Message from George D. Szigeti
President & CEO
Hawaii Tourism Authority
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Aloha kakou,
The joy of the holidays is bringing to a close what has been a remarkable year for Hawaii’s tourism industry.
This is a time to reflect on the hard work and accomplishments of these past 12 months and look ahead to the promise of a new year.
Mahalo to everyone who has helped to support Hawaii tourism in 2017. Along with good friends, loving families and the satisfaction of a job well done, we are fortunate to live and work in the world’s greatest destination.
Your team at the Hawaii Tourism Authority appreciates all the support of our industry partners.
We are committed – always – to making tourism in the Hawaiian Islands a better and stronger industry for all the families and businesses that benefit from its success.
Enjoy the holidays and best wishes for a joyous start to 2018.
Happy Holidays!
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Hale Hoikeike Sharing the Stories of Maui
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Hale Hoikeike at the Bailey House has been Maui’s museum for six decades. Within its collections and archives are the stories of Maui’s history – the island’s chiefs and chiefesses, kings and queens, whalers and missionaries, plantation owners and immigrants, and more – curated by the Maui Historical Society.
This year, the society teamed up with the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) and other partners to present E Pulama Mau Ia Maui, a series of exhibits organized to better connect the people of Maui with their stories.
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Beyond the exhibits on display in the museum, the series includes events, lectures and workshops on selected topics. Series topics presented so far have included reflections on the sugar plantation era, hula traditions and the evolution of education from pre-western contact through today.
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You can find out about Hale Hoikeike’s current E Pulama Mau la Maui exhibit and learn more about the Maui Historical Society’s ongoing work to preserve the stories of Maui at
mauimuseum.org.
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Aloha Aina Program Partner Takes Up Battle to Control Invasive Species
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Little fire ants. Albizia trees. Rapid ohia death fungus. None of these invasive species belong in the island of Hawaii's delicate environment, yet each has managed to find a foothold. It is the mission of the Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC) to prevent, detect and control the spread of invasive species like these, which threaten the island’s environment and economy, and affect the day-to-day lives of kamaaina.
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HTA partnered with BIISC in its invasive species battle through the Aloha Aina program. With an emphasis on early detection and rapid response, BIISC has eradicated three high-priority invasive species in recent years with six more near eradication. Through the Plant Pono program, nurseries are screening imported plants to detect invasive species before they have a chance to spread. Additionally, the Stop The Ant campaign is educating residents in the control of little fire ants, which can impact outdoor recreation areas used by residents and visitors.
Learn more about invasive species and how you can help at
BIISC.org.
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Paepae O Heeia: Restoration and Preservation
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The early Hawaiians knew that their success in open-ocean fishing was very dependent upon weather and sea conditions. But thanks to their impressive feats of engineering, scientific understanding and careful resource management, they always had fish available to eat. Great walls were built of rock and coral to enclose fishponds along the shore. Gates controlled the mix of fresh and ocean water in the ponds, as well as the size of fish allowed in and out of them.
One such Hawaiian fishpond can still be seen and visited today in Windward Oahu. The 800-year-old wall of Heeia Fishpond is 15 feet wide and 1.3 miles long – possibly the longest wall in Hawaii. For nearly two decades, nonprofit community group Paepae O Heeia has worked to restore the once damaged and overgrown fishpond into a vibrant community resource and model for other restoration efforts.
HTA is proud to partner with Paepae O Heeia. Learn more about the fishpond at
PaepaeOHeeia.org.
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Scoot will fly the route four-times-weekly using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 329 seats. The service is expected to generate $79.74 million in visitor spending and $9.31 million in state tax revenue for Hawaii on an annual basis.
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Pacific Rim Cup Brings Pro Soccer to Aloha Stadium, February 8 and 10
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The Pacific Rim Cup is bringing two days of men’s professional soccer to Aloha Stadium, February 8 and 10, featuring the Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Columbus Crew SC from Major League Soccer and Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo and Iwaki FC from the Japan Professional Football League.
Two matches between the four teams will be played on both days, allowing Hawaii residents and visitors to see up-close top professional soccer players from both leagues.
Tickets are reasonably priced at $15 and $20 for reserved seating, $12 for general admission, and $9 for youths (ages 6-17) seniors (age 65 and older) and military.
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Upcoming
HTA-Supported Events
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OAHU
Dec. 22-25
Dec. 24
Jan. 8-14
Jan. 19-20
Feb. 8, 10
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MAUI
Jan. 2018
Jan. 2018
Jan. 2018
Jan. 3-7
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ISLAND OF HAWAII
Jan. 2018
Jan. 2018
Jan. 2018
Jan. 18-20
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KAUAI
Dec. 1-24
Dec. 31
Jan. 15 - Ongoing
Jan. 18 - March 20
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Hawaii Showcased at Canadian
Travel Agent Events
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November was a busy month for travel events in Canada. Hawaii Tourism Canada (HTCAN) was front and center at the 150th Mixer event for key partner Travel Leaders Network. HTCAN was invited to share Hawaii's appeal with more than 80 travel agents.
