While Oahu is Hawaii’s most populated isle and Kauai one of its most secluded, each reflects facets of the Aloha spirit that make Hawaii unique as a meetings destination. Whether it’s an intimate retreat, high-level incentive, military reunion or international convention, planners will find no shortage of site and activity options to create programs that deliver on substance and style.
With billions of dollars worth of renovations recently completed, both Oahu and Kauai are looking their best. And with many attractive booking incentives currently in place throughout the state, the allure of the islands is stronger than ever.
Oahu
Oahu is a superlative island on many levels. As the location of Honolulu, it offers not only the state’s largest city, but its principal hub for both business and leisure travel.
Not surprisingly, Oahu is where to find Hawaii’s biggest selection of festivals and ethnic eateries, as well as sophisticated restaurants, nightspots, museums and other cultural amenities. It’s also where to find the largest concentration of meetings-friendly hotels and venues, in addition to a major international airport and cruise ship terminal.
Despite all of this, Oahu retains plenty of natural places to find respite. Whether it’s strolling on the legendary surfing beaches of the North Shore or hiking through the deep green valleys of the Koolau Mountains, visitors will find a laid-back "neighbor island" experience just beyond the urban bustle.
Positioned at the entrance to Waikiki, Honolulu’s vibrant resort district, is the Hawaii Convention Center (HCC), a striking facility that opened in 1998 with a rooftop terrace as well as a 200-square-foot exhibit hall, 35,000-square-foot ballroom and nearly 50 meeting rooms. Although it is a state-of-the-art facility equipped for sophisticated global conventions, there is nothing generic about the HCC.
"The convention center was designed to have a sense of place—you see it with the native plants, the angles of the building to catch the sunlight and the artwork," says Randy Tanaka, assistant general manager of the facility. "It’s not just a box. It’s been a model for convention centers in other cities."
According to June Matsumoto, the HCC’s director of international sales and marketing, the convention center has been especially successful in drawing healthcare organizations, including the American Dental Association, which is expected to draw 30,000 delegates when it convenes in October.
"We also anticipate that clean energy technology initiatives will be a growing source of business for us, and we’re starting to see more interest," Matsumoto says. "Hawaii offers so many options, particularly in the areas of wind and thermal research. When we look at the potential, we can’t help but get excited."
Michael Murray, vice president of sales and marketing for the corporate, meetings and incentives division of the Hawaii VCB, notes that association business, particularly groups with international attendance, is holding up well, despite this year’s economic turmoil.
"While corporate meetings have tapered down, we’re still doing a lot of association conventions and meetings," he says. "We deal very heavily with medical associations. We’re seeing a lot of doctors combining the meeting with a vacation. These delegates can come out and have a productive meeting and still have time for a pre or post trip with their families."
He adds that many conventions have a large contingent of delegates from Asia.
"Hawaii is a good halfway point where East meets West, so we have a lot of appeal for organizations who want to reach their Asian membership," he says. "When there is a component from the Pacific Rim, we offer great time zone advantages. In Hawaii, you can set up a videoconference with speakers from New York and Tokyo all in one business day."
Supporting the convention center with nearly 30,000 hotel rooms, Waikiki offers everything from large convention headquarters hotels like the Hilton Hawaiian Village and Sheraton Waikiki to intimate boutique properties. A massive district-wide improvement campaign, launched over a decade ago in anticipation of the convention center opening, has brought renovated hotels, new landscaping and signage, redesigned streets and pedestrian-friendly shopping and dining areas.
Among the biggest changes is the $585 million Waikiki Beach Walk, two tiers of restaurants, specialty shops, hotels and entertainment venues, which opened along Lewers Street in late 2006. The area will soon include the luxury Trump International Hotel & Tower Waikiki Beach Walk, a 460-room property scheduled to open this fall.
Another major embellishment has been the $115 million renovation of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, which includes 310,000 square feet of new shops, restaurants and a nightclub/showroom. The complex also encompasses the 30,000-square-foot Royal Coconut Grove, an ethno botanical garden shaded by ancient coco palms that is available for special events.
Overlooking the Royal Grove, the historic Royal Hawaiian Hotel reopened in March after a six-month renovation that redesigned the lobby, refurbished the 529 guest rooms and added two new restaurants, Azure and Surf Lanai, both serving contemporary Hawaiian cuisine. With the reopening, the hotel became part of Starwood’s Luxury Collection.
Adjoining the "Pink Palace of the Pacific" is a new resort activity area, Halima Playground, which includes a lagoon pool and event space that is shared with the neighboring 1,700-room Sheraton Waikiki, which recently completed a major renovation of its own. Other Starwood properties in the vicinity include the 793-room Westin Moana Surfrider and the 1,150-room Princess Kaiulani.
