FIFO 2026 – Aaron Salā is the president of the jury for the 23rd edition of FIFO. He currently leads the Hawai‘i Visitors & Convention Bureau (HVCB). Today, he shares his vision of the world, Oceania, and the Pacific with great wisdom.
Aaron Salā is inspiring. President of the FIFO jury for this 23rd edition, he describes himself as a cultural practitioner, researcher, and leader from the Pacific, working at the intersection of culture, storytelling, and systems transformation. “I grew up at the heart of the tourism and culture industries, literally behind the scenes and flying over the Pacific, and I have devoted my adult life to carrying and telling stories. Now, I ask how we can transform industries into platforms of dignity, integrity, and creativity,” Aaron explains.
Today, he says he is more personally aware than ever of his kuleana, his responsibility. “As a result, I am both more grounded and more clear-eyed about the scale of the responsibility I carry. I am a husband, a father, and deeply aware that the decisions I make have effects far beyond my own life,” reflects the Hawaiian.
Professionally, he serves as President and CEO of the Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau, while continuing his international work as a cultural producer, researcher, and advisor. Deeply connected to culture, he emphasizes: “I am now less interested in scale for its own sake and much more focused on consequences, the real impact of our work on people and places.”
His personal story explains his love for culture: “I descend from Samoan, Hawaiian, Portuguese, and Chinese ancestors. I spent my childhood in American Samoa, then continued my secondary education and came of age in Honolulu. Family lands in Tafuna, Aoloau, and Aoa on the island of Tutuila, as well as my grandmother’s home in Kailua on the island of Oʻahu, continue to shape me.”
Strongly attached to his lands, Aaron acknowledges having made difficult choices to remain in the Pacific. “I was studying opera, both as a vocal student and as a conductor, at university. Although I deeply love the world of classical music, it is difficult to pursue a career in that field while living full-time in Hawai‘i. But I truly wanted to live my life in Hawai‘i. That moment of decision, when I chose to shift my professional path in order to live in the islands, was undoubtedly the real turning point in my journey,” he recalls.
“Do not think small. The world is vast.”
Passing on knowledge is what motivates him above all.
“I feel an immense responsibility toward the next generation. Our duty today is to create a better path for our children, a path that is demanding and challenging, but without inhibition or barriers. Seeing that my three children are themselves deeply creative and explore the world through their own perspectives brings me great joy. My role is to ensure that the space is safe for them to do so,” Aaron explains.
The CEO is a man of conviction who dreams of a better world for future generations. He also “firmly and simply believes that the stories of our Oceania will save the world.”
According to Aaron: “The more we make our stories heard, of hardship, struggle, resilience, sadness, joy, anger, and celebration, the more the world will understand that diversity and the celebration of differences are the path to unity.”
A musician at heart, he never gives up and continues to carry forward the messages that matter to him. “I have never thought about giving up, because I don’t feel like I have a choice. This work is part of my DNA. I continue because it is a force greater than myself.”
Grateful and compassionate, he offers a heartfelt tribute to those who believed in him early on: “My grandmother and my mother, without hesitation, always encouraged me. I was surrounded and largely raised by extraordinary women who pushed me to give my best and honor my commitments.”
With great wisdom, Aaron now advises: “Do not think small. The world is vast.”
Jenny Hunter – Studio Marama – FIFO Tahiti
The Biography of Aaron Salā
Aaron J. Salā, Ph.D., is a leader in regenerative tourism in Hawai‘i, where he combines ancestral Pacific wisdom with innovation. As head of the Hawai‘i Visitors & Convention Bureau (HVCB), he works to shape a sustainable tourism model that respects cultures and centers community well-being. Formerly president of the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority and a cultural director, he founded Gravitas Pasifika, an organization dedicated to strengthening the resilience and self-determination of Indigenous peoples. In 2024, he served as Executive Director of the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC), held in Hawai‘i.
French