Message from George D. Szigeti
President & CEO
Hawaii Tourism Authority
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Aloha kakou,
Confidence in Hawaii as a travel destination is perhaps best reflected by air carriers wanting to add new flights to the islands.
Consumer travel demand for Hawaii drives added air access, which, in turn, strengthens the economy and, ultimately, benefits communities and residents statewide.
It’s a winning formula for Hawaii driven by tourism’s success, but one that also gives residents more travel choices when flying abroad to the U.S. mainland and internationally.
This year, Hawaii’s winning formula will be most evident in mid-December when, over a one-week period, four airlines either launch new flights to the Islands or greatly expand existing service.
The new wave of air access begins December 14, with Virgin America launching nonstop daily flights between San Francisco and Kona.
Five days later, on December 19, Honolulu welcomes the inaugural flight of air carrier Scoot from Singapore, which will include a stopover in Osaka, Japan, as part of the route. Hawaii is Scoot’s first U.S. destination, with flights being offered four days weekly.
The following day, December 20, United Airlines will begin expanding its capacity to Hawaii by 20 percent overall, adding more nonstop flights to the neighbor islands from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Denver.
Finally, on December 21, Delta Air Lines begins nonstop daily service from Seattle to Lihue.
Altogether, the added flights are both a great finish to 2017 and a springboard to further strengthen Hawaii tourism as 2018 begins.
As we close out this year, we encourage everyone to embrace the holiday spirit with family and friends and consider attending the Experiences of Hawaii events listed in the calendar below.
Culture, arts, music and holiday events will be offered, as well as exciting sports competitions, like the Honolulu Marathon, Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic and Hawaii Bowl.
Enjoy the holiday season to its fullest and join us in giving thanks for what has been a remarkable year for Hawaii’s tourism industry.
With Warmest Aloha,
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SAVE THE DATE!
2018 Global Tourism Summit: October 1-3, 2018
Mark your calendars! Hawaii's 2018 Global Tourism Summit will be held October 1-3 in Honolulu at the Hawaii Convention Center. Watch the following video for highlights from this year's successful Summit.
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Hawaiian Stories: Did You Know
Queen Liliuokalani
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Queen Lydia Kamakaeha Liliuokalani was a faithful scholar, gifted musician and composer, and Hawaii’s last reigning monarch. She assumed the throne in 1891 following the passing of her brother, King David Laamea Kalakaua. One of her first orders of business as queen was to remove terms in the Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii unfavorable to the Hawaiian monarchy and the people – terms forced upon the Kingdom of Hawaii by business interests. These same business interests would drive the overthrow of the monarchy just two years later.
Wary of the potential bloodshed of her people, who had already been decimated by foreign diseases, Liliuokalani advocated a non-violent resistance to the hostile overthrow. Her patience, courage, humility and forgiveness elevated her status as a role model. When the queen passed away on November 11, 1917, traditional chants and church bells rang out in mourning across Hawaii.
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In observance of this year’s 100th anniversary of her passing, people statewide gathered on November 11 to honor Liliuokalani. Church bells and chants rang across Hawaii. Queen Liliuokalani remains a symbol of peace and strength, and a beacon for her people.
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Nani Ke Ao Nei Music Series
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The Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives traces its history back to 1852, when it was established to support missionaries in the Pacific. The former mission headquarters in Honolulu first opened as a museum in 1923, and continues to preserve, interpret and share the history of Christian missionaries and their role in shaping Hawaii history.
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Nani Ke Ao Nei is a talk story and performance series that explores Hawaii’s music – from chant to Christian hymns – our royal composers, the arrival of new instruments and the Hawaiian Renaissance. Select programs may be found in their entirety on YouTube thanks to Olelo Community Media. The 2018 program, Na Moku Eha, will feature songs of the islands of Kauai, Oahu, Maui and the island of Hawaii.
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The Hawaii Tourism Authority is proud to support Nani Ke Ao Nei through its Kukulu Ola program, ensuring a thriving Hawaiian culture.
