Between the two of them, Oahu and Kauai offer just about everything anyone could want from a meeting destination in Hawaii. Cosmopolitan Oahu boasts the excitement and cultural richness of a mid-Pacific hub, while laid-back Kauai is the very essence of an idyllic tropical paradise.
What they both have in common are state-of-the-art hotels, visitor resources and off-site venues that are conducive for realizing just about any meeting objective. Whether it’s accomplishing business goals, learning new concepts, finding inspiration, forging connections or motivating the team, Oahu and Kauai are ready for the task.
Oahu
Last November, Oahu took the global spotlight as world political and business leaders gathered in Waikiki for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference. Possibly the most significant meeting in Hawaiian history, it proved to be a testament that the state is more than just a pretty resort destination, according to Mike Murray, vice president, sales and marketing, corporate meetings and incentives for the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau (HVCB).
“We received great feedback on how well the conference went, especially from the security perspective, which is so important to a high-profile event like this,” Murray says. “President Obama, who hosted APEC, said that Hawaii had delivered just as he knew it would.”
For the HVCB, the success of the meeting means strong reinforcement of its ongoing effort to present Hawaii as a setting for serious, high-level conferences.
“Our goal is to reposition Hawaii’s business side, and ultimately we will use [APEC] as a case study so that planners will be compelled to think of Hawaii as a serious place for meetings,” Murray says.
APEC also illustrated the suitability of Oahu as a site for international conventions, something that is already evidenced by the type of association business attracted to the Hawaii Convention Center, according to Murray. In particular, groups that want to encourage attendance from Asia are able to do so, he says.
“There’s a comfort level here for Asian delegates because we’re so diverse and have a strong Asian heritage,” he says. “Along with the ease of arriving here, they will find that hotels have multi-language room service menus, that there are taxi drivers and others who speak Mandarin.”
In the years leading up to APEC, billions of dollars were invested in the revitalization of Waikiki, resulting in a destination that is not only drawing corporate and association groups, but also seeing an increase in incentive business.
“There’s a transformation that has taken place in Waikiki over the past several years, everything from the sidewalks to the hotels, so that planners are now seeing Oahu as a great incentive destination—much more so than in the past,” Murray says.PageBreak
Impressive hotel renovations have taken place all over Waikiki, most notably at the Royal Hawaiian, the legendary Pink Palace of the Pacific, which reopened in 2009 after the most extensive makeover since it was first unveiled in 1927. The adjacent Sheraton Waikiki is fresh from a $200 million renovation that made substantial improvements to its 45,000 square feet of meeting space and added a full-service spa and lagoon-style pool area.
Improvements to Waikiki hotels are not slowing down, including a recent guest room refurbishment at the Hawaii Prince Hotel and Golf Club. At the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach, which underwent a $110 million renovation two years ago, work is starting on a new pool and pool deck area.
Outside of Waikiki, one of Hawaii’s first new resorts in several years made its debut last fall on the west side of the island at Ko Olina. Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa offers 350 guest rooms, 480 timeshare villas, a spa and meeting space (see Property Profile).
“Disney has done a really good job in branding the resort, and they were also mindful to put the destination first,” Murray says. “They are contributing to the overall boost in business, including incentives, that Oahu is seeing.”
Ko Olina is also home to the JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa, which recently refurbished its 387 guest rooms and redesigned its award-winning spa.
On the North Shore, Turtle Bay Resort, in collaboration with Surfer magazine, recently opened Surfer, The Bar. The casual bar is a venue for live music from local bands, a “Talk Story” series and screenings from the North Shore Surf Film Festival.
Oahu’s famed attractions have also unveiled enhancements, including the Battleship Missouri Memorial, which features the new Battleship Movie Behind the Scenes Tour. The tour takes guests on an interactive journey through areas of the ship that are featured in Universal Studios’ new movie Battleship.
The Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site is also offering a new tour and interpretive program in its 1821 Mission House. The tour illustrates the cultural interchanges between the missionaries and the native Hawaiians.
