Hawai'i visits set to grow
Makena Beach on Maui
Hawaii Tourism Authority
Tor Johnson |
The number of trips to Hawai'i by Australians and New Zealanders is set to rise to more than 413,000 per year by 2020, latest forecasts show.
While visitor arrivals from Oceania remained steady at around 390,000 this year, they are predicted to increase by two per cent per year over the next three years, according to the figures from Hawai'i's Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism released this month.
The arrival of cheap flights from airlines including Jetstar, which regularly offers great deals from Australia to Honolulu, has contributed to the popularity of Hawaiian holidays in recent years.
Overall, more than 9.8 million people from around the world are forecast to holiday in Hawai'i by 2020, up from 7.6 million a decade ago.
Japan remains the biggest market, with more than 1.57 million visits this year, followed by Canada with 513,000 arrivals.
But Australians remain popular because they typically stay longer and spend more on average.
Around 3.8 million people landed from the US west coast this year, and 1.98 million from the east coast.
Honolulu was the most popular destination, followed by Island of Hawai'i, Maui and Kaua'i.
For more information see http://dbedt.hawaii.gov/visitor/tourism-forecast/
Waikiki Beachcomber resort gets revamp
Holiday Inn Resort Waikiki Beachcomber will be renamed Waikiki Beachcomber by Outrigger in February and undergo a $25 million renovation by mid-2018, transforming it to a more upscale property.
The 496-room hotel's guest rooms, pool deck, lobby, corridors, elevator and exterior will be upgraded in the revamp, which will be completed with minimal disruption to guests.
Award-winning architects Hart Howerton and luxury interior-design firm SFA Design have been recruited for the project.
Guest rooms will feature accents of marigold found in local flora and the latest in-room technology, while Hawaiian tapa designs, carved-wood insertions and intricate rope art will be incorporated throughout.
Beachcomber, which overlooks Waikiki Beach and is next to the International Market Place, was built in 1970. It is known for its showroom, where legendary Hawaii entertainers including the late pop musician Don Ho, performed. It is now home to a Maui Brewing Co. outlet and Hawaiian Aroma Caffe.
Outrigger has several Hawaiian properties, including Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, Outrigger Reef Waikiki Beach Resort and OHANA Waikiki East by Outrigger.
For more information see www.outrigger.com
Spotlight Property
Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach
Four miles from downtown Honolulu, the new Alohilani Resort Waikiki Beach offers an aloha-infused experience in a tropical, yet urban, setting. The product of a $115 million redevelopment of the former Pacific Beach Hotel, the resort has recently been redesigned inside and out, including all 839 guest rooms and suites. Standout features include a three-story, 280,000-gallon Oceanarium, the opulent fifth-floor pool deck with its saltwater infinity pool, and two restaurants by internationally acclaimed Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. With more than 20,000 square feet of meeting and event space, the resort can accommodate groups of all sizes.
AlohilaniResort.com
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