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Now in its 21st year, the Festival of Lights at Kauai’s County Building is recognized as one of the best places on the island for families to share holiday season joy.
The Kauai Chorale will join Santa and Mrs. Claus to kickoff this year’s festival with a lighting ceremony on December 1, followed by the Lights on Rice Street Parade.
Residents and visitors can then enjoy the lights from 6-8 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Christmas Eve, with a hana hou (encore) on December 30.
The festival perpetuates a local tradition, displaying a collection of holiday folk art created by Kauai’s Aunty Josie Chansky, who until the mid-1990s displayed her art at her Kapaa home. The festival is presented by Friends of the Festival of Lights, with support from community organizations, volunteers, local schools, businesses and the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
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HTA-Supported December Events
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OAHU
Dec. 3
Dec. 10
Dec. 22-25
Dec. 24
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MAUI
Dec. 2017
Dec. 2017
Dec. 2017
Dec. 2
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ISLAND OF HAWAII
Nov. 29
Dec. 16
Dec. 2017
Dec. 2017
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KAUAI
Dec. 2017
Dec. 2017
Dec. 1-24
Dec. 31
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Hawaii Festivals and Events Offer Visitors
In-Depth Experiences
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More than 100 world-class chefs, 50 winemakers and a dozen mixologists contributed their talents to the seventh annual Hawaii Food and Wine Festival, which featured multiple culinary events on Maui, the island of Hawaii and Oahu between October 20 and November 5.
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The first half of November featured the 37th annual Hawaii International Film Festival (HIFF) and the 47th annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival, two longtime festivals and events sponsored by HTA.
HIFF presented a slate of more than 160 films from over 45 countries this year, with screenings happening on Oahu, Kauai and the island of Hawaii. In all, HIFF featured 35 world premieres and 97 Hawaii premieres.
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The Kona Coffee Cultural Festival – one of Hawaii’s longest-running food festivals – featured 10 days of community-based events on the island of Hawaii’s west side, highlighted by the festivals’ popular evening lantern parade, the Holualoa Village Coffee and Art Stroll, a farmers marketplace and coffee-cupping competitions in search of the Kona area’s best roasts of the year.
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Seabourn Cruise Line Makes Inaugural Lanai Port Call
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Seabourn Cruise Line’s
Seabourn Sojourn made its inaugural port call to Lanai on November 6, also marking the island’s first-ever welcoming of a major cruise ship.
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HTA participated in a plaque exchange with the ship’s captain. The company’s Seabourn Sojourn cruise ship is capable of carrying up to 458 guests, offering 11 levels of accommodations with cabins ranging in size from 295- to 1,182-square-feet of indoor space. Launched in 1987, Seabourn Cruise Line is a pioneer in the luxury cruise market, with accolades from cruise guidebooks, travel critics and traveler polls.
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Top Australian Radio Station Broadcasts From Hawaii
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In October, Hawaii Tourism Oceania (HTO) brought three teams from one of Australia’s top radio stations,
Triple M, to Hawaii for a week of live broadcasts from Oahu. The
Triple M team also pre-recorded content from each of the neighbor islands for play during broadcasts. HTO partnered with Outrigger Hotels and Resorts and Australian air carrier Jetstar for the campaign. It also collaborated with Jetstar and Australia-based travel outlet Flight Centre on a Hawaii campaign coinciding with a
Triple M morning radio promotion.
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HTO Participates in Qantas Best of USA Training Day
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On October 11, HTO participated in the Qantas Best of USA Training Day, educating 150 travel agents about Hawaii. HTO conducted six 12-minute interactive destination-training sessions throughout the day with top-selling United States agents from Australia.
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HTO Hosts Ten Agents on Helloworld FAM Trip
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HTO partnered with Hawaiian Airlines to host ten agents from integrated travel service provider Helloworld Travel on a familiarization trip to Oahu and Maui.
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The majority of the agents on the FAM had never traveled to Hawaii and were excited to experience the Islands. They visited new and recently renovated hotels and experienced a range of activities, including stand-up paddleboarding off Waikiki, an ATV tour of Kualoa Ranch, a helicopter ride over West Maui, a luau and a zipline tour over Kaanapali Beach.
