The Experiences of First-Time Managers at a Hawaii Tourist Destination

Hawaii is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Serving the millions of annual tourists to Hawaii are managers and supervisors who operate the tourist destinations frequented by these visitors. For this qualitative study, 17 individuals serving as first-time managers (FTMs) in a prominent tourist destination in Hawaii were interviewed to identify the challenges they faced in their transition into management roles and how they have overcome these challenges. The study also identified factors that help individuals better prepare for the transition from employees to first-time managers.