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-

Hawaii Cruises American Hawaii

American Hawaii Cruises: Maritime Matters MARITIME MATTERS Ocean liner history and cruise ship news [Home] [Table of Contents] [Shipping Mall] [Index of ships] American Hawaii Cruises American Hawaii Cruises (1980-2001) American Hawaii Cruises, AHC, was formed in 1979 and revivedAmerican-flag cruising around Hawaii. The company bought the laid up 1951-built linerOCEANIC INDEPENDENCE (ex INDEPENDENCE, American Export Isbrandsten) from C.Y. Tung's AtlanticFar East Line. A special act of congress was needed to return the US builtship to American registry. Refitted in Taiwan, and then Japan, she entered service on a slowsteaming economical seven day interisland schedule in June of 1980. As the venture was sucessful, the former sister ship of INDEPENDENCE waspurchased. The 1951-built CONSTITUTION was refitted and began sailing a similar itineraryin June of 1982 following a gala christening by Princess Grace of Monaco that April. These two ships became the only American flagged ocean-going ships in the passenger trade. Briefly, AHC also operated the 1958-built former Moore McCormack Liner BRASIL (later Holland America line's VOLENDAM) on seven day cruises out of Papeete, Taihiti, as the LIBERTE in 1986/7. Due to poor air lift, this venture was a failure and the LIBERTE was sold to present owners, Commodore Cruises, who are presently chartering her to World Explorer Cruises and the Seawise Foundation as the UNIVERSE EXPLORER. In 1994 the INDEPENDENCE was extensively refitted at Newport News, VA. The CONSTITUTION was to follow, but after estimates for the work skyrocketed, she was laid up in Portland, Oregon in July 1995. Two years later, she was stripped of spare parts for her sister and sold for scrapping in India. She mysteriously sank on November 24, 1998 while under tow in the Pacific, 700 miles north and west of Hawaii enroute to the scrap yard in Japan. AHC made the announcement that new US Built ships would be added to thefleet and Ingalls Shipyard at Pascagoula, MI has won the contract for two 1,900 passenger ships for service in hawaii in 2003. In the meantime, another shipwas bought as a stop-gap until the first of the newbuilds is delivered. On October 18, 2000 American Classic Voyages (parent company to Delta Queen Steamboat Cruises and American Hawaii Cruises) revived a famous name in American shipping -- United States Lines -- when it purchased Holland America's 1983-built NIEUW AMSTERDAM and renamed her the M.S. PATRIOT . USL acquired the ship for $114.5 million and the transfer occurred at sea, approximately 14 miles off Portand, Oregon. At the same moment she changed registry to Honolulu and nowshe sails under the U.S. flag. A christening event on December 8, 2000 in Hawaii kicked off the new service beginning the following day.Under the "Project America" initiative, (which allowed this foreign flagged vessel to become US registered) the parent company American Classic Voyages Co. is constructing two 1,900-passenger ships scheduled to begin cruises around the Hawaiian Islands under the United States Lines name beginning in early 2003 and 2004.The two 72,000-ton vessels, under construction at Ingalls Shipbuilding (a division of Litton Ship Systems, Pascagoula, Missippi) will be the largest ocean-going cruise ships ever built in a U.S. shipyard, and the first in more than 40 years. In September 2001, American Classic Voyages Co. reached an agreement, endorsed by theU.S. Maritime Administration with the support of U.S. Secretary of Transportation, thatwould enable the uninterrupted construction of two 1,900-passenger cruise ships in the US. Rumouredto be named UNITED STATES and AMERICA the two vessels under grouped under the title "Project America" whichis a pilot project aimed at reinvigorating U.S.-flag cruise ship construction and operation. The two shipswere in the early stages of construction at Northrop Grumman's Ingalls Operations. The cruise ship delivery dates wereextended by 12 months, to February 1, 2004, and February 1, 2005. Sadly this was not to be, as on October 19, 2001, one year after United States Lines had been announced, American Classic Voyages, Inc. announced that it filed for bankruptcy court protection and would cease operating all but one ship. the SS INDEPENDENCE and MS PATRIOT stop sailing on Saturday, October 20 after completingtheir cruises. The Delta Queen Vessels AMERICAN QUEEN, MISSISSIPPI QUEEN, COLUMBIA QUEEN and CAPE MAY LIGHT werelaid up within three days. Only the historic DELTA QUEEN, continued to operate its Mississippi River voyages. American Classic claimed that half of its bookings had fallen off since the terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, 2001.Rumors the company was in financial trouble had circulated for for some time and Nasdaq officials halted tradingin American Classic's shares after they reached a new low of 46 cents each. AMCV hoped to work out a deal with Los Angeles based Northrop Grumman Corp., owner of the shipyard, and the U.S. Maritime Administration to keep the ship-building projects underway, however the project was suspended on October 25, and cancelled on November 1. SS INDEPENDENCE now the property of the US Maritime Administration sailed past Pier 39 in San Francisco at 10:30 AM, November 8, 2001 into lay up at the former Alameda Naval Station adjacent to the museum ship HORNET while she prepares for longterm layup within the reserve fleet at Suisuin Bay possibly in February 2001. S.S.INDEPENDENCE , S.S. CONSTITUTION , SS LIBERTE United States Lines vessels: M.S.PATRIOT United States Lines page References: AMERICAN PASSENGER SHIPS, Emmons; Passengers Liners American Style; William Miller [Home] [Table of Contents] [Shipping Mall] [Index of ships]

HawaiianMiles members" — Hurrah!

