What’s new in Hawaii, one of the most enduring destinations for
West Coast travelers? To find out, we gathered a group of the
islands’ leading women tourism executives call it a power brunch
for a power bunch. TravelAge West invited seven tourism leaders for
brunch, a wide-ranging roundtable discussion, a cover photo shoot
and a meet-and-greet with Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle.
TravelAge West Publisher Michelle Rosenberg and Executive Editor
Theresa Norton Masek hosted the daylong event last month at the
elegant Halekulani hotel in Honolulu.
The roundtable discussion touched on issues such as Hawaii’s
competition, the growth in inter-island cruising and the best way
for agents to sell this unique destination. The following excerpts
capture the heart of the discussion.
The Aloha Spirit
TravelAge West: How do you define and communicate to potential
visitors that special quality that is Hawaii the “Aloha
Spirit”?
Diane Quitiquit: It’s the atmosphere, the vistas, the scenery in
general, the smells and the tastes and the sounds that all together
make Hawaii a very special place.
Shari Chang: Each of the islands is truly like a different
destination. The challenge we all have is how to get beyond that
thinking of sand and surf. A lot of groups the Hawaii Tourism
Authority, Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, the governor’s
office are trying to focus on the diversity of each of the
islands.
Karen Schulz Hughes: I sold this destination as a travel agent
20 years ago even though I had never been to Hawaii. I remember a
sales rep coming to me. She said, “Tell me what you love about the
Caribbean and tell me what you love about Mexico. Tell me what you
love about all these destinations and I’ll show you that all those
elements live in Hawaii somewhere.” There’s not another destination
that takes all these elements in one place.
Quitiquit: And Hawaii is America and Hawaii is safe. And in our
worldwide climate today those are two very important elements.
Competition
TAW: Arrivals to Hawaii are up 3.8 percent this year and, from
the West Coast, up almost 6 percent. Meanwhile, the Caribbean has
been aggressively marketing on the West Coast. Given this
competition, what is the toughest challenge you face? Who are you
keeping tabs on?
Chang: Cruises are huge.
Roberta Rinker-Ludloff: Mexico. Cabo San Lucas two years ago was
a couple of hotels.
Sam Hoffman: French Polynesia. The very upscale travelers go
there. And they’re targeting the North America market, which is our
core market to the islands.
Hughes: The numbers there are small. But they are attracting
that $700-, $800-, $1,200-a-night, high-income customer.
Still Fresh?
TAW: Do you think Hawaii is doing enough to refresh itself?
Rinker-Ludloff: It’s not that there’s not anything new, it’s
rather that people don’t realize all there is to do on each
island.
Chang: With the Hawaii Tourism Authority we found things that
even we didn’t know about. But they don’t have big marketing
budgets. So that was one of the challenges, how do we get
information about all of these unique activities out there?
Hughes: There’s a lot of stuff going on in Waikiki and a lot
that’s planned. Outrigger’s got their huge $300-million Beachwalk
project (to renovate Lewers Street, a main thoroughfare). We’ve
redone the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and the Moana Surfrider. The shops
are being upgraded and changed to a broader audience that will
appeal more to the North American market.
Quitiquit: There’s refreshening on all the islands. On the Big
Island, we have Sheraton reopening what was formerly the Kona Surf.
We have residential developments providing additional golf courses
and other experiences. Parker Ranch refurbished its shopping
center, which is right at the crossroads of the island.
Susan Kanoho: At Kukui Grove Shopping Center, we have our first
Starbucks ever. Kiahuna Golf Course is doing a revamp, Puakea Golf
Course went from 10 holes to 18.
Tourism Direction
TAW: Who or what is driving Hawaii’s tourism effort today?
What’s happening with the tourism marketing message about
Hawaii?
Marsha Wienert: The Hawaii Tourism Authority has been charged
with keeping the brand intact for Hawaii. But if you look at Kauai,
it’s Sue that’s in charge of the brand for her island and the
positioning of her island. It’s the same with all the islands,
especially where base markets are concerned. It’s everyone at this
table, and a few more that are really in charge of Hawaii’s
brand.
Tired of Hawaii?
TAW: Some people think the West Coast is getting tired of
Hawaii. Others say that’s hogwash. Are people being lured away by
other destinations?
Kanoho: Kauai just added more direct flights for summer from
American, United, Aloha. And it’s not just Kauai. It’s West Coast
driven the flights are from Oakland, San Francisco, L.A.