Additionally, Maritime Travel welcomed HTCAN to its national conference with agents from 116 locations in attendance. Hawaii was well received at both events.
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Appealing to Canadian Brides and Grooms
HTCAN participated in multiple wedding shows in 2017, including the recent Crème de la Creme Wedding Show in Vancouver, British Columbia, where couples at past shows have shown high interest in Hawaii's romantic appeal. HTCAN provided destination information and planning guidance for couples looking forward to their wedding day or honeymooning in the Hawaiian Islands.
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HGTV Hawaii Promotion Generates Overwhelming Response
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HTCAN partnered with Home and Garden Television (HGTV) in Canada for a four-week digital sweepstakes featured on the cable network’s website and promoted on social media. The promotion generated more than 28,000 contest entries and 800,000 impressions. Air Canada Vacations and Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort provided a seven-night trip for two to Oahu for the sweepstakes’ vacation prize.
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Inaugural Aloha Program Week in Hawaii
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Hawaii Tourism Japan (HTJ) conducted its first Aloha Program Week for Hawaii travel specialists, from November 25 to December 2 on Oahu. More than 60 Hawaii specialists and Aloha Program members participated in the unique opportunity to learn about Hawaii’s history and experience its culture firsthand.
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Activities were made available to participants including lessons in laulau making, ukulele strumming and lauhala weaving, as well as visits to historic locations in downtown Honolulu. Participants also toured Kualoa Ranch, Waikiki and the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, the last of these led by crew members of the long-distance Polynesian voyaging canoe Hokulea. HTJ received positive feedback from participants and is already planning a second annual Aloha Program Week next year.
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HTJ Conducts Media Event in Tokyo
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HTJ hosted a media luncheon on November 14 at Argo restaurant in Tokyo, also conducting an informative session on Hawaii’s trends for 60 media professionals and 25 attendees representing 13 partners.
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Participants were given opportunities to network with media professionals and partners, and treated to a special study session featuring three lecturers sharing their expertise on Japan’s public relations and social media initiatives. The group gained useful knowledge on writing effective press releases, executing successful public relations events and maximizing their social media usage.
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Making a Splash at Cruise World 2017
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Hawaii Tourism United States (HTUSA) attended Cruise World 2017 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from November 15-17.
While there, the team led a Hawaii Destination Specialist seminar with 150 travel advisors, conducted Hawaii training and a panel discussion for Destination USA drawing 75 attendees, and participated in a trade show attended by 800 travel professionals.
Tropical flowers adorned the trade show pavilion, which also featured Hawaii treats, HTUSA promotional materials and live Hawaii entertainment. Participating Hawaii suppliers included Apple Vacations, Delta Vacations, GoGo Vacations, The Mark Travel Corporation and Pleasant Holidays/Journese.
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Engaging Top Travel Professionals on Maui
Hawaii participated in Pleasant Holidays’ annual Elite Agent Event on Maui, from November 1-5, with 46 agents in attendance. The event honored top front-line selling travel professionals and featured a trade show, HTUSA presentation, excursions and networking events.
HTUSA’s Hawaii partners included Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui; Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii; Marriott Hotels and Resorts Hawaii; Norwegian Cruise Line and United Airlines.
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Hawaii Featured in Alaska Airlines’ Inflight Magazine
An eight-page feature about Hawaii’s underwater world was published in the November issue of
Alaska Beyond Magazine, the inflight magazine of Alaska Airlines. The feature originated from journalist Ben Davidson’s numerous visits to Hawaii, which were coordinated by the HTUSA team.
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Davidson’s feature, “Hawaii Aquatic Adventures,” highlights the Hawaiian Islands’ diverse water activities, and an array of tours on Maui, Kauai, Oahu and the island of Hawaii.
Alaska Beyond Magazine reaches 80,000 business and leisure travelers monthly.
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Hawaii Tourism Oceania Brings Two Production Companies to Hawaii
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November was an outstanding month for the Hawaii Tourism Oceania (HTO) team, which engaged with production companies on two television opportunities being filmed in the Hawaiian Islands.
National Geographic Films traveled to Kauai and the island of Hawaii to explore local experiences and hidden gems for a 4 Days Away travel feature slated to air in February. Program host Lynette Bolton viewed Kulaniapia Falls on the island of Hawaii and, with her crew, experienced Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the Kilauea volcano summit eruption from the observation deck at Thomas A. Jaggar Museum. The team also visited Waimea Canyon on Kauai.