Hawaiian Airlines: Hawaii Starts Here Help/FAQ Sitemap Membership #: Password (Need Help?) : Roundtrip One-Way Multi-City From: Oahu - Honolulu Big Island - Hilo Big Island - Kona Kauai - Lihue Maui - Kahului ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ HA MAINLAND U.S. ~ Las Vegas, NV Los Angeles, CA Phoenix, AZ Portland, OR Sacramento, CA San Diego, CA San Francisco, CA San Jose, CA Seattle, WA ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ HA INTERNATIONAL ~ Sydney, Australia Pago Pago, Samoa Papeete, Tahiti ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ALL OTHER CITIES ~ Fresno, CA Juneau, Alaska Monterey, CA San Luis Obispo, CA Santa Barbara, CA Spokane, WA To: Oahu - Honolulu Big Island - Hilo Big Island - Kona Kauai - Lihue Maui - Kahului ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ HA MAINLAND U.S. ~ Las Vegas, NV Los Angeles, CA Phoenix, AZ Portland, OR Sacramento, CA San Diego, CA San Francisco, CA San Jose, CA Seattle, WA ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ HA INTERNATIONAL ~ Sydney, Australia Pago Pago, Samoa Papeete, Tahiti ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ALL OTHER CITIES ~ Fresno, CA Juneau, Alaska Monterey, CA San Luis Obispo, CA Santa Barbara, CA Spokane, WA Depart: 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 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Anytime Before 9am 9am - 12pm 12pm - 3pm 3pm - 6pm After 6pm Return: 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 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Anytime Before 9am 9am - 12pm 12pm - 3pm 3pm - 6pm After 6pm Adult(s): 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Children (age 2-15) : Restrictions 0 1 2 3 4 5 Infant(s) (under age 2) : Restrictions 0 1 2 3 4 5 Detailed rules on unaccompanied minors Baggage Check-In Service Flight Tracking/Status Flight Schedule Route Map Hotel & Car Vacation Packages Activities, Tours & Dining Hawaii Destination Info > “Just for You” $55 Interisland Fares We're celebrating with $55* each way interisland fares. Why? No, it’s not our birthday… (After 75 years, we've stopped counting!) We're celebrating "You, our HawaiianMiles members" — Hurrah! Book: Now – Jan 12th | Travel: Now – March 9th | Learn More -- > Enjoy Live Hawaiian Sights & Sounds NOW Download the free “Hawaii Anytime” portal for a virtual vacation to everyone's favorite islands! | Learn More > WINTER FARES January 9 - March 15, 2006 Starting at $298* Roundtrip | Book Now > MELE FARES Starting at $298* Roundtrip Book: Now – January 31, 2006 | Learn More > Low, unadvertised fares. Receive email announcements of exclusive interislandand mainland fares. | Learn More > Hawaii Vacation Package Deals Exclusive Offers on All Islands Starting at $564 pp/dbl from the West Coast Limited Time Offer | Learn More * Fares are subject to seat availability during the travel period shown and may change at any time without notice. Additional cost of $3.30 ZP tax per segment, a $2.50 per enplanement September 11th Security Fee (not to exceed $10) and PFC surcharge of $3-$4.50 where applicable will be applied to each ticket purchase. Taxes, fees & other restrictions apply. Hawaiian's Quality of Service Tops All Carriers Department of Transportation October 2005 Air Travel Consumer Report Learn More Contact Us Privacy Policy © 2005 Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Shirts Beach Shirts

