University of Hawaiʻi’s School of Travel Industry Management celebrates 60th anniversary

In 1966, the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa began a pioneering program that turned into the School of Travel Industry Management, an internationally respected leader in hospitality, tourism and transportation education.

The school will celebrate its 60th anniversary with a series of events and initiatives that will honor the students, faculty, alumni and industry partners whose dedication has sustained the school.

The culmination will be the Celebrate a Legacy in Tourism event on March 31 at the ʻAlohilani Resort Waikiki Beach. It will be the largest fundraiser of the year in support of student scholarships.

This year’s event will celebrate Elliot Mills (BBA ’93), CEO & managing partner of Hawaiʻi Hospitality Group, as the 2026 Legacy in Tourism honoree.

Kylie Matsuda-Lum (BS ’01), managing director of Kahuku Farms, also will be inducted into the school’s Alumni Hall of Honor.

At the event, ClimbHI also will be presented with the Distinguished Service Award. ClimbHI is a nonprofit organization that connects students with career pathways and workforce development opportunities to help them finish high school and successfully enter post-secondary education or employment.

Alumni and friends are invited to join in the celebration.

Since its inception, the Travel Industry Management School has remained deeply rooted in Hawaiʻi’s unique sense of place, embracing its culture, spirit of aloha and diverse communities while serving as a key gateway to the Asia-Pacific, a school press release said.

In 2019, the school rejoined the Shidler College of Business, a strategic integration that the press release said has:

• Introduced more than $1.5 million in new student scholarships
• Nearly doubled the size of the faculty
• Created six new faculty endowed fellowships and professorships
• Increased rankings: No. 15 nationally and No. 46 globally among the 1,500 hospitality and tourism programs in the 2024 Quacquarelli Symonds rankings; and No. 12 nationally and No. 32 globally among the 200 programs assessed by the 2025 Shanghai Ranking
• Increased undergraduate enrollment by 4.5% from 2024 to 2025
• Awarded more than $560,000 in scholarships during the 2025–26 academic year
• Enabled more than 90% of graduates to find employment or pursue graduate study within three months of graduation
• Established the Travel Industry Management PhD program, which prepares students for careers in research, teaching an d service, focused on travel industry management in Asia and the Pacific.

“Future graduates have a deep understanding of the importance of Hawaiʻi’s culture and the environment,” said the school’s Advisory Chair Keith Vieira (BBA ’79). “That awareness will be critical to shaping visitor experiences that positively impact our communities and sustain an industry we can proudly carry forward.”

A guiding force behind the school’s global prominence was long-time leader Chuck Yim Gee, who was a co-founder of the program and served as dean from 1976 to 1999.

He died in 2019. But under his visionary leadership, the school forged deep partnerships with the visitor industry, expanded its global engagement — particularly in the Asia-Pacific region — and championed sustainable tourism long before it became a worldwide priority.

His legacy continues to influence the school’s commitment to cultural understanding, global collaboration and academic excellence, the press release said.

In recognition of the school’s 60 years of impact, supporters are invited to invest in the next generation of hospitality, tourism and transportation leaders. Gifts of any size make a meaningful difference and will ensure that the school will continue to serve as a premier resource for Hawaiʻi’s visitor industry and the international tourism community.

To explore giving opportunities or contribute, visit the TIM School Giving Page. Alumni may also submit their TIM School memories and update their information online.