Aloha Friday Wrap: HTO’s new guide, Hawaiian Airlines gets romantic, #islandsofaloha comp + MORE!
Keen to become an expert on all things Hawaii but don’t have the time nor money to get over there? Let this handy wrap be your saviour.
Hawai‘i Tourism Oceania releases 2020 Discover Guide
Hawai‘i Tourism Oceania (HTO) has released its 2020 Discover Guide filled with information on each of the six Hawaiian Islands for travel agents and consumers.
The 2020 guide covers everything from accommodation options and activities, to heritage sites and festivals across the Hawaiian Islands.
For more info on the guide, including how to download it (for free), click here.
Hawaiian Airlines spreads the love this Valentine’s Day
To share the love this Valentine’s Day, Hawaiian Airlines has announced a ‘Romance Sale’ with fares on sale until 18 February.
Prices start from $799 per person return departing Sydney and $809 per person return from Brisbane when two or more tickets are purchased in the same booking.
All fares include a generous two lots of 32-kilogram checked luggage allowance, entertainment, meals, and drinks.
Click here for more details.
Hawai‘i Tourism launches #islandsofaloha photo comp for Aussies
Hawai‘i Tourism is giving away a luxury trip to the Hawaiian Islands as part of a newly launched photo competition.
The #islandsofaloha photo competition calls for Aussies to select the best photo they’ve taken in Hawaii and upload to Instagram using the #islandsofaloha hashtag.
Hawai‘i Tourism will select the lucky winner, sending them and a friend on a trip to the luxury Prince Hotel in Waikiikii for five nights with return flights from Australia to Honolulu.
Find out how to enter here.
Chef Wong to head Down Under for Hawaiian Airlines
Hawaiian Airlines’ high-profile executive chef, Lee Anne Wong, will be Down Under again in April and May visiting the airline’s kitchens in Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland.
Hawaiian is preparing to refresh its business-class menus on its non-stop routes to Honolulu from Sydney and Brisbane in September.
During her visit, Wong will work alongside chefs to demonstrate new or updated recipes for the carrier’s complimentary in-flight meals.
Read more about Wong’s culinary talent here.
Outrigger Hospitality Group to acquire Hawaii Island resort
Outrigger Hospitality Group has signed an agreement to acquire Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa at Keauhou Bay, a 509-room property in a prime oceanfront location on the Island of Hawaii.
The transaction is expected to close in mid-April 2020, at which time the property will be rebranded as an Outrigger resort.
The investment is directly aligned with Outrigger’s strategic business plan to expand its presence in Hawaii and beyond.
Read more about the deal here.
Hawaii’s Aussie arrivals down 11.3 per cent, but repeat visitation grows
Hawai‘i Tourism Oceania (HTO) has revealed mixed Australian visitor results for the US island destination in 2019.
In an update to local industry partners last week in Sydney, HTO’s country manager for Australia, Giselle Radulovic, said there were 288,464 Australian visitors to Hawaii last year – a year-on-year decline of 11.3 per cent.
However, Radulovic noted the repeat visitation rate increased two per cent to 53.3 per cent in 2019.
“Hawaii has always had great return visitation from Australian travellers, and in 2019 we saw over 150,000 Australians choosing to return for a holiday,” she said.
“This result reflects Hawai‘i Tourism Oceania’s strategy to portray that every holiday in the Hawaiian Islands can be different from the last.”
Click here for more of Hawaii’s visitor stats.
Featured image: iStock/kazhiya
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