Article Insider - Hawaiian Shirt Manufacturers HOME ABOUT US CONTACT US NEWSLETTER ADVERTISE Wednesday, January 25th, 2006 Articles Aloha Shirts Aloha Shirt Companies Authentic Hawaiian Shirts Beach Shirts Classic Hawaiian Shirts Cocktail Shirts Corvette Hawaiian Shirts Fish Print Shirts Flame Shirts Gambling Shirts Hawaiian Airplane Shirts Hawaiian Apparel Hawaiian Beer Shirts Hawaiian Casino Shirts Hawaiian Clothes Hawaiian Fish Shirts Hawaiian Flower Shirts Hawaiian Prints Hawaiian Shirt Designs Hawaiian Shirt Manufacturers Hawaiian Shirt Stores Hot Rod Shirts Island Shirts Men's Beach Wear Men's Hawaiian Shirts Men's Resort Wear Motorcycle Shirts Muscle Car Shirts Novelty Shirts More Resources About Aloha Shirts Home > Beauty & Fashion > Menswear Aloha Shirts Hawaiian Shirt Manufacturers by Seth Cotterell What is now commonly known as the Hawaiian shirt was first introduced about 60 to 70 years ago. In the 1930s and early '40s, the Hawaiian shirt was introduced by the early shirt manufacturers. These companies made the bright, colorful, bold shirts with flashy designs that have come to symbolize the spirit and personality of Hawaii and its people. Hawaiian Shirt Manufacturers Today Today, Hawaiian shirt manufacturers produce more shirts than ever before. The original flower print shirts are of course still highly popular, but new designs are created all the time. Hawaiian prints are no longer limited to flower, bird, and animal images, but can include any number of different themes and designs. Hawaiian shirt manufacturers sell shirts with sporting themes, outdoor themes, gambling themes, and other novelty prints. In today's high tech and competitive world of cutthroat competition, Hawaiian shirt manufacturers have had to change business practices and adapt their strategies in order to survive. Shirt makers have introduced more designs to appeal to a wider market and have implemented cost-saving measures in order to reduce expenses and increase profitability. The Hawaiian shirt manufacturers that have not only survived but thrived in today's market have done so by streamlining operations and utilizing the power of the Internet. Moving marketing and sales functions online have enabled shirt makers to reduce cost while offering better selections and lower prices. A good website with pictures, descriptions, and availability are all a company needs to sell its shirts. Get all Menswear articles via v. 5.0154 © 2002 - 2006 InfoSearch Media, Inc . All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy

Hawaii Condo

Maui Condos - Maui Hotels - Maui Vacations - Rental Maui Hawaii Vacations HOME Advertising Press Privacy Visitors Currently Online: 116 Activities Island Info Where to Stay Maui Weddings Spas Coupons iNews Forum Maui Cams Maui Video Maui Condos, Maui Hotels and Maui Vacations South Maui Condos North Kihei South Kihei Wailea Ask us... M aui Activities TIPS. West Maui Condos Aston Kaanapali Shores Aston Papakea Aston Mahana Maui Eldorado Napili Bay Resort Lahaina Shores Paki Maui Sands of Kahana Napili Shores Maui Kai Paki Maui Maui Islander Royal Lahaina Ask us... M aui Activities TIPS. Hawaii Vacations Airline Tickets SPECIALS & Fly/Drive PACKAGES Norwegian Cruises Car Rentals Maui Condos and Maui Hotels - Hawaii Vacations We represent Maui's TOP Vacations Rentals. Finding Maui Condos and Maui Hotels on our island is not easy if you aren't there at the right moment to make reservations. We will make every effort to accommodate your request in a timely fashion. PLEASE give us the opportunity to makeyour stay on Maui a memorable one. If you're having trouble finding a place to stay or simply haven't the time to conduct a search on your own, visit our Reservation Desk and let us do the searching for you! As our #1 concern is to get you a place to stay on Maui. Few places on earth are as blessed as Maui, Hawaii, a tropical island of legendary beauty and rich history. Even within the Hawaiian islands it's referred to as "Maui No Ka Oi" or Maui is the best. As a complement to its ideal climate, Maui has a variety of spectacular natural wonders. World-famous beaches, lush Iao Valley, Haleakala volcano, Molokini crater-island, pastoral Upcountry, the tropical Hana coast and Seven Pools are just a few of the fascinating sights. The sports enthusiast will find great opportunities for championship golf, tennis, windsurfing, surfing, scuba, snorkeling, biking, hiking, and deep sea fishing. Other popular activities include shopping in the old whaling port of Lahaina, whale watching and dining in Maui's many fine restaurants. You might say it just doesn't get any better than this! Did you know Ka'anapali was selected as the nation's best beach? Having a resort as its backdrop didn't stop Dr. Beach from choosing Ka'anapali as the best beach in the nation, the ninth time a Hawai'i strand has won that honor. Dr. Beach, coastal expert Stephen Leatherman, chose Po'ipu Beach on Kaua'i two years ago, and like Po'ipu, Maui's Ka'anapali is a resort beach. Leatherman doesn't mind some hotels, as long as the beach itself isn't too crowded by them. Folks at the Ka'anapali hotels said they're pleased, but not surprised at the designation. "The connectivity down from Black Rock all the way to Canoe Beach, softsand, a wide beach, both tranquil water for snorkeling and surf for surfing andboogie boarding — we think that it's one of the great beaches," saidBarry Lewin, general manager of the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, whichanchors the southern end of the beach. When Dr. Beach, a meteorologist and professor at Florida International University in Miami, selects a shoreline as his favorite for the year, it's taken out of the running permanently, but Hawai'i does not appear to be running short. Three other Hawaiian beaches made it into Leatherman's top 10 this year: Hanalei on Kaua'i, Makalawena on Hawai'i and Hanauma on O'ahu. Previous Hawai'i winners were Po'ipu in 2001, Mauna Kea Beach in 2000, Wailea in 1999, Kailua Beach in 1998, Hulopo'e in 1997, Lanikai in 1996, Hapuna in 1993 and Kapalua in 1991. Condo rentals in 96761,96767and 96753 areas Hawaii, USA © 1998-2004 ParadiseMaui.Com. All rights reserved