Airlift to Oahu is getting a boost from the East Coast, with the introduction this month of new daily flights on Hawaiian Airlines between Honolulu International Airport and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. Also starting this month is United’s new daily service to Honolulu from Washington, D.C.’s Dulles International Airport.
In California, Alaska Airlines recently launched daily service to Honolulu from both San Jose and Oakland.
“This represents substantial new airlift, particularly from the East Coast, so this is contributing to our positive outlook for both tourism and meetings,” Murray says.
Kauai
While APEC may have put Oahu in the spotlight, Kauai was showcased in the recent hit movie The Descendants, a large part of which was filmed on the island.
“It’s brought us a lot of attention, with people telling us they were very impressed with how great Kauai looked in the film,” says Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kauai Visitors Bureau, adding that the locations used for The Descendants are now part of Kauai Movie Tours, a group-friendly activity option on the island.
Always a big draw for incentives and groups looking for a rejuvenating atmosphere, Kauai is also proving to be a strong choice for groups with an interest in sustainability and giving back to the local community, Kanoho says.
“Our hotels are really seeing this interest in green meetings and are upping their game,” she says. “Many have extended their recycling efforts from the back of the house to up front, where guests can really see what they’re doing.”
Some hotels are also offering charging stations for electric vehicles, a big transportation trend on the island, according to Kanoho.
“Groups are also asking us about voluntourism, so they are partnering with local schools on projects and doing team-building events for giving back,” she says.PageBreak
Kauai’s natural landscape is not the only thing looking good these days. The island’s hotel scene is also in fine form. Many properties have completed major renovations and unveiled new function areas, including the Grand Hyatt Kauai and Kauai Marriott, both of which have undergone property-wide guest room refurbishments and made enhancements to their public spaces.
This spring, the Sheraton Kauai put the finishing touches on a $16 million renovation that included the addition of two dining venues, RumFire, which features locally sourced cuisine with global influences, and Lava’s, an open-air restaurant and beach bar. Also new is Luana Kai, an outdoor function space overlooking Poipu Beach available for day or evening events.
A brand conversion and management change recently took place at the former Aston Kauai Beach at Makaiwa, now the Courtyard by Marriott Coconut Beach. Upgrades have been made to the 311 guest rooms, exterior, pool area, restaurant and meeting space.
At the Princeville Resort on Kauai’s north shore, the acclaimed Prince Golf Course, which is ranked by Golf Digest as the top course in Hawaii, reopened on March 1 following a 13-month renovation. The practice facility and 60,000-square-foot clubhouse were also upgraded. Princeville is also home to the St. Regis Princeville, which reopened in late 2009 with a new spa and luxury suites.
Kauai’s wide range of soft adventure options continues to grow with inventive choices for groups. Kayaking, zip lining, hiking, snorkeling, horseback riding and tubing through the island’s irrigation system are just a few of the activities Kauai is known for.
The Garden Island boasts some 50 miles of white-sand beaches, more than any other island in Hawaii. Its geographic wonders include the rainbow-hued, 3,567-foot-deep Waimea Canyon, often called the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” and the 3,000-foot towering cliffs overlooking the Napali Coast on the northwest shore.
“Groups really want to get out into nature when they come here,” Kanoho says. “Everyone is looking to offer something new.”
Among the new options is a tour that combines horseback riding with yoga on a private ranch. Offered by Princeville Ranch Adventures, the guide on the tour is a certified yoga instructor who leads groups on a peaceful ride to an area with stunning valley and mountain views for yoga practice.
Jointly offered by Kauai ATV and CJM Stables, a new “Horse & Buggy” tour combines horseback riding with ATV driving on private trails in a secluded area on the south shore. Participants begin by traveling in ATV or Mudbug vehicles through hidden valleys, then continue the tour on horseback along beaches and bays where movies have been filmed.
Maria Lenhart, a former Meetings Focus editor, has been writing about the travel industry for more than 25 years.
