Oahu Oahu Hotels Oahu

Oahu and Hawaii: Oahu Hawaii : Oahu • LINK TO US • ADD A LINK • RANDOM LINK • HOME • • LISTENNOW • WHAT'SPLAYING? • Looking for something in particular? THIS SITE The Web Popular Pages: Oahu Oahu Hotels Oahu Bed Breakfast Oahu Vacation Rentals Oahu Real Estate Oahu Maps Oahu Pictures Oahu Weddings Oahu Activities Oahu Scuba Diving Somewhere Over the Rainbow Israel Kamakawiwo'ole Over the Rainbow Listen LIVE to Hawaiian Music! What's Playing? Link To Us Your host, Rich Shipley Browse Island Categories: Hawaiian Music Hawaii - All Islands Big Island Kauai Lanai Leeward Islands Maui Molokai Oahu Hawaii : Oahu Add a Link to this Category Activities and Sports new Business-Gov-Social Hotels and Resorts Pictures and Maps Vacation Rentals Arts and Entertainment Bed and Breakfast Guides and Directories Hostels Real Estate Shopping Towns Travel and Tourism Weddings >> Click Here to Listen to Hawaiian Music Now << All Local Events Free online community calendar of events for the islands of Hawaii including Oahu, Maui, Big Island, Kauai, Lanai and Molokai http://www.alllocalevents.com/ details Affordable Towing Services Inc. We provide all types of services from Light, Medium, Heavy & Super Heavy Duty including sliding axle trailer service. We also employ Air Cushions for those very delicate loads that need to be handled with care. http://www.affordabletow.com details Aloha Stadium Swap Meet It's Hawaii's biggest outdoor swap meet with unbelievable bargains from hundreds of vendors selling everything from local arts and crafts, clothing, souvenirs, jewelry, luggage, sunglasses, shoes, accessories, housewares and much, much more. http://www.alohastadium.hawaii.gov/events/swapmeet.html details Environmental Services, City and County of Honolulu Mission statement, news, contact information. http://www.co.honolulu.hi.us/env/ details Honolulu International Airport Information about the services, stores, and facilities at Hawaii's main airport, located on the island of Oahu 4 miles west of central Honolulu. http://www.state.hi.us/dot/airports/oahu/hnl/index.htm details Oahu Transit Services Inc. Information on routes, schedules, fares, passes, and access to popular attractions on the island of Oahu. http://www.thebus.org/ details Hawaii : Oahu • LINK TO US • ADD A LINK • RANDOM LINK • HOME • • LISTENNOW • WHAT'SPLAYING? • Maui | Maui Vacation | Maui Hotels | Maui Condos | Maui Bed Breakfast | Maui Vacation Rentals | Maui Real Estate | Maui Maps | Maui Pictures | Maui Weddings | Maui Condo Rental | Maui Activities | Maui Car Rental | Maui Snorkeling | Hawaii | HawaiiHotels | HawaiiBed Breakfast | HawaiiVacation Rentals | HawaiiReal Estate | HawaiiMaps | HawaiiPictures | HawaiiCondo Rental | HawaiiActivities | BigIsland | BigIsland Hotels | BigIsland Bed Breakfast | BigIsland Vacation Rentals | BigIsland Real Estate | BigIsland Maps | BigIsland Pictures | BigIsland Activities | BigIsland Snorkeling | BigIsland Camping and RVs | Kauai | KauaiHotels | KauaiBed Breakfast | KauaiVacation Rentals | KauaiReal Estate | KauaiMaps | KauaiPictures | KauaiWeddings | KauaiActivities | KauaiCar Rental | KauaiSnorkeling | Molokai | MolokaiVacation Rentals | MolokaiReal Estate | MolokaiWeddings | Oahu | OahuHotels | OahuBed Breakfast | OahuVacation Rentals | OahuReal Estate | OahuMaps | OahuPictures | OahuWeddings | OahuActivities | OahuScuba Diving | FijiTravel HawaiianRainbow.com - Powered By Aloha What are thumbshots?