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Aloha Europe 2017 Showcases Hawaii as a Holiday Destination
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Hawaii Tourism Europe (HTE) hosted partners in the United Kingdom (UK), Ireland and Germany from October 8-18 during the annual Aloha Europe mission. The team met with sales agents, product managers and media, educating them about Hawaii as a premier holiday destination.
The roadshow format allowed HTE to effectively target a large number of sales staff in geographically diverse regions. There was a stronger focus on the UK this year, resulting in more opportunities for the group to liaise with key contacts in this important market.
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Linden Museum in Germany Unveils Hawaii Exhibition
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On October 13, the Linden Museum in Stuttgart opened a Hawaii exhibition, the first major display of its kind in Germany that focuses on the Hawaiian culture and history. The Hawaii exhibition will run through May 2018.
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Musicians David K. Trask III, Jeffrey Au Hoy and Thomson Palakiko Enos, and hula dancers entertained guests at the VIP opening event. In addition, the cultural team performed hula in the city center to further promote Hawaii and the exhibition.
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Hawaii Tourism Japan Camera Girls Campaign Promotes Hawaii
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Hawaii Tourism Japan (HTJ) recently partnered with eight female non-professional avid photographers to promote the island of Hawaii. The group conducted on-island photo shoots from October 21-30. The images will be featured on a new website launching this winter.
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Sharing Hawaii's Points of Difference in Japan
Workshops organized by HTJ were held in the cities of Hiroshima, Okayama and Sapporo in conjunction with Hawaii Promotion Committee Japan. A total of 143 travel agents from 26 companies participated in the workshops, which were specifically aimed at educating travel agents in regional citi
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Hawaii Tourism Korea Launches Online Expo and Monthlong Campaign
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Hawaii Tourism Korea (HTK) kicked off October with a large-scale, monthlong marketing campaign, Hawaii Online Expo – Destination of the Month: Hawaiian Islands, in partnership with international travel agency Hana Tour.
The multifaceted promotion showcased the Hawaiian Islands exclusively through online and offline channels, including websites, owned/paid media and agency outdoor banners and branches throughout Korea. The HTK team marketed the Hawaii Online Expo under the umbrella title, “A rewarding trip to myself, Hawaii,” which suggested that consumers “deserve(d) to take a trip to Hawaii after yearlong work.”
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The promotion offered quality content and destination information to consumers, and featured bestselling Hawaii products tempting winter travelers to choose the Islands for their year-end travel. A total of 10,834 consumers purchased Hawaii products during the one-month promotion, with sales including packages, airtels and air tickets. The campaign achieved a growth rate of 56 percent in package/optional tour products and incentives compared to the same period in 2016.
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HTK Invites Writers to Experience Romance on Oahu
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To promote Hawaii as the ideal honeymoon and romance destination for Korea travelers, HTK partnered with the Oahu Visitors Bureau (OVB) to invite popular advice columnist Kwak Jung Eun and her fiancé on an exclusive Romance in Oahu press trip, from October 19-24. The couple published more than 20 photo and video posts of their Oahu travels on Kwak’s personal social media, and incorporated the official HTK hashtag #AlohaEverywhere.
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The couple’s Oahu experiences will also be published as a series on the Naver Blog social media platform, as well as in printed media, including
Cosmopolitan magazine, one of Korea's top fashion and lifestyle media outlets. The expected PR value of the press trip is $70,000 (USD).
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2017 Ukulele Fair and Festival Promotes Hawaii
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On September 23, HTK co-hosted the 2017 Hawaiian Ukulele Fair and Festival – Seoul’s largest Hawaiian cultural festival. The mission of the fair and fest was promoting Hawaii’s culture and lifestyle, as well as its ukulele craft and music industry. Its program featured ukulele performances, contests, lei-making classes, hula lessons and other activities. Hawaiian language, customs, practices, music, dance, and information about Hawaii’s cultural and historic sites were also shared with attendees.
