an executive who has previously worked within its commercial operation while adding extensive subsequent experience from other hospitality markets.

As OUTRIGGER continues its international expansion, the appointment places experienced local leadership at the forefront of one of its key Hawai‘i properties.