Air Hawaiian

Paragon Airlines -Hawaii, Inter Island Flights, Air Charters and Tours Between The Hawaiian Islands. Paragon Air is Family owned and operated since 1981. Our attention is to detail and that of the safety of our pilots and passengers. All our pilots are all Airline Transport rated, with thousands of flight hours. Our highest time pilot has over 21,000 flight hours that spans the globe. Maintenance is one of our highest priorities. Our 24 hour maintenance facility keeps our birds in top shape, affording us to conduct flights on a daily basis. PARAGON AIRLINES Serving Hawaii since 1981 with a perfect flying safety record THE WORLD FAMOUS "FATHER DAMIEN KALAUPAPA, MOLOKAI GROUND TOUR" The story of Kalaupapa is told Here! Kalaupapa town ( above middle ) INSTANTLY BOOK your INTER ISLAND FLIGHT or TOURS! RIGHT HERE ONLINE! in 4 VERY Easy steps! and SAVE $$$ INTER ISLAND HAWAII FLIGHTS BOOK ONLINE FOR OUR LOWEST PRICES! Note: When entering your dates of travel, please check the days match the correct year ie.. Monday May 20th is indeed a Monday! Outbound-Depart * Kahului, Maui Hana, Maui Kapalua, Maui Honolulu, Oahu Lihue, Kauai Lanai City, Lanai Molokai, Molokai Kalaupapa, Molokai Kona, Hawaii Hilo, Hawaii Kamuela, Hawaii Mainland USA To Kahului, Maui Hana, Maui Kapalua, Maui Honolulu, Oahu Lihue, Kauai Lanai City, Lanai Molokai, Molokai Kalaupapa, Molokai Kona, Hawaii Hilo, Hawaii Kamuela, Hawaii Mainland USA Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2005 2007 2006 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 AM PM Returning on * Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Jan Feb March April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2005 2006 2007 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 AM PM Number of Passengers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Children under 2/Infants 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Round Trip One Way Please indicate If you are traveling one-way. For Air & Ground Tour Availability click here >>> Tours Kalaupapa, Father Damien-Molokai, The Active Volcano !! Paragon Air is an unscheduled on-demand air carrier. Flights are subject to prior bookings and availability. PRIVATE CHARTER SERVICE IS AVAILABLE TO ANY AIRPORT IN HAWAII 24/7 ONLINE BOOKINGS WANT TO TOUR? MOLOKAI! KALAUPAPA ! THE ACTIVE VOLCANO ! OR JUST FLY INTER ISLAND ! WE ARE HERE FOR YOU! No waiting, No lines, just walk on to the aircraft. Low level scenic routes of the most beautiful coastlines in the world! . An AWARD winning 60 minute video of Kalaupapa, Molokai and Father Damien. Click on the pictures to read more about this informative video. One of our aircraft (6 passengers) in Kalaupapa, Molokai. Kalaupapa Town- Sea cliffs Kalaupapa from the Air A Member of A3H Activities and Attractions of Hawaii and a Member of the Hawaii visitor and convention Bureau. Click Logos for info. Paragon. Greek for "A model of Excellence". "Because flying should be fun!" (808) 244 3356 (Outer islands/US mainland) Email 12 /15/05 LINKS Molokai, Kalaupapa Lighthouse Father Damiem Hit Counter Kalaupapa-Blessed Damien This place is where once three thousand called home until a cure was found for leprosy (Hansen Disease in the 1940's). Kalaupapa is on the north shore of Moloka'i, 2000 feet Sea cliffs that stretch to almost 4,000 feet, the kept the Kalaupapa residents from escaping this cruel and barren place. Then Father Damien arrived in Kalaupapa, Moloka'i from The Big Island of Hawaii, where he helped the people of Kalaupapa, get the respect they deserved. Kalaupapa grew to support the patients was formed by a central crater now full of water and its bottom is known to be a least 800 feet. While this area is generally referred to as Kalaupapa, it is in fact, Makanalua Peninsula which is divided into three districts: The Kalawao district on the eastern edge; Kalaupapa and the settlement of Kalaupapa to the west; with Makanalua in the center. Kalaupapa's reputation as a leprosy colony is well-known throughout the