Hawaii-Aloha.Com Travel Agents Win Recognition as Top Producers
Three agents of Hawaii Aloha Travel, Hawaii-Aloha.Com, are among the top producing agents for Hyatt Resorts this past year. Tara Baron, Paul Bowen and Kalei Javellana have won complimentary trips to Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort and Casino where they will receive awards November 12-14, 2009.
Tara, Paul and Kalei competed with other all other agents in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. They among the top 120 producers from those three countries and rank even higher when looking only at Hawaii bookings. Tara and Kalei are among the top ten producing agents for the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort & Spa, Paul is among the top ten producing agents for the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa.
"The Slice of Paradise program recognizes agents whose clients stay at Hyatt Resorts in Hawaii, continental United States and Caribbean. In terms of overall production, the three Hawaii resorts have the lion’s share of Slice of Paradise award bookings. So people are still traveling to Hawaii. We are also pleased to be able to continue this recognition event this year," says Renee Nakashima, Senior Travel Industry Sales Manager for the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Resort & Spa.
“These agents are top producers by booking only Hawaii,” says Bruce Fisher, Hawaii Aloha Travel Founder. “They were competing with agents who may book in many different locations.” Fisher says the Hyatt resorts are popular destinations for Hawaii Aloha travelers with over 800 room nights booked at Hyatt properties in Hawaii already this year.
The Hyatt Slice of Paradise program counts the number of rooms booked at 19 participating Hyatt Resorts by individual travel agents. Clients must stay a minimum of four nights in Hawaii or the Caribbean (three nights for mainland resorts) and must have already traveled.
This is the sixth year of the recognition program, which has grown as the travel industry community has become more knowledgeable about it. Previous Slice of Paradise Events were held at Hyatt resorts in Scottsdale, Lost Pines (Texas), Tamaya (New Mexico) and Huntington Beach
A couple of days ago my wife (@alohayaling) and I got to play parents for a few hours in Waikiki to a 3 1/2-year-old boy. We have no children of our own by choice. Yaling loves kids and it’s been awhile since I’ve done anything like that so we thought it would be wonderful time. This experience reminded me how great Waikiki is for kids and how little things can be so wonderful to a child.
We started off walking in Fort DeRussy Park where this little guy took pleasure in just about everything around him. He pointed to the trees, found cool looking bugs, ran back and forth in different directions, and even found a dollar bill on the ground! Unexpectedly he had to go to the bathroom in the middle of our journey. We took him to the nearby Nike Store where he was able to take care of business. I helped him wash and dry his hands, and Yaling adjusted his pants. It’s weird how all of this came natural to me because I actually never did it before!
The store became an adventure in itself. He looked at colorful sneakers and wanted them all but settled for a little soccer ball to give to his Daddy (he wanted to use the dollar he found earlier). We went up and down the elevator and marveled at the bridges that connect different parts of the store inside the building. The adventure ended up with us looking at cannons and airplanes at the Army Museum.
If you travel with children, keep in mind that many hotels in Hawaii offer special programs for kids. The sessions are fun for youngsters and they give you the opportunity to enjoy some adult time on your own – maybe at a beachside bar, in the surf, or just on the beach. In the meantime, your children can learn boogie boarding, ceramic painting, fishing, lei making, and much more. They can create lava-filled volcanoes that actually smoke. Some learn the hula; others learn to paint Hawaiian tapa cloths.
A number of hotels offer excursions to fascinating attractions and locales on their islands. Night adventures are available too, so parents can sneak off for a romantic dinner or bawdy show while the kids are crab hunting, decorating cookies, or learning Hawaiian culture. An added bonus, they can make new friends to communicate with when they return home. In addition, you can find services in Waikiki that offer babysitting and tours for little ones.
Get in touch with me and I can tell you about hotel activities for children and make sure the accommodations will be appropriate for your whole family.
I think one of the most important things you should do before you take a Hawaiian vacation is to learn as much as you can about this wonderful place. This is one of the main reasons I blog every day. I think Hawaii travel blogs are the best resources to learn about what’s happening in Hawaii. I embrace them all and I encourage you to read as many as possible before coming here.
Our whole little company is based on this principle. When you get involved with us you speak directly to someone who is either born or raised here or have lived here most of their lives. This is not to say that other travel agents aren’t very knowledgeable about Hawaii but it certainly does give us an advantage because all we do is focus on Hawaii and everyone who works here are from islands.
With this in mind, you can imagine how excited I was to hear that a group of top bloggers were coming to Hawaii.