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HTK set up a stand-alone Hawaii Culture booth, distributing useful travel information and providing sessions in Hawaiian culture for visitors considering travel to the Islands. Promotional materials showcased at the event included an image wall, signboards, website and social media posts. More than 6,000 guests attended the one-day event.
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Hawaii Selected as Best Destination - America in
Travel Weekly Asia
2017 Readers’ Choice Awards
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Hawaii was honored as Best Destination - America at the
Travel Weekly Asia 2017 Readers’ Choice Awards, hosted at the Mandarin Orchard Singapore. The occasion marked the second consecutive year Hawaii has received the title. A total of 46 awards were presented at the October 23 awards ceremony, attended by members of Hawaii Tourism Southeast Asia (HTSEA). Hawaii’s award for Best Destination - America was accepted by HTSEA Regional Director Kelvin Ong on behalf of the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
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AirAsia’s
Travel 3Sixty
Celebrates its 10th Anniversary
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Travel 3Sixty, AirAsia’s inflight magazine, celebrated its 10th anniversary by unveiling its revamped magazine design at a roadshow commemorating its decade milestone.
HTSEA participated in the event, sponsoring a booth sharing Hawaii destination information and engaging with attendees via an interactive Hawaiian word game, gauging attendee curiosity in selecting Hawaii as their next travel destination.
AirAsia’s lucky-prize drawings featured complimentary airfare tickets and other enticing prizes throughout the multi-day event.
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Hawaii Tourism Taiwan Participates in Taipei International Travel Fair
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Hawaii Tourism Taiwan (HTT) participated in the Taipei International Travel Fair (ITF) – one of the largest travel fairs in Taiwan – from October 27-30. More than 360,000 attended the four-day event, breaking previous ITF visitor records. HTT hosted six booths at ITF, joined by nine stakeholders from eight companies representing Hawaii.
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HTT arranged up to five daily hula performances at ITF, conducting giveaways at multiple activity stages with participating stakeholders. HTT is grateful and appreciative for the support of its stakeholders, and travel-trade and media partners.
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Ohana Fun Hawaii Campaign Launches with Korean Air
Hawaii Tourism China (HTC) conducted its Ohana Fun Hawaii online campaign in partnership with Korean Air from September 1 through October 31, targeting the leisure travel market. As part of the partnership, Korean Air displayed the campaign’s banner on its official website, as well as flagship stores on the online travel platforms Fliggy and Qunar.
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Sponsors of the campaign included Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach, the USS Missouri Memorial Association Inc., Kualoa Ranch, Roberts Hawaii, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Mariposa, Yauatcha Waikiki and Ala Moana Center. According to a 12-city study conducted by Korean Air, the overall number of reservations achieved a 257-percent growth compared to the previous as a result of this campaign.
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HTC Launches Campaign with Brand USA and Fliggy
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In anticipation of China’s biggest annual shopping carnival Single Day, and to boost sales of Hawaii travel products, HTC collaborated with U.S. destination marketing organization Brand USA and Fliggy, one of the most popular online travel platforms utilized by China millennials, to launch the Secret Journey – Hawaii Campaign.
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The multichannel marketing campaign highlighted the experiences of two influencers on a five-day trip to Oahu between October 24 and 29. The influencers posted on social media platforms WeChat and Weibo, and on their live-streaming accounts while enjoying their outdoor activities, accommodations and dining, sharing much of their journey. The campaign generated 54 Weibo posts and five live-stream videos, reaching 5.62 million followers for a PR value of $2.14 million (USD).
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Hawaii Tourism Hong Kong and Hong Thai Travel Present Training Seminar for Travel Professionals
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On September 27, Hawaii Tourism Hong Kong (HTHK) and Hong Thai Travel, one of Hong Kong’s leading travel agencies, co-organized an internal training session for more than 30 sales branch managers and product development managers.
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An hourlong Hawaii presentation was presented by HTHK, touching on new attractions and information gathered during the 2017 Global Tourism Summit. Unique Hawaii travel ideas for Maui, Oahu, Kauai and the island of Hawaii were also showcased to boost sales and development of Hawaii tour packages.