world. Hansen's disease, the proper term for leprosy, is believed to have originated in China and spread to Hawaii. The first documented case of leprosy in Hawaii occurred in 1848. Its rapid spread and unknown cure precipitated the urgent need for complete and total isolation. Surrounded on three sides by the Pacific ocean and cut off from the rest of Moloka'i by 1700-foot fortress like sea cliffs. The area was void of all amenities. No buildings, shelters nor potable water were available. The first arrivals dwelled in rock enclosures, caves, and in the most rudimentary shacks built of sticks and dried leaves. In 1873, when Father Damien entered the settlement of Molokai at age 33, he made a decision to set aside his fear of contagion. He embraced the lepers, cleaned and bandaged their wounds, and the Hawaiians knew his concern and love for them was unprecedented. Father Damien was the only one to bring the leprosy patients the succor they so greatly needed. He not only administered the consolations of religion, but also rendered them with as much medical and bodily comforts that were within his power. He dressed their ulcers, helped them erect their dwellings, dug their graves, and made their coffins. In December 1884, Father Damien noticed severe blisters on his feet without the presence of pain. After twelve years of service (1885), he discovered that he had symptoms of the disease. Nevertheless, he continued with his work. As death approached, the disease invaded his windpipe and progressed to such an extent that he could only sleep but for a few hours. His voice was reduced to a whisper. Leprosy was in his throat, lungs, stomach, and intestines. As the end drew near, he made his confessions to his own Congregation on March 30, 1889 and two weeks later, on April 15,1889, Father Damien died. It was Holy Week. Some weeks before, D,mien had said that the Lord wanted him to spend Easter in heaven. With the advent of sulfone drugs in the 1940s, the disease was put in remission and the sufferers are no longer so called contagious (we have since found out that Leprosy was never contagious). The fewer than 40 former patients remaining on the peninsula are free to travel or relocate elsewhere, but most have chosen to remain where they have lived for so long.

Hawaii Resort

Wailea Grand Champions Maui - Kihei - Wailea Grand Champions Maui Reviews - TripAdvisor Wailea Grand Champions Maui Sign in • Sign up Home > United States > Hawaii > Maui > Kihei > Kihei Hotels > Wailea Grand Champions Maui Kihei tourism: Overview Hotels Flights Attractions Dining Deals Forums Maps, etc. Search (e.g., Boston hotels, Las Vegas, Paris art museum) Kihei Kihei Overview Kihei Hotels Wailea Grand Champions Maui All Kihei Hotels Flights to Kihei Kihei Deals Kihei Attractions Kihei Restaurants Kihei Forum Kihei Maps Kihei Discount Hotels Kihei Vacation Packages Wailea Grand Champions Maui Maui e-mail this page to a friend Traveler Reviews Write a review . What was your experience with Wailea Grand Champions Maui? Tell others what's hot and what's not. Kihei Wailea Grand Champions Maui 3750 Wailea Alanui Shops at Wailea, Suite B51 Kihei, Maui, Hawaii 96753 United States Deals on Kihei Hotels Four Seasons Resort Maui The Fairmont Kea Lani Maui Maui Kamaole ResortQuest Maui Hill Maui Prince Hotel Mana Kai Maui Renaissance Wailea Beach Resort Grand Wailea Resort and Spa Maui Makena Surf - Destination Resorts Maui Sunseeker Wailea Marriott Resort Sugar Beach Resort Condos Kihei Surfside Maui Coast Hotel Leinaala Outrigger Palms at Wailea Hale Pau Hana Resort Royal Mauian Resort Maui Sunset Condos Nani Kai Hale Condos Maui Polo Beach Club - Destinations Resorts ResortQuest at the Maui Banyan Kihei Akahi Kealia Resort Castle Kamaole Sands Kihei Beach Resort Wailea Elua Village - Destination Resorts Wailea Grand Champions Maui Kauhale Makai (Village by the Sea) Hale Kamaole Wailea Ekolu Village - Destination Resorts Maui Vista Resort Kamaole Nalu Resort Kihei Bay Vista Wailea Ekahi Village - Destination Resorts Best Western