Starting today (May 27th, 2009) bloggers will be arriving in Hawaii for the So Much More of Hawaii blogger tour. The brainchild of Christine Lu, and sponsored by the Hawaii tourism Authority, bloggers will embark on a seven day trip to Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. Each of the participants have varied interests from ecology to bargain-hunting and they will be paired up with Puka Shell Tour guides who will act as hosts and have volunteered to accompany these folks along their journey. They will blog about their experiences and also meet local folks on each of the islands at "tweet-ups", which is an outgrowth of the social networking tool "Twitter" at which people meet IRL, "In Real Life", Face to Face.
This is a fantastic concept and one which you can experience too! All you have to do is connect with people here. With today’s technology it’s really easy. There is a huge Hawaii stream of Twitter folks and bloggers you can connect with in a real way. Just join Twitter and start following the folks from Hawaii. Of course we can make it very simple too, just give us a call and connect directly with someone who lives and works here.
Today’s technology allows us to communicate in ways we have never done so in the past. It allows us to get information and make informed decisions. Social media venues such as Twitter and Facebook allows us to do it in a more personal way.
A big mahalo to the Hawaii Tourism Authority for embracing this blogger tour, Christine Lu for having the insight to make the connections, and to Neenz Faleafine who coordinated and supported this effort from its inception.
Bloggers on the tour reposted from @hawaii Blogging from the Aloha State and Beyond
It’s promoted in brochures and on Web sites as being “remote from the pressures of the outside world” where relaxation is the key. "Warm and friendly," it offers a down-to-earth charm.
Okay, that’s all true. But it’s only the beginning.
Lanai used to be the home of the world’s largest pineapple plantation. The pineapples are gone now. The island, with all its old-world charm, has been completely transformed. It’s an exclusive retreat now, especially attractive to high-demographic vacationers who seek a break from the pressures and worries of high-end commerce.
Small though it may be (only 18 miles wide at its widest point), it boasts two Four Seasons resorts. An exotic oceanfront luxury compound rests at Manele Bay, and there’s an awesome mountaintop hunting lodge at Koele.
If you’re a golfer (or not), you have two exquisite championship golf courses to play: the Challenge at Manele Bay designed by Jack Nicklaus, and the Experience at Koele designed by Greg Norman. Both provide sublime privacy in an intimate environment, wrapped in a beautiful location of exquisite isolation.
Still, there’s not enough people activity to affect the wildlife. Birds breed freely due to Lanai’s lack of mongoose (which are known for eating bird eggs). Some you can see taking to flight around the island include the pueo (Hawaiian owl), the apapane (a native honeycreeper), pheasants, francolin, partridges, quails, doves, and even turkeys. As you explore the island, you’re likely to see axis deer, mouflon sheep, and the nearly-endangered green sea turtles.
The dining is top-drawer, with several elegant restaurants among the resorts. Don’t be surprised to find such menu items as Lanai venison, cooked tableside on a hot lava rock with an apple/celery salad on a poached fig in a red wine sauce; or seafood bouillabaisse of shrimp, lobster, mussels and clams in a vegetable broth. There are plenty of casual eateries with friendly, conversational service, too.
Lanai City is a quaint little town that maintains the charms of the past. The Mike Carroll Gallery displays a collection of notable artists’ paintings of Hawaiian scenes in impressionistic style. When Dole Pineapple was in its heyday, this was a company town. The period architecture is that of simple homes and simple living.
Hulopo’e Beach is a beautiful expanse of secluded wide white sand beach with clear water that invites bodysurfing. It’s but one of several terrific beaches.
And, by the way, the higher elevations offer views that are beyond the imagination.
So Lanai is far more than a sleepy little out-of-the-chaos island. It offers luxury and adventure even as it qualifies as a change-of-pace retreat.
Where else might you find a news headline lamenting the death of a goose? Only in Hawaii.
In the Honolulu dailies on New Year’s Eve, while many in the rest of the country were preparing geese for their New Year’s family feasts, there appeared the shocking and depressing news that a car had struck and killed a nene goose in Haleakala National Park on Maui. An immediate alarm went up calling for park visitors to drive cautiously and avoid feeding the endangered animals.
Nene have been struck and killed by motorists before, about once a year on average. Having even one hit is a huge loss, particularly if it’s one of a breeding pair. (The goose struck on New Year’s Eve was a breeding adult.)
Haleakala National Park is home to about 250 nene, half of which are known to breed each year. The nene, or Hawaiian goose, is an endangered species on state and federal listings. It’s also the Hawaii state bird. During your vacation in the islands, you can see nene not only near Haleakala, but also on the Big Island of Hawaii. Though you can find nene in many other places on the island, the largest concentration of wild birds is in and around the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park in Volcano. Nene are inquisitive birds and their protected status means they have lost some fear of humans. They will often stroll over to check out some activity they feel threatens their space. They can be loud, making an unmistakable honk as they fly or as they are socializing. Be advised that it is unlawful to touch, feed, harass, or chase the nene. They are protected and every nene is banded.