Quitiquit: And the flights are full.
Hoffman: Are you seeing a trend as well that a lot of the West
Coast visitors are coming directly to a Neighbor Island? We’re
seeing our pattern change a little bit, especially with all the
direct lift now.
Wienert: That’s normal with any destination. You’re going to go
back to the one you really love.
Rinker-Ludloff: And that’s where the cruise lines are going to
help us. Norwegian Cruise Line’s new Hawaii expansion will give
visitors a taste of each island.
Quitiquit: And we know that they do come back and spend time in
the destination they like most of all.
Big Tips
TAW: You’re all sales people. If you could give our audience one
tip for selling Hawaii what would it be?
Hoffman: Find out what your customer wants to do. Because
there’s always an answer in Hawaii to fulfill it. If I’m a golfer,
I want to hear about all the great golf courses. If I’m a scuba
diver I want to know about the wonderful reefs.
Hughes: Number one, get here. And if you can’t get here, you’ve
got to learn every island. The first place to go is Ke Kula O
Hawaii [a self-teaching travel agent training program from HVCB].
Go to www.gohawaii.com. Or get to a live training session that we
host on the Mainland.
Rinker-Ludloff: Use the resources of preferred wholesalers,
especially the ones that specialize in Hawaii, because they have
staffs that really understand our islands.
Hoffman: Besides the HVCB training, there’s individual island
training, and training from a lot of the individual companies, like
Outrigger. We have our own specialist program. And Starwood does as
well. There’s lots of information out there.
Kanoho: Interaction with local people. Find out through the
calendar of events what’s happening while they’re there. Because
nine times out of 10 it’s such a positive experience for that
person to have that local interaction.
Getting There
TAW: What’s the best way for an agent who hasn’t been to Hawaii
to get here? Rinker-Ludloff: Through their preferred
wholesaler.
Hughes: All the hotels offer travel agent rates. And some of the
wholesalers have discounts.
Chang: A lot of the airlines offer travel agent rates. We’re
trying to convince people who bring the fam trips over that we
don’t want them just to go see 20 hotels a day. We want them to do
some unique activities. In the Ke Kula program, one of the fun
parts was the agent’s own “hot tips.” They took a lot of pride in
being able to say “Well, I know this bakery on Maui” or “I know
this here.”
Still Partners?
TAW: Are travel agents as important to you as they ever were, or
do you have other ways of reaching customers?
Hughes: Absolutely as important as they ever were, probably
more. The best of the best are the ones that remain through these
tough times.
Hoffman: From the hotel side it’s gotten more complicated with
all the home-based agents. It’s harder to track the real productive
agents and to stay in contact with them.
Chang: Now home-based agents are some of our top producers.
The Real Story
TAW: What is the untold, unpublicized story of Hawaii?
Hughes: The tenure of the staff here. This is not a transient
environment. There’s a real coming-home feeling to repeat
guests.
Quitiquit: Hawaii is real. The hospitality isn’t put on, the
beaches aren’t made up. The sounds, the smell, everything about
Hawaii is very real. And that’s why it touches them.
The Missing Piece
TAW: Is there any product or experience you feel is missing from
Hawaii?
Hoffman: I’m really excited about plans for a car ferry system
between the islands. Visitors will be able to rent a car and take
the ferry to the other islands.
Chang: Our research has shown that visitors want to interact
with local people more. Some other destinations have started
home-stay programs for tourists. That’s something we really haven’t
explored here, but it’s certainly a new niche that we could get
involved in.
Happy Customers
TAW: Any final thoughts?
Hoffman: This fall the HVCB will sponsor a campaign called “Come
Experience Hawaii.” Go to the HVCB Web site for a comprehensive
list of activities.
Rinker-Ludloff: Stay aware of the new trends happening in
Hawaii, through wholesalers, hotels, any of the visitor industry
entities. For the fall especially, they’re going to see a lot of
excellent value out there between the airlines and hotels.
Hughes: There is no greater sales tool than a happy customer.
And Hawaii has the highest satisfaction rating on the planet. You
can’t lose.
Sidebar: Gov. Lingle’s Tourism Views
Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle has made tourism one of her top
priorities. She planned to attend the TravelAge West function but
had to cancel due to pressing last-minute matters during the
state’s Legislative session. However, Lingle did greet the group at
the Capitol and later responded via e-mail to TravelAge West’s
questions regarding her tourism priorities. Her response
follows.