Maui Oceanfront Inn Hale Kai O'kihei Aston Maui Lu Resort Maui Parkshore More Kihei Hotels Kihei Kai Nani Koa Lagoon Aloha Pualani Hotel Boutique Punahoa Beach Apartments Luana Kai Resort Kamaole Beach Royale Resort Menehune Shores Maui Schooner Resort Kihei Beachfront Resort Shores of Maui Kihei Alii Kai Kihei hotels: 1 - 20 Kihei hotels: 21 - 63 Read more Kihei tourism Wailea Grand Champions Maui #35 of 63 hotels in Kihei Compare rates with: Average price*: $ 243 3750 Wailea Alanui | Shops at Wailea, Suite B51, Kihei, Maui, Hawaii 96753, United States Rooms: 275 TripAdvisor traveler rating: Call now to book: 1-800-434-6835 from hotels.com Map this hotel: Expedia.com Hotel photos: Expedia.com Virtual tour: Expedia.com View candid traveler photos Villas and Condominiums situated directly on Championship Golf Courses and near the Wailea Tennis Club. This description is based on information provided by the hotel. Sponsored links * Hotel deal search: Wailea Grand Champions Maui Click here for best prices for Wailea Grand Champions Maui Wailea Grand Champions Maui : Great rooms, Great rates Expedia.com Don't just travel. Travel right! Wailea Grand Champions Maui : Low Hotel Prices Made Easy Orbitz.com The faster, easier way to find the hotel you want. Just Orbitz and go! Wailea Grand Champions Maui : Up to 20% Less Than All Others GreatHawaiiVacations.com We Know Hawaii Best. Five Star Service Starts With Us. Wailea Grand Champions Maui : This Hotel from $185 hotels.com We Know Hotels Inside And Out. Click or call now: 1-800-434-6835 All results: View all 418 Kihei travel deals Share your travel photos, get free prints! Have snapshots of hotels or attractions from your last trip? Get up to $40 in free prints from Shutterfly® when you post travel photos on TripAdvisor. Offer ends January 31, 2006. See offer details . TripAdvisor Traveler Reviews 1-10 of 20 (English) RATING:   DATE:   Show:   All languages English (20) Next Dec 19, 2005 "Construction at Grand Champions"   A TripAdvisor Member, Reno, Nevada We stayed at Grand Champions from Nov. 24-Dec. 4. While our unit (#162) was lovely and well-equipped,... Dec 5, 2005 "Good Value for the dollar"   A TripAdvisor Member, London Ontario Canada We just spent 18 nights in a two bedroom condo at Grand Champions in Wailea. It is very obvious that... Oct 2, 2005   "Nice Pleasant Place"   A TripAdvisor Member, Lakewood, CA While searching for a place to stay, I found these reviews very helpful. We were pleasantly surprised...   Oct 12, 2005 Management response from Gail Dornstreich, Private Owner This review incorrectly states that the complex is in Kihei on the border of Wailea. That is not true.... Sep 28, 2005 "Good place for large family"   A TripAdvisor Member, SF, CA We stayed in unit 153 for 3 nights. It's a 3 bed/2bath ground floor condo. It was nicely decorated although... Sep 11, 2005 "Our unit had seen better days."   A TripAdvisor Member, Vancouver. BC, Canada We stayed at the Grand Champions from late August until early September. Maui was beautiful, the unit... Sep 8, 2005 "great value"   A TripAdvisor Member, Morristown, New Jersey We were completely satisfied with Grand Champions. We stayed there late August through early September... Aug 8, 2005 "Understand your parameters"   A TripAdvisor Member, Conn Like many others I spent countless time reviewing the various postings on this website for information... Jul 28, 2005 "Comfortable and relaxing stay at the Grand Champions"   A TripAdvisor Member, Cerritos, CA My husband and I stayed at the Grand Champions for 5 nights in July. We had a one bedroom unit with a... Jul 27, 2005 "Unit 84 (Destination Resorts) 3 BR/2 BA partial ocean view"   A TripAdvisor Member, Gilbert, AZ We loved our condo. It was very nicely decorated and the kitchen was updated with nice appliances and... Jul 15, 2005 "Warning on the Wailea Grand Champion Villas"   A TripAdvisor Member, monterey, ca Our family and our friends recently rented two condos at the Wailea Grand Champion Villas. We requested... 