Hawaiian City Garden

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-

Maui Info Site Map

Maui Weddings : FREE Wedding Guide Site Map FAQs Free Brochure -- Wedding Packages Wedding Locations Accommodations Our People Wedding Coordinators Wedding Flowers Ministers Photographers Activities FREE Wedding Guide Wedding Receptions Maui Info Site Map Contact Maui Weddings and Honeymoons in Hawaii. Maui'd Forever has assembled a quality team of professionals who make dream Maui weddings andhoneymoons a reality. We can accomodate Maui weddings of all sizes, both small and large. Call us at 1-800-395-7807 today or get our FREE Maui Wedding Guide . Why choose Maui'd Forever? When looking to plan destination weddings in Maui, you need to find the best local experts for friendly advice, guidance and planning. Maui Weddings - Packages start at just $459! Use our website to choose Maui wedding packages and preview some of the most fabulous locations for Maui Weddings available. Beach weddings at sunset are the most popular, but we do offer other spectacular locations in Maui . Actvities: Maui'd Forever clients receive 10% off all their activities .You can even preview and price every Luau, snorkel trip, helicopter tour and more.Use us as your trusted resource for all your Maui needs. Accommodations: Our accommodations for Maui weddings are spectacular and ideal for your wedding and honeymoon plans. To meet Our People and your Wedding Coordinator contact us at 1-800-395-7807or email us at info@mauidforever.com today! contact: info@mauidforever.com phone: 1-800-395-7807 2006 Maui'd Forever optimized by HRSEO

Hawaiian Wedding A Hawaiian

choose a quick link ----------------- accessories bouquets bridesmaid dresses budget cakes ceremony dresses favors flowers food guest lists hairstyles honeymoons invitations jewelry makeup message boards music photos real weddings receptions registry veils wedding dresses Find all your wedding vendors near you select region: Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas CA - Central CA - North CA - South Canada Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida GA - Atlanta GA - Other Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico NY - Hamptons NY - Metro NY - Upstate North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon PA - Central/West PA - Philly Area Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee TX - Austin TX - Dallas/Ft.Worth TX - Houston Texas - Other Utah Vermont Virginia Washington DC Washington State West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Real Weddings: Outdoor ModernBride.com - Real Weddings: Hawaii: Lindsey and Ralen's Hawaiian Wedding A Hawaiian Wedding Lindsey and Ralen celebrate love—and local traditions—in Oahu by Brenna McLoughlin Bride's name: Lindsey Cassiday Groom's name: Ralen Chang Ceremony/reception location: Diamond Head, Oahu, Hawaii The ring bearer's pillow, woven from lauhala leaves by the groom's mother. Island Flavor Lindsey Cassiday and Ralen Chang have lived in Hawaii their whole lives. It's where they met and where their relationship blossomed—so it's no surprise that their wedding was a celebration of the islands' distinctive culture. The intimate, outdoor ceremony, at the home of Lindsey's parents in Diamond Head, Oahu, was performed in both English and Hawaiian by a friend, Ka'au, who acted as kahu (priest). The aisle was strewn with yellow and white plumeria, a local flower, and as a special addition to the ceremony, the couple honored their parents by presenting them with maile-leaf and ginger leis. Barefoot and Wedded The bride and groom recited their vows facing the ocean, surrounded by their wedding party. The bridesmaids wore simple sleeveless white tops with pale-blue skirts and pikake choker leis, similar to the choker Lindsey wore. The groomsmen were dressed in Hawaiian-print shirts in gray and pale blue; they wore green maile-leaf leis like Ralen around their necks. The only thing missing? Shoes—all of them were barefoot. Hula Hunks In the clear-topped reception tent, with views of the South Pacific sky, Lindsey and Ralen took their first spin on the dance floor to "Hawaiian Rainbow," by the Ho'opi'i Brothers. "We chose that song because it's all about the islands and their flowers," says Lindsey. Her favorite moment was when the wedding coordinator surprised everyone by leading the groom and groomsmen in the hukilau , a special hula. It's a Hawaiian tradition for the bride to do a hula for her groom on the wedding night, but at this wedding, the roles were reversed. "The hula was hilarious because Ralen and his groomsmen were in matching outfits," says Lindsey. "Everyone was laughing and cheering." Photos by Chrissy Lambert Rhodes Photography Find reception sites and more near you Select Region Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas CA - Central CA - Northern CA - Southern Canada Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida GA - Atlanta GA - Other Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico North Carolina North Dakota NY - Hamptons NY - Metro NY - Upstate Ohio Oklahoma Oregon PA - Central/West PA - Philly Area Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee TX - Austin TX - Dallas/Ft.Worth TX - Houston TX - Other Utah Vermont Virginia Washington DC Washington State West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Texas: Wharton: Heather and Brian's Autumn Splendor British West Indies: Anguilla: Diana and David's Beachside Bliss Illinois: Chicago: Sari and Jonathan's One Enchanted Evening ModernBride.com Home | Fashion & Beauty | Wedding Planning | Registry | Honeymoon | Real Brides | Local Planning | Shop Online Prizes and Offers | Newsletter | Privacy Policy | -- Advertise With Us | Contact Us Modern Bride magazine In This Issue | Subscribe | Customer Care | Media Kit Fairchild Bridal Group Sites for Wedding Planning and Wedding Dresses : Brides.com | ModernBride.com | ElegantBride.com Site for Prom Planning and Prom Dresses : YourProm.com Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy .© Fairchild Internet, Inc. All rights reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Fairchild Internet, Inc.