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HTHK Encourages “Secret to Romance” Travel
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In October, the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway (MTR) launched a Secret to Romance advertising campaign featuring romantic attractions on the island of Hawaii, Oahu, Maui and Kauai. The two-week campaign reached more than 772,000 passengers daily, with an estimated total viewership of more than 2.1 million passengers.
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In addition, ESDLife, one of the region’s largest media platforms for couples planning their wedding, featured pre-wedding and honeymoon advice in its listing of “Top 20 Secret Romantic Destinations in Hawaii to Create Unforgettable Memories.” As of October 31, the promotion had reached more than 27,330 viewers. As a result of the successful promotion, Korean Air offered a HK $500 discount to the first 40 passengers purchasing a Hong Kong-Incheon-Hawaii travel itinerary.
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Hawaii Showcased to Meeting Planners at IMEX in Las Vegas
The Hawaii Tourism United States (HTUSA)/Meet Hawaii team organized and led the successful Hawaiian Islands pavilion at the annual Incentive Meetings Expo (IMEX) in October. The team was joined by representatives from the Hawaii Tourism Global MCI team, the Hawaii Convention Center and 40 industry partners for pre-scheduled appointments with planners from around the world. More than 12,300 participants from 3,390 companies representing 105 countries attended the three-day event in Las Vegas.
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Participants in the Meet Hawaii pavilion conducted 916 pre-scheduled appointments, with representatives from Polynesian Cultural Center presenting guests with fresh-made kupee (bracelets/anklets) and lei. This year’s IMEX saw Hawaii producing its largest number of hosted buyers in the history of the show.
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HTUSA Sponsors The Mark Travel Corporation Summit
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HTUSA was a key sponsor of The Mark Travel Corporation Summit in Cancun, Mexico. The two-day October conference and supplier tradeshow drew more than 650 travel agents.
An HTUSA-sponsored Saturday morning General Session featured live Hawaii entertainment and a destination presentation. Participating suppliers present at the session included Aloha VIP Tours, Aqua-Aston Hospitality, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Hawaiian Hotels and Resorts, Hyatt Hotels in Hawaii, Kaanapali Beach Hotel, Marriott Hotels and Resorts in Hawaii, Outrigger Hotels and Resorts, and Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa. Additionally, HTUSA and several Hawaii hoteliers exhibited at an interactive Basecamp experience featuring live entertainment, tasting stations stocked with Hawaii eats, a trip giveaway and networking opportunities with attendees.
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Oahu Visitors Bureau Attends Cruise Planners Convention in Mexico
The Oahu Visitors Bureau (OVB) represented the Hawaiian Islands to more than 450 agents attending the Cruise Planners Convention in Cancun, Mexico, which featured three days of round table sessions and a trade show.
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Hawaii suppliers at the October convention included Norwegian Cruise Line, Classic Vacations, Pleasant Holidays, Travel Impressions, Delta Vacations and The Mark Travel Corporation.
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Aloha Canada Informs, Educates and Entertains Canada Travel Agents
Hawaii Tourism Canada (HTCAN) invited select travel agents from the region to its Aloha Canada sales mission, held over three nights in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. The Aloha Canada events were highly anticipated by area travel professionals, with each tallying a waiting list of attendees.
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Representatives from the Island Chapters, Hawaii hotels and resorts, and HTCAN’s tour operator partners also participated in the events. Attendees had the opportunity to participate in a trade show, join presentations about each of the islands of Hawaii, participate in partner roundtables, enjoy entertainment by the Polynesian Cultural Center and take a hula lesson. A few lucky attendees even left with vacation prizes.
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Hawaii Showcased on Canadian Morning Show Programs
HTCAN and performers from the Polynesian Cultural Center appeared on the popular Canadian breakfast television programs
Breakfast Television Vancouver and
CP24 Breakfast, sharing information about Hawaii, offering trip-giveaway promotions and giving the programs’ hosts a hula lesson. The appearances were an advantageous opportunity to encourage Canadians to book a Hawaii vacation during a key booking period.
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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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