1-10 of 20 (English)   Next Sponsored links * Hotel deal search: Wailea Grand Champions Maui Click here for best prices for Wailea Grand Champions Maui Wailea Grand Champions Maui : Great rooms, Great rates   Expedia.com Don't just travel. Travel right! Wailea Grand Champions Maui : Great Rooms from $210   Orbitz.com The faster, easier way to find the hotel you want. Just Orbitz and go! All results:  View all 418 Kihei travel deals From Around the Web: Wailea Grand Champions Maui Expert Guidebooks (2) Title Source   "Wailea Villas" Fodors.com   "Wailea/Makena Resort Condominiums" Gayot.com   Related Web Comments (1) Title Source Date "Wailea Elua Village" IgoUgo.com Jan 2, 2001   Forums Get candid advice from real travelers! Title # of Replies Most Recent Reply "2 BR, 2 Bath unit without gardenview" 6 replies 9:54 am, today   "Breakfast in South Kiehei" 7 replies 11:19 pm, yesterday   "Condos in Kihei for 9 of us" 1 reply 7:50 pm, yesterday     Go to the Kihei Forum   Post a forums topic about Wailea Grand Champions Maui Share your travel savvy! Join a discussion... Title # of Replies Time/Date Posted "Need feedback on Kihei Beach Resort " no replies 10:56 pm, yesterday   "Kihei Bay Surf, Kihei, Maui, Hawaii, USA" no replies 8:01 pm, yesterday   "Grand Wailea Spa" no replies 1:49 pm, Jan 20, 2006     Browse Kihei discussions Research Other Kihei Hotels Wailea Grand Champions Maui not what you're looking for? Find out about other Kihei hotels , or check out Kihei hotel deals ! More Information on Travel in Maui Explore our site to find travel information and unbiased reviews on Kihei tourism , restaurants , attractions , maps and much more. Review Summary Based on 20 reviews worldwide Traveler Rating Overall What to expect Rooms Service Value Cleanliness Pool Recommendations families with small children seniors couples and romantics honeymooners active/adventure travelers Sponsored links * Specials: Wailea Grand Champions Maui Wailea Grand Champions Maui : Discount Rates   Great Low Prices, Pictures, and Guest Reviews. Shop. Compare. Save. Priceline.com Hotels Wailea Grand Champions Maui : Spacious Condos and Suites, Book Now   Condo, B&B’s, homes, suites, guaranteed low rates VacationSpot.com Wailea Grand Champions Maui : Save on this hotel + air Don't just travel. Travel right! Expedia Vacations Wailea Grand Champions Maui : Book Hotel + Air and Save We Know Hotels Inside And Out. 1-800-764-6835 hotels.com Vacations View all deals: Kihei Similar Hotels Nearby Less than 2 miles from Wailea Grand Champions Maui ResortQuest Maui Hill Ranks #5 in Kihei Avg. price: $231 /night Mana Kai Maui Ranks #7 in Kihei Avg. price: $131 /night Less than 3 miles from Wailea Grand Champions Maui Maui Kamaole Ranks #3 in Kihei Avg. price: $198 /night Kihei Kai Nani Ranks #4 in Kihei Avg. price: $125 /night Kihei Surfside Ranks #16 in Kihei Avg. price: $187 /night Free Newsletter Interested in Wailea Grand Champions Maui and Kihei ? We'll send you weekly updates with new articles, reviews and special deals. Just enter your e-mail address:   Hotel owners: expand your listing About TripAdvisor TripAdvisor provides unbiased reviews, articles, recommendations and opinions on Wailea Grand Champions Maui , Kihei.   Recommendations for hotels, resorts, inns, vacations, travel packages, travel guides and lots more! Visit TripAdvisor's international sites:              About Us | Membership | Site Map | Become an Affiliate | Top Cities | Hotel Reservations | Hotel Deals | TripAdvisor Gear Popular Hotels: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , by city TripAdvisor Recommends: Las Vegas hotels , London hotels , Paris hotels , Rome hotels , New York City hotels , Chicago hotels , Orlando hotels © 2005 TripAdvisor, Inc. All rights reserved. TripAdvisor Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . * TripAdvisor, Inc. is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site... 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Hawaiian Clothes