“Tourism is Hawaii’s largest industry and, because its
well-being affects nearly every resident in the state, it has and
will continue to be a primary focus of our administration.
“That’s why we feel it is important to have a cabinet-level
position for tourism a person that is a communicator and
coordinator between the administration, the visitor industry and
the community. (That tourism liaison position is now filled by
Marsha Wienert.)
“Because demand for our beautiful islands has increased and
continues to grow, our short-term priorities include upgrading and
improving our airports, especially on Maui and Oahu. These
improvements include terminal upgrades, new baggage handling
facilities and improvements to meet new security requirements.
Additionally, we continue to work with the airlines and travel
suppliers to encourage increased lift to our islands.
“Our state parks are an important part of the overall visitor
experience and many are classified as attractions on some of our
islands. Because they are so important, not just for the visitor
but also for Hawaii residents, it is critical to maintain and
upgrade our parks and facilities on all the islands. “Along the
same lines, our administration is working to repair and upgrade our
state’s harbors to accommodate the growing cruise industry.
“Hawaii, in part, has gained its reputation as one of the most
sought after vacation destinations because of our people, our
hospitality and our ‘Aloha Spirit.’ Our philosophy: ‘If we improve
the lives of our residents, our visitors will benefit.’
“Ho`okipa which means hospitality is a core value in Hawaiian
culture, and we are doing everything we can to protect and enhance
our hospitality industry and provide the type of experience our
visitors expect and deserve.”
According to Lingle’s office, the Legislature has approved
roughly $14 million for improvements in the state’s parks, $10
million for upgrades at Honolulu Harbor and more than $60 million
for changes at Hawaii’s airports, including $33 million for
terminal upgrades and baggage system improvements at Maui’s Kahului
airport and $28 million for baggage systems at Honolulu
International Airport.
Sidebar: Hawaii’s Leading Ladies
Gov. Linda Lingle
In November 2002, Lingle became Hawaii’s first female governor
and the first Republican to hold the office in 40 years. She was
previously head of the Hawaii Republican Party, and the Mayor of
Maui County. During her three decades in the islands, she has been
a newspaper publisher, a county government leader and an active
community volunteer.
Marsha Wienert
Wienert was appointed by Gov. Lingle in 2003 as Hawaii’s first
tourism liaison, a cabinet-level position responsible for
coordinating the state’s long-term tourism strategy. During her
nine years as head of the Maui Visitors Bureau, Maui was voted
“Best Island in the World” by Condé Nast Traveler nine years
running, and won Travel and Leisure’s “World’s Best Island”
distinction five times.
Shari Chang
A 30-year veteran of the tourism industry, Chang previously
served as Aloha Airlines’ senior vice president for sales and
marketing and currently is president of the tourism consultancy SWC
Marketing. She has served on several state and industry panels,
including the Hawaii Travel and Tourism Research Association, and
has chaired the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
Cynthia ‘Sam’ Hoffman
With a background in advertising and marketing, Hoffman has been
Outrigger Hotels and Resorts’ director of marketing since 1997. She
helped launch the company’s OHANA Hotels brand in 1999. She is a
member of the Hawaii Travel and Tourism Research Association.
Karen Schulz Hughes
Starwood’s regional vice president of sales and marketing for
Hawaii and French Polynesia, Hughes began as a travel agent 24
years ago. She also spent eight years with Pleasant Hawaiian
Holidays. She sits on committees for the Hawaii Tourism Authority
and the Oahu Visitors Bureau, and is incoming chair of the Hawaii
Visitors and Convention Bureau.
Susan Kanoho
The executive director of the Kauai Visitors Bureau since 1997,
Kanoho also holds positions with a host of organizations, including
the Kauai Chamber of Commerce, the Kauai Academy of Travel and
Tourism, and the Kauai Economic Development Board, where she was
executive director for seven years. She chairs the Kauai Cruise
Ship Committee.
Diane Quitiquit
Quitiquit, marketing and development manager for the Big
Island’s Parker Ranch, previously served as the Big Island’s
director of research and development. She is a former chair of the
Hawaii Tourism Authority, and currently serves on several community
and tourism-oriented boards. She has won numerous community and
travel industry awards.
Roberta Rinker-Ludloff
The former manager of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Rinker-Ludloff
today promotes premier properties as Hilton Hawaii’s regional vice
president of marketing. The chair of the Oahu Visitors Bureau has
also been involved with committees for the Hawaii Visitors and
Convention Bureau and the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
