Hawaii is the farthest you can go from North America without leaving the U.S. It is 2,300 miles from the mainland, and visitors arrive to find tropical trees and flora they’d previously seen only at the florist’s, while maps are covered with place names in the mellifluous Hawaiian language. Even the faces are different—Hawaii is an incredibly diverse state with no ethnic majority, except perhaps surfers.
It truly feels like a different, exotic country, and yet passports aren’t needed, everyone speaks English, and there’s no need to change money or figure out a new postal system to send postcards.
Oahu, the most populous of the six main islands and known as the “Heart of Hawaii,” and Kauai, nicknamed the “Garden Isle,” embody the rich and promising sense of otherness, of being far from home in the best possible way, that makes any gathering there absolutely unforgettable.
Hawaii is so far west, it’s practically east. Due to their location and enticing tropical charms, the islands are a growing hot spot for a rendezvous between American businesspeople and their Asian counterparts.
“As today’s global economy expands further to include more of the Pacific Rim, Hawaii will take on greater significance as a preferred location to bring East and West together in a venue that’s welcomed and accommodating for all attendees,” says Michael Murray, vice president of sales and marketing for corporate meetings and incentives at the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. “Hawaii’s spirit of multiculturalism presents an ideal setting for getting international business done. Oahu, with its plentitude of meeting options, and Kauai, with its incredible natural beauty, will continue to present two very enticing islands for groups to host meetings with business interests in the Pacific Rim.”
No matter where they come from, events professionals and groups seldom fail to be impressed with their experiences on the islands.
“Planners and their clients love Hawaii’s aloha spirit and how people live up to the long-standing tradition of Hawaiian hospitality,” Murray says. “They love the uniqueness of the islands and the attributes they offer for pre- and post-meeting events. Coming to the islands is a rejuvenating experience, and planners appreciate how Hawaii’s tourism and meeting professionals live up to their expectations.”
Oahu
Oahu deserves its epithet, the “Gathering Place.” The island is home to approximately 75 percent of the state’s population as well as the Hawaii Convention Center and many of its largest convention hotels and resorts.
Honolulu is the state capital and largest city, and Waikiki, Honolulu’s most famous neighborhood, is a magnet for leisure tourism and meetings business alike.
Despite the riches of meeting venues, nightlife and cosmopolitan activities, Oahu is an island paradise.
“Oahu’s best-of-both-worlds advantage gives clients urban options and exotic tropical island experiences, all on one island,” says Noelani Schilling-Wheeler, senior director of sales and marketing at the Oahu Visitors Bureau. “Not many tropical island settings provide such advantages. There are more accommodations, transportation options, activities, restaurants, venues, and experiences on Oahu than in most other tropical destinations.”
Oahu is also more accessible than planners might think, both for arrivals from the mainland and once visitors have disembarked.
“More flights fly directly into Honolulu International Airport than any other island,” Schilling-Wheeler says. “Getting around Oahu is easily accomplished with a varied range of transportation options.”
Oahu boasts the biggest concentration of large hotels and meeting venues in the state, and competition is a driving force for renewal and improvement.
“Many of the properties on Oahu, especially in Waikiki, have been undergoing renovations and changes,” Schilling-Wheeler says. “This is all good news for the meeting planner and for groups, as it gives clients greater choices and options to meet their needs.”
The lineup of new properties and destination enhancements is impressive, according to Schilling-Wheeler, who points to Outrigger Hotels and Resorts Waikiki Beach Walk redevelopment project, the brand-new Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk and renovations to properties such as the new Wyland Waikiki, a former Doubletree property now managed by Outrigger.
The $535 million Waikiki Beach Walk retail, entertainment and hotel development also debuted the Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk in November, and Trump International Hotel and Tower will open in 2009 along the Beach Walk.
“Groups can also enjoy the rebranded Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort,” Schilling-Wheeler says. “The resort, affectionately known as the ‘First Lady of Waikiki,’ will now offer an enhanced service culture, including Westin-branded amenities such as the Heavenly Bed and Heavenly Bath along with its historic ambiance and elegant surroundings.”
Other top meetings hotels are Halekulani; Waikiki Parc Hotel; Hilton Hawaiian Village; the newly reflagged and renovated Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio; the recently renovated Sheraton Waikiki; Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort and Spa; and Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort.
Resorts outside the city center are also ideally suited to groups, including Kahala Hotel and Resort outside Waikiki, JW Marriott Ihilani Resort and Spa in the western part of the island, and Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore.
Meanwhile, the Hawaii Convention Center, the destination’s principal gathering facility, has a 200,000-square-foot exhibition hall, a 35,000-square-foot ballroom and 47 meeting rooms.