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Prime Time Channel Seven travel series A Taste of Travel filmed two episodes on Oahu and Maui for its 2018 season. The series visits diverse destinations worldwide highlighting each’s outstanding cuisine and ideal family experiences.
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A Taste of Travel sampled Hawaii cuisine, including special dishes from chef Ed Kenney of Mahina and Sun’s restaurant in Waikiki. While on Oahu, the team also experienced a cultural tour of Waimea Valley and visited Kualoa Ranch.
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HTO Wins Best in Social Media Award
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On behalf of HTO, Senior Marketing Manager Charis Ricafuente accepted the award for Best in Social Media at the Women in Travel Awards in Sydney in November.
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The awards program recognizes women who have achieved success in their professional arenas and celebrates the invaluable contribution of their leadership, innovation and expertise to their industries.
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Home-Based Agents Receive Joint Product Updates
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HTO recently partnered with The Modern Honolulu hotel on Oahu and Hawaiian Airlines on six successful joint product update events across Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and the Gold Coast. The high-tea events were attended by 61 Virtuoso home-based travel agents from SmartFlyer, MTA Mobile Travel Agents and TravelManagers.
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Hawaii Tourism Korea Meets with Top Wholesalers and Industry Partners
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Hawaii Tourism Korea (HTK) hosted a three-city Hawaii Roadshow on November 8 and 9 in partnership with Hanjin Travel, one of Korea’s top wholesalers. The roadshow visited the three major South Korean cities of Seoul, Daegu and Busan to stimulate travel from these secondary markets. During the two-day training program, more than 130 retail personnel from Hanjin Travel received educational information about Hawaii and its cultural and historical aspects.
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While in Busan, Korea’s second-largest outbound market, the Korea team also executed a productive sales blitz to cultivate connections between trade partners and HTK, as well as discuss future co-op opportunities intended to boost sales volume from the area. HTK also conducted sales-call meetings with major Busan-based airlines and travel agencies, including Delta Air Lines, Japan Air Lines, LAS Tour and Hana Tour.
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Romance in Hawaii Promotions Target Leisure Travelers
Targeting the honeymoon and romance travel market, HTK recently developed a special co-op project with major Korea-based consumer wedding magazine
My Wedding. The exclusive joint promotional contest launched on December 1 and will continue through January 31, conducted by
My Wedding with De Beers, one of the world’s leading diamond businesses.
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The contest winner will receive a four-night vacation on Oahu. In exchange, Hawaii will be featured in a full page spread in the January issue of My Wedding equivalent to $15,000 USD in public relations value.
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Collaborative Promotion with Hyundai Motors Promotes Kailua-Kona
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In partnership with Hyundai Motors, HTK launched a Christmas sweepstakes event through social media and offline efforts to collaboratively promote the island of Hawaii town of Kailua-Kona and the South Korean automobile manufacturer’s new subcompact crossover SUV, the Hyundai Kona. The innovative promotion aims to place a large focus on Hawaii and leverage the automaker's fan and consumer bases to promote the destination.
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The campaign involved the production and set up of point-of-purchase advertisements at Hyundai Motors’ 850 stores and driving centers announcing its program plans and prizes. The campaign was also promoted utilizing multiple online marketing tools, including HTK’s newsletter and press release, as well as Hyundai’s website and social media channels.
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ALOHA Night Market Raises Hawaii Awareness in Kuala Lumpur
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On November 26, Hawaii Tourism Southeast Asia (HTSEA) hosted its first ALOHA Night Market in Kuala Lumpur. With the objective of raising local community awareness of Hawaii's diverse travel offerings, the event featured an array of island-inspired activities, including hula and ukulele performances, games, food, giveaways and an information booth.
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The evening was supported by several Hawaii partners, including Kualoa Ranch, Battleship Missouri Memorial, Pacific Aviation Museum, Roberts Hawaii and Polynesian Cultural Center, all of whom contributed brochures and giveaway items helping make the first ALOHA Night Market a success.
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The five-hour event welcomed 250 attendees and received positive feedback from the community.
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Travel Agents Promote Hawaii through 2018 Table Calendars
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Hawaii images are being featured in the 2018 table calendars of leading Malaysia outbound travel agencies Corporate Incentive Travel Planner (CITP), Corporate Information Travel (CIT) and Sedunia Travel. The agencies specialize in meetings, conventions and incentives (MCI), and corporate travel.
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More than 7,000 copies of the table calendar – with a collective media value of $10,000 – were produced and distributed to the three agencies and their corporate clients.
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Accolades Awarded by
National Tourism Magazine
and
City Traveler Magazine
in China
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The Hawaii Tourism Authority and island of Oahu were recently awarded Best Marketing Organization and Best Destination awards by
National Tourism Magazine and
City Traveler Magazine, respectively.