Honolulu Star-Bulletin Business — ADVERTISEMENT — Sunday, October 17, 2004 DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Yoshi Takahashi amuses his friends Kimi Toi and Michi Ogino with a wetsuit that's a little too small at the Xcel store in the Ward Village Shops. Hey! Big spenders New research shows just where tourists drop their money during stays in Hawaii By Allison Schaefers aschaefers@starbulletin.com ILLUSTRATIONS BY BRYANT FUKUTOMI / BFUKUTOMI@STARBULLETIN.COM China / South Korea travelers » More than 50 percent of these Asian visitors are first-timers and about a quarter of them come as part of a package tour. » Most come to visit friends or family (more than 28 percent), on business, or as part of a stopover, as stringent Visa requirements and a lack of flights has made Hawaii a difficult vacation destination. » In terms of activities, they are statistically similar to Americans, but plan to spend more money. » Most plan to attend a luau and 30 percent intend to play golf, the most of any other group surveyed. United States travelers » American travelers plan to stay longer and spend the least amount of money on retail and souvenirs. » They are most likely to engage in sports like running, scuba or going to the gym, but have the smallest percentage of people who planned to swim or sunbathe. » Americans are more likely to attend a luau, go to a Hawaiian history or cultural event and buy Hawaiian clothing and souvenirs than Japan or other Asian travelers. » They enjoy shopping at convenience stores, malls or hotel stores. They are also the most likely to go to a museum or art gallery or eat in high-end restaurants. Japan travelers » More than 60 percent of Japan travelers come to Hawaii as part of a package group. » These visitors plan to stay the least amount of time and spend the most money. » They are most likely to come to Hawaii to celebrate a wedding or honeymoon than any other group. » They are most interested in going to the beach and shopping while in Hawaii, but few plan to do any activities or eat in high-end restaurants. » They enjoy shopping across the board from outlet and discount stores to designer boutiques. While tourists from Japan and the mainland still pump plenty of money into Hawaii's retail stores, a more global mix of visitors is at the heart of Hawaii's improved tourism outlook, and their preferences are worlds apart. A new cross-cultural study from the University of Hawaii is available to help retailers take stock of what tourists buy, so local stores can match merchandise with spending habits. University of Hawaii marketing professor Mark Rosenbaum and travel industry management professor Dan Spears randomly surveyed more than 1,000 Waikiki tourists to determine cultural differences regarding their reasons for coming to Hawaii, their desire to shop and what purchases they planned to make during their stay. "Not all tourists are alike," Rosenbaum said. "Your target market should greatly impact how you merchandise and what products you stock." Hawaii's retail history gives businesses strong reasons to diversify their customer base, said retail analyst Stephany Sofos. "In the 1980s, the Japanese people came fast and furious and those who didn't cater to them were left out. Now it's changing, and as visitor groups change, retailers are having to figure out what their market is from one day to the next," Sofos said. The University of Hawaii study can help tourist-dependent businesses identify how to best keep their customers happy and how to increase spending from other visitor groups, Spears said. Their research showed that Japanese tourists plan to spend $1,400 on gifts and souvenirs during their stay in Hawaii, which is substantially more than all other visitor groups. According to the study, Chinese and Koreans spend about $750 on retail items and Americans spend around $600. They also found differences when it came to purchasing local foods, clothing and engaging in outdoor activities as well as differences in why these tourists groups were coming to Hawaii. For example, Americans