Among the most memorable choices for off-site events and tours on Oahu are the Battleship Missouri Memorial, site of the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II; Iolani Palace, a National Historic Landmark that was built in 1882; the Contemporary Museum, showcasing modern art; and Bishop Museum, displaying royal Hawaiian heirlooms and artifacts as well as other objects of importance to Hawaiian history and culture.
Another unique option is the new Pacific Aviation Museum in Pearl Harbor, which is housed in a World War II-era hangar. The museum is available for group events.
Intriguing off-site options on the North Shore include the Polynesian Cultural Center, the Waimea Valley Audubon Center and Kualoa Ranch, where team-building programs are available. A number of private estates can welcome smaller groups for elegant, intimate events.
Apart from Oahu’s world-renowned beaches and sun-drenched activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, surfing, and windsurfing, there are also some quirky, off-the-beaten-path ways to see the island.
Oahu Ghost Tours presents walking and driving tours that introduce visitors to the most haunted places on the island, while Fire Truck Hawaii offers tours in an original open-cab 1936 fire truck through Waikiki, Diamond Head and downtown Honolulu. Led by real firefighters, the tours teach groups about the history of the fire department in Hawaii and how to stay safe should they ever encounter a fire. Guests may opt to wear authentic firefighting gear on the ride.
Kauai
Kauai is the oldest and lushest of the volcanic Hawaiian islands, as well as the most pristine and least developed.
Rains are frequent, warm and fleeting. Mount Waialeale, its central peak, ranks among the wettest spots on earth, and the cascades that grace its green faces draw the eye and the camera as well as feed the state’s only navigable (and kayakable) rivers.
The air is perfumed with pikake and hibiscus flowers, and the tropical plant life is exuberant. Left to their own devices, passion fruit vines wind through the treetops and carpet the ground with their ripe fruit, and the crowing of wild roosters punctuates the day and evening.
Life has a slow pace on Kauai, focused on enjoyment of the moment. The largest towns are Kapaa, with 10,000 people, and Lihue, with less than 6,000 residents.
Coral reefs around Tunnels Beach offer some of the best snorkeling in the islands, with dozens of multicolored fish visible merely by standing at the water’s edge, and other beaches are well suited for swimming, surfing and boogie boarding.
“The natural beauty of Kauai is really what sets us apart over other tropical settings as a meetings destination,” says Edie Hafdahl, director of sales and marketing at the Kauai Visitors Bureau. “Visitors are amazed by natural wonders such as the dramatic Na Pali Coast, the spectacular Waimea Canyon and the countless waterfalls on Kauai. The diversity of activities and cultural events that can be experienced on Kauai is what attracts meeting planners looking for a new and unique experience.”
Kauai is ideal for smaller groups, with 1,500 near the limit of its capacity.
The island’s most popular meetings hotels include Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa in Koloa, featuring a newly renovated and expanded spa; the recently renovated Sheraton Kauai Resort in Poipu; Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club near Lihue; the newly renovated Hilton Kauai Beach Resort in Lihue; and Princeville Resort, which is undergoing a rebranding to become St. Regis Resort Princeville. The multimillion-dollar transformation is slated for completion by January 2009.
With its rivers, waterfalls and expanses of jungle, Kauai is unbeatable for group adventures and outdoor team building. One of the newest and most exciting activities is zipline tours.
“Kipu Falls Zipline Trek and Kipu Falls Zipline Safari by Outfitters Kauai now offer four separate ziplines,” Hafdahl says. “You will sail as high as 80 feet above ground, over rivers and waterfalls and through treetops at a speed of up to 35 miles per hour. At first I wasn’t quite sure about it. It was more the fear of the unknown. By the third time I went across, I was hanging upside down. Groups will love it.”
A company named Just Live Inc. customizes zipline tours and other events to the level of physical and mental challenge that groups prefer and also offers zipline activities by moonlight.
Another activity that was recently introduced is the Kauai Plantation Railway at Kilohana Plantation. Guests can explore Kauai’s sugar plantation history on a 2.5-mile train ride through the 36-acre plantation’s beautiful grounds. Afterward, they can purchase locally grown fruits to sample and buy delicious souvenirs at a Farmers Market and gift shop.
“Tour and activity operators have effectively used Kauai’s natural beauty to offer visitors unique and unforgettable experiences,” Hafdahl says. “This, combined with the rebranding and up-branding of the various hotel properties, will allow Kauai to continue to be an attractive destination for meetings and incentives.”
For More Info
Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau 808.923.1811
www.meethawaii.com
Kauai Visitors Bureau 808.245.3971
www.kauaidiscovery.com
Oahu Visitors Bureau 808.524.0722
www.visit-oahu.com