Other major meetings hotels in Waikiki include the Hilton Hawaiian Village, which recently added a 331-unit, all-suite tower; the Outrigger Reef on the Beach, which is wrapping up a $110 million renovation; the Ohana Waikiki Beachcomber, which recently unveiled a new Jimmy Buffet’s restaurant and the Honolulu Surfing Museum and Bar; the Hyatt Regency Waikiki; Halekulani; Waikiki Parc; Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort; The Ilikai; and Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki.
Toward the Diamond Head side of Waikiki, the former W Honolulu is now under the management of Castle & Cook Hotels and has been renamed The Lotus at Diamond Head. Just beyond Waikiki in the upscale Kahala neighborhood, the 338-room Kahala Resort, a secluded property surrounded by dolphin lagoons, completed a $42 million renovation that included major enhancements to its 11,500 square feet of meeting space.
While most Oahu properties are concentrated in or near Waikiki, notable exceptions include the 387-room JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa, located on the leeward side of the island, and the 443-room Turtle Bay Resort, a Benchmark Hospitality property on the North Shore. Both offer extensive meeting facilities and on-site golf.
When it comes to off-site venues and activities, Oahu boasts almost endless possibilities. Within Honolulu are renowned cultural facilities that include the Bishop Museum, which recently opened its renovated Hawaiian Hall, a showcase for the world’s largest collection of Hawaiian and Pacific area artifacts. Other standout venues include the Honolulu Academy of Arts, the Contemporary Museum and Iolani Palace.
For many groups, Pearl Harbor ranks high on the agenda, both as a sightseeing attraction and event venue. Along with such poignant sites as the Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor is home to the Battleship Missouri Memorial, where the formal surrender of the Japanese took place in 1945. The battleship can host a variety of events.
On the North Shore, the Polynesian Cultural Center is another major attraction with multiple venue and entertainment options. The center can also bring dancers, chanters and other performers to hotels and other meeting sites on Oahu.
Kauai
The aptly named Garden Isle is, geologically speaking, the oldest of the main Hawaiian islands. From Hanalei Bay to Waimea Canyon, the island offers some of the lushest and most dramatic scenery to be found anywhere in the world. For those who enjoy hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, birding and other outdoor pursuits, Kauai is truly paradise.
In contrast to Oahu, Kauai is almost entirely rural. Its largest towns, Kapaa and Lihue, each have less than 10,000 people, while most other enclaves are either tiny hamlets or secluded resort communities. Despite its bucolic nature, however, Kauai offers some of Hawaii’s best-equipped sites for small and midsize meetings.
"Our hotels offer top-quality services, including high-tech capabilities, so that attendees can remain focused on their goals and leave the meeting feeing motivated and energized," says Edie Hafdahl, director of sales and marketing for the Kauai Visitors Bureau. "And then, at the end of the day, our spectacular scenery provides the perfect environment for networking."
While Kauai has long been a top incentive destination, Hafdahl says association and SMERF (social, military, education, religious and fraternal) are key markets these days as well.
"The hotels provide really great rates and meet the needs of SMERF groups really well," Hafdahl says. "In particular, the Sheraton Kauai and the Hilton Kauai are doing very well with SMERF business, including military."
Along with hotel quality, Kauai is also known for its array of team-building and soft adventure options, some with a cultural focus.
"Ziplining has become really popular here, with four different companies offering it now," Hafdahl says. "And a lot of the DMCs are offering cultural team building, including a road rally where you have to pay attention to the road signs, landmarks and attractions—and thereby learn about place names. The local canoe clubs will take people out in canoes, teaching them about the history and culture surrounding the outrigger canoe."
Another unique option for groups is a program with Hawaii Movie Tours, which explores the scenic sites in Kauai that have been the background for the movies South Pacific, Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark and many others.
Reopening this month on the shores of Hanalei Bay, the former Princeville Resort has been reflagged the St. Regis Princeville Resort, following a year-long renovation that added a new spa, a signature restaurant and suites with butler service to the 250-room property. The 27-hole Makai golf course, one of two courses at the resort, will reopen in October. Also in the Princeville complex, the Hanalei Bay resort offers 234 condo units.
At the Poipu Resort, the former Poipu Beach Hotel recently reopened as the Koa Kea Hotel & Resort, following a renovation of all 121 guest rooms and the addition of a new restaurant and spa. Poipu is also home to two of the islands major meetings hotels: the 602-room Grand Hyatt Kauai and the 394-room Sheraton Kauai Resort.
In Lihue, the 356-room Kauai Marriott Resort, set to complete a $50 million renovation Aug. 31, and the 350-room Hilton Kauai Resort are other important meetings properties.