and Japanese came to Hawaii primarily to vacation, while the Chinese and South Korean visitors were in Hawaii primarily to visit family members. Chinese visitors can only travel for leisure to a few designations, which does not include Hawaii. "Most Japanese will spend their vacation shopping at both high-end and discount retailers," Rosenbaum said, adding that data also confirmed the love-affair Japanese have with designer items. Nearly 60 percent of the Japanese visitors surveyed planned to visit Hawaii's designer boutiques; in contrast, only 35 percent of Americans planned to do so. However, the number of Japan travelers who plan to purchase products made in Hawaii, such as coffee, food and clothing, is lower than other groups. "The Japanese are the answer to our luxury business - not our economy," Rosenbaum said, adding that purchases of locally made products create more jobs and ultimately bring more benefit to the state. Visitors, who spend about $3 billion annually on retail goods in Hawaii, make up about 15 percent of the state's $19 billion retail market, said Carol Pregill, president of the Retail Merchants of Hawaii. The islands drew 6.4 million visitors last year, about two-thirds of them from the mainland. "Shopping is the third largest expenditure, next to food and lodging, for visitors," Pregill said, adding that about 20 percent of visitor expenditures can be attributed to shopping. "That's huge when you consider that shopping is a discretionary expense," Pregill said, and is an important part of a visitor's experience. But to make Hawaii shopping attractive to visitors it has to be distinctive, said Frank Haas, marketing director for the Hawaii Tourism Authority. "You can shop in Hong Kong and Las Vegas; what we need to know is what's distinctive about shopping in Hawaii," Haas said. As Oahu's visitor market stays strong, many retailers are going to take advantage of more visitor-based opportunities, said Jeffrey Hall, senior director of research at CB Richard Ellis. "There's huge amount of interest in redoing resort retail, especially in Waikiki," Hall said. According to market reports, Waikiki has a high number of retail vacancies, but in three to four years the sector will be more bullish as Waikiki renovation projects come to fruition, Hall forecasts. "The Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center is rapidly changing. The Beach Walk and the International Market Place projects are just getting under way," Hall said. "Expect that in a few years Waikiki will be an entirely different place." Any shift in visitor demographics changes the way businesses advertise their products. "It's important to know who is coming and what you need for inventory," Pregill said. "Inventory is a huge expense and no one wants to be stuck with goods that no one want to buy." That's where the Rosenbaum and Spears study comes in, said Anne Murata, marketing director of the Festival Cos., which manages the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. Murata said she purchased the study because it's the first retail survey in Hawaii that breaks data into small categories such as visitors' reasons for traveling to Hawaii, ability to spend and where they spend their money. Retailers are especially interested on the data about Chinese and South Korean visitors, she said. While Chinese and Korean visitors have more in common with Americans in terms of overall spending, their spending habits are very similar to the Japanese visitor market when it was new, Murata said. In the 1990s, when the Japanese tourism boom to Hawaii was growing, the state's largest industry went to great lengths to cater to their needs. Japanese signs ruled Waikiki marketing; but then the bubble burst and retailers had to regroup to stay in business. "We've been trained to think only in terms of U.S. westbound and Japan travelers," she said. "But our retail market is becoming increasingly global and we're starting to see more travelers from China, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the