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More than 1,200 industry representatives, including key decision makers from the airline, hotel, cruise and retail segments, attended the awards events for both publications.
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11/11 Singles’ Day Promotion on Fliggy Targets Millennials
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Hawaii Tourism China (HTC) collaborated with leading Chinese online travel agency Fliggy on Singles’ Day 11/11, China’s largest annual e-shopping event. Travel partners promoted more than 60 best-selling Hawaii travel products on Fliggy’s online platform, which targets millennial leisure travelers. Itineraries, attractions and accommodations sold online generated almost a thousand sales in just 11 days.
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The campaign was featured on several social media channels, including Fliggy, Weibo, GoUSA Pavilion and Hawaii digital platforms. Participating trade partners included Brand USA, CITS Jiangsu, CYTS Tours, Aoyou, Nanhu Travel, Chengdu Huanqiu, CTS Jiangsu, Galaxy, Etourer, 7zhou, Shijiebang, Lanmao Yinke Travel, Beijing Meilianxing and Beijing MeiPai.
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Hawaii Tourism Hong Kong Supports International Hula Festival
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On November 11 and 12, Hawaii Tourism Hong Kong (HTHK) sponsored and attended the 2017 Hong Kong International Hula Festival, which welcomed more than 1,200 attendees. The Hong Kong International Hula Dance Association invited seven hula groups from Hawaii – represented by Master's Touch Hula Ministry – Japan, Korea and Taiwan to perform for the festival in Ocean Park, a popular Hong Kong theme park.
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A festival hula photo contest captured hula performances, offering a top award of an interisland flight from Hawaiian Airlines. On the festival’s second day, attendees participated in a hula dance workshop.
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Hutchgo.com Online Campaign Promotes Romance
In November, HTHK and online travel agency Hutchgo.com launched the In Love with Hawaii campaign website, which features 53 romantic attractions and 12 tailored itineraries for Hong Kong couples visiting the Hawaiian Islands.
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The joint marketing promotion includes co-op partners United Airlines and Hertz International Rental Car, individually promoting special round-trip fares between Hong Kong, Guam and Honolulu, and car rental fares.
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Hawaii Tourism Taiwan Conducts Multi-Island Blogger FAM
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Hawaii Tourism Taiwan (HTT) sponsored three targeted bloggers on a familiarization trip visiting Oahu and the island of Hawaii, from November 12-21. The invited bloggers each specialized in content for different audience-interest segments, including beauty, fashion, lifestyle and travel, helping broaden HTT’s audience reach.
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The bloggers shared their Hawaii experiences on their social media accounts throughout the 10-day FAM, reaching more than 828,000 collective followers. While in the Islands, they also produced engaging Facebook and Instagram livestreams and stories.
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Post-trip, the bloggers are expected to share even more of their Hawaii experiences with followers. HTT will continue its relationships with the bloggers, inviting them on a return FAM and to speak at upcoming promotional seminars. Mahalo to the Island Chapters and industry stakeholders for helping to make the blogger FAM a success!
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Hawaii Tourism Europe Engages Sales Agents on Kauai and the
Island of Hawaii
Hawaii Tourism Europe (HTE) partnered with the Kauai Visitors Bureau and Island of Hawaii Visitors Bureau on a product manager familiarization trip to the Hawaiian Islands, from November 27 to December 4. The aim of the FAM was offering tour operators from the United Kingdom an opportunity to experience Kauai and the island of Hawaii, tour hotel and resort properties, and participate in activities and experiences enhancing and increasing their knowledge of both islands.
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Representatives from some of the U.K.’s most important travel companies were present, including North American Travel Service, Flight Centre, Bon Voyage, American Sky, Virgin Holidays and Trailfinders. Accompanying the group was HTE’s Emma Morgan and a representative from Travel Trade Gazette who collected media coverage of the trip.
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Sharing Hawaii with French Media
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Geraldine Rue, a journalist with French newspaper website
LeMonde.fr, was on Maui and the island of Hawaii from October 26 to November 2 to research a feature on nature and hiking activities for a January blog feature.
The
LeMonde.fr website attracts more than 3.8 million unique visitors monthly. Rue’s trip was organized in partnership with tour operator La Maison des Etats-Unis and multiple local partners.
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Keep in touch with HTA via social media:
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HTA recognizes the use of the 'okina ['] or glottal stop, one of the eight consonants of the (modern) Hawaiian language; and the kahakō [ā] or macron (e.g., in place names of Hawai'i such as Lāna'i). However, HTA respects the individual use of these markings for names of organizations and businesses. Due to technological limitations, this current communication may not include all Hawaiian diacritical markings.
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