Hawaii Resorts Travel Travel

Hawaii Resorts -- for families You are here: About > Travel > Travel with Kids > More Beach Vacations > Hawaii Resorts Travel Travel with Kids Essentials Family Vacation Ideas Winter and Spring Break Beach Vacations Ten Latest Family Travel Deals All-inclusive and other Family Resorts Topics Family Travel: What's Hot Top Vacation Spots VT, ME, NH, CT, MA, NY, PA Mexico Vacations Caribbean Vacations More Beach Vacations Florida Family Vacations Resorts with Water Park More Family Resorts Fun Places for Kids Disney Vacations Family Cruises Babies;Teens;Single Parents Lots More Destinations Family Travel TIPS, GAMES Buyer's Guide Activity Kits Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Travel with Kids newsletter! See Online Courses Search Travel with Kids > More Beach Vacations > Hawaii Resorts Hawaii Resorts Below, see many Hawaii Resorts grouped by island, plus some recommended outings. Many Hawaii resorts have kids' clubs, pools with waterpark features, etc.; not all-inclusive pricing, though. Articles & Resources Sort By : Guide Picks | Alphabetical | Recent HAWAII RESORTS - OAHU: Waikiki Beach Waikiki Beach is still a lovely place despite so much nearby concrete development, and it's lots of fun for families. Click here for several properties that have special features for families. Generally, kids 18 and under stay free. HAWAII RESORTS - KAUAI: Hyatt Regency Kauai With 50 acres on one of the quieter islands, this luxury Hawaii resort has pools connected by "river pools", caves, waterfalls, 150-foot water slide; saltwater lagoons; Camp Hyatt program for kids 3 to 12. Hawaii Resorts: Hilton Waikoloa Village Another luxury Hawaii resort on the Kohala Coast; get around the 62 acres by "monorail" or by canal-boat on waterways. One of the features is a 4-acre saltwater lagoon: great for learning snorkel, with plenty of fish, and even sea-turtles. Hawaii Beach Vacations Ten great beaches, and eight Hawaii resorts. (With photos.) BIG ISLAND: Kohala Coast Hawaii Resorts If you feel like lapping up a little luxury, here's a group of eight upscale Hawaii resorts --on the west side of the Big Island-- that Conde Nast readers voted among the Top Fifty Tropical Resorts Worldwide." Kona Village A luxury getaway on the Kohala Coast, with no phones or tv in your room. Stay in individual "hale" cottages spread over 82 acres; complimentary outrigger canoe and glass-bottom boat rides, kids program and teens program; snorkeling in the bay full of colorful fish. Kona Village has a rare feature, for a Hawaii resort: nearly-all-inclusive pricing. Turtle Bay Resort Turtle Bay is a unique Hawaii resort: a lone property on the beautiful north coast of Oahu, with 880 acres, file miles of beach, five different bays, pool with waterfall and slide, on-site snorkeling, horseriding, surf lessons... JW Marriott Ihilani The JW Marriott Resort & Spa-- on Oahu at Ko Olina, a short drive from the Honolulu airport-- has kids program, teen program, Marine Life Program, and a bunch of Ocean Adventures. No charge for two kids 17 and under, in parents' room. Hawaii All-inclusive Resorts?? Vacationers won't find full-scale all-inclusive resorts in Hawaii, but here are a few hints. Kauai Coast Resort at the Beachboy This condominium property-- on 13 acres on the east side of Kauai-- has one- and two-bedroom units with private lanai, full kitchen, washer-dryer, etc. Swimming pool has lagoons and kids' pool. Ka'anapali Beach Hotel Value alert: this place aims to be "a moderately-priced first-class hotel", and also "Maui's most Hawaiian hotel." The free kids' "Aloha Passport" program of activities features local arts and crafts. Ohana Hotels and Outrigger Resorts OHANA is a brand of Outrigger Resorts and Hotels that offers non-beachfront properties at a good price point. Both OHANA and Outrigger have family-friendly properties on several islands; most OHANA locations are near Waikiki, and the flagship Outrigger Reef is right on Waikiki Beach. Multi-island: Hawaii Resorts & Activities for the Whole Ohana "Perfect family weeks on Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island"-- at Outside Online. For each island, there's a recommended "home base" property, plus detailed itineraries for seven days of fun. MOLOKAI: Molokai Ranch and Lodge Guests stay in comfy "upscale tents": canvas bungalows on platforms, big bed in one section, twin beds in another; solar-powered lights; private bathroom, hot-water showers; lanai. ( A lodge is also available.) 54,000 acres of land, white-sand beach, sea kayaking, mountain biking, horseback rides; Ed-ventures for kids include tidal pools, Hawaiian arts and crafts. Kids' Programs at Maui Resorts A review of kids' programs at a number of resorts in the popular Wailea area, at the City Spin website. MAUI: Grand Wailea Resort and Spa Fun at this luxury Maui property includes kids camp and the Canyon Activity Pools, nine pools connected by a river that floats swimmers along. Hawaii with Kids and Teens- Multi- Islands About's guide for Hawaii for Visitors has many suggestions for family activities on the Big Island, Maui, Kauai, and Oahu. Top Ten Big Island Family Activities About's guide for Hawaii/South Pacific selects ten family activities: Beaches, Dolphins, Gardens, Mountains, Volcanoes and more. Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2006 About, Inc., A part of The New York Times Company . All rights reserved. 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