U.S. East." Japanese visitor arrivals to Hawaii, which peaked at 2.2 million in 1997, fell to 1.3 million last year in response to a weakened Japanese economy and geopolitical troubles. Retailers say the market has rebounded, but it's time for those eyeing Hawaii's improved market to use the isles' changing tourist patterns to help determine what's in store. Although the China travel market to Hawaii is small, representing less than 1 percent of Hawaii's total visitors in 2002, state officials have identified it as a market with enormous potential. New research shows that Chinese tourists are now the biggest spenders in the Asia-Pacific region by average credit card transaction size, according to a study released by Visa. The report, published last week in the Financial Times, said Chinese cardholders on average spent $253 per transaction while traveling. The World Tourism Organization has also estimated that China will produce 100 million outbound tourists by 2020 and members of Hawaii's public and private sector want their share. "Just like we geared retail to the Japan market in its heyday, someday I expect we'll see retail signs in Chinese and Korean, too," Murata said. According to the Rosenbaum and Spears survey, the Chinese, enjoy participating in new activities, but look for familiarity in restaurants - characteristics similar to Japanese visitors before Hawaii became a common destination, "They only want to eat in Chinese restaurants," Rosenbaum said. But, more important for retailers is that the Chinese also appear to have a taste for luxury goods. "The Chinese, like the Japanese, also want to purchase luxury goods as gifts to take home," Spears said. While retailers need accurate data to capture their audience, there is one sure plan that works across cultures, Murata said. "One thing you can always sell them is the aloha spirit - that's an approach that works with visitors from China to Lithuania," Murata said. BACK TO TOP | The Hawaii experience A new University of Hawaii study of tourist spending habits raised some interesting questions. For instance, do Japan travelers, who planned to spend $1,400 on gifts and souvenirs during their stay in Hawaii, really contribute the most money to Hawaii's economy? While Americans, who planned to spend about $600 on retail, and Chinese/ Koreans, who planned to spend about $750, lagged behind in overall spending, the data showed that these groups spent significantly more on made-in-Hawaii products. The percentage of visitors planning to buy each product: Items USA / Canada Japan China / South Korea Hawaiian coffee 53.1 38.4 70.8 Macadamia nuts 66.8 52.2 75.5 Pineapples 37.4 7.3 30.2 Hawaiian candies 35.7 12.3 35.8 Hawaiian clothing 47.3 21.7 43.4 Hawaiian souvenirs 60.9 41.1 58.5 Source: University of Hawaii marketing professor Mark Rosenbaum and travel industry management professor Dan Spears Where it all goes Percentage of visitors doing the following activities: Activities U.S. Japan China/Korea Honeymoon/wedding 6.8 18.2 4.7 Visit family/friends 13.4 3.8 28.3 Part of Packaged tour 15.8 61.3 25.5 Buying designer clothes 29.2 34.9 37.7 Golf 16.0 5.6 30.2 Tour bus 30.9 25.2 37.7 Beach 77.4 78.3 84.0 Fine dining 58.2 8.5 49.1 Culture/History 64.2 27.3 43.4 Luau 59.7 16.1 62.3 Designer boutiques 35.1 59.2 41.5 Mall 65.4 74.5 75.5 Characteristics of visitors' stays: Visit U.S. Japan China/Korea Planned Expenditures $644 $1,416 $745 Length of Stay in Hawaii 12 days 7 days 11 days Source: University of Hawaii marketing professor Mark Rosenbaum and travel industry management professor Dan Spears — ADVERTISEMENTS — — ADVERTISEMENTS — | | | PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION E-mail to Business Editor BACK TO TOP Text Site Directory: [News] [Business] [Features] [Sports] [Editorial] [Do It Electric!] [Classified Ads] [Search] [Subscribe] [Info] [Letter to Editor] [Feedback] © 2004 Honolulu Star-Bulletin -- http://starbulletin.com -Advertisement-

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