There now are fewer than 800 nene geese left in the state, and this is the only place where they live. Several characteristics help to make them unique: Their feet are longer than other geese. They have a shorter wing span, and they nest during the winter. Their toenails are longer and stronger than those of other geese. The pads on their feet are thicker because of the habitat in which they live. They can be found in places that are 4,000 feet above sea level such as in the mountains, on volcano slopes, and in craters. The nene became endangered due to hunting, and to predators such as mongooses, dogs and cats. In the late 1950s, because of concern that the nene would become extinct, efforts were undertaken to try to protect the species and the nene now are making a comeback thanks to their protected status and serious efforts to repopulate the species.
Today,the largest predators of the nene are … well, cars. At Haleakala National Park, officials warn visitors not to feed nene because the birds learn to approach cars rather than flee from them.
So the rule is to look but not touch. And remember: If you should accidentally knock one off, it could make headlines.
On Saturday evening, November 8, you would have thought Hawaii Aloha Travel was celebrating a booming economy. Refreshments flowed, appetites were satiated beyond capacity, the room rocked with spirited entertainment, camaraderie was manifest with smiles and hugs, and optimism suggested impending success.
While the rest of Hawaii’s travel practitioners were wringing their hands and gnashing their teeth in the face of declining hotel occupancy, reduced airline capacities, layoffs and cutbacks, we were appreciating a sustained clientele level and a confirmed high level of service to our clients.
No, business isn’t better for us than it was a year ago at the moment, but neither has it sunk to the depths many of our colleagues in the industry are suffering through and with it all we are up 24% over last year.
The reason for that is simple. People and families, still seeking affordable vacation options, are turning to the Internet and discovering Hawaii-Aloha.com.
They realize our agents not only know the territory and are plugged into virtually all available distress sales, special bargains and limited opportunities, they also see that we network and provide travelers with 24-7 support unavailable through individual bargain-hunting and cherry-picking.
From initial contact via our Web site or toll-free telephone (1-800-843-8771), we stay with you and trouble shoot in the event of glitches such as cancelled flights, hotel mix-ups, unavailable or unsatisfactory rental-car arrangements – things you would find impossible to rectify by contacting the providers directly. We all were either born and raised in Hawaii or have lived here long enough to be true experts in the market – even those of us based on the mainland. We have the clout and the wherewithal to fix things immediately so you can experience a snag-free trip. You will have your own agent, and he or she will be backed up by a network of Hawaii-Aloha professionals who make things happen on a daily basis – always available to you and loaded with suggestions and money-saving solutions.
So we hope the rest of the industry will forgive our self-congratulatory revelry on Saturday evening. We feel we earned it, and we’re confident that visitors to our site such as you will have the opportunity to fulfill your vacation hopes and dreams with our help.
They call it the “Forbidden Island” or the “Mystery Isle” or the “Distant Isle.”
Niihau, the smallest of Hawaii’s inhabited islands, is planted southwest of the westernmost “major” island, Kauai. Mysterious through its obscurity alone, Niihau simply is privately owned, having been purchased from Kamehameha V in 1864, and the owners haven’t been inclined to turn it into a tourist destination. You certainly won’t see it promoted as such. The privacy has led some of the few Hawaii visitors who become aware of the island to imagine hostile “natives” armed and ready to drive off any intruders. Hardly.
It’s certainly beautiful enough. It embraces Hawaii’s only natural lake, Lake Halulu, lazy monk seals bask on the immaculate beaches, reef fish browse in calm waters and glass balls still wash up on the shore.
If you like the idea of venturing where few others have ever been, there actually are escorted day tours to Niihau via helicopter or catamaran. Usually, the tour will take you past the spectacular Na Pali coast of Kauai, then cross the channel and land you on one of those great Niihau beaches, where you can picnic for breakfast and/or lunch, swim, snorkel and relax in unimagined seclusion.
You can even go hunting! A helicopter will take you, you’ll be fed lunch, and you can get permission to shoot a boar and a sheep.
Are you a hunter? Isn’t it awful waiting for the season to start? Whether you hunt elk in Pennsylvania, bear in Arkansas or buck in Washington, you’re counting the days until your season opens this fall.
Hey, here in Hawaii, we hunt year-round – and the game isn’t too shabby. We have axis and black-tailed deer, mouflin sheep, feral goats and wild pigs; pheasant, quail and wild turkey. The best thing is that you can hunt year-round in Hawaii. There are some restrictions in some areas for some species, but on every island there’s something to go after, whenever you come.
You do have to have a license, just as you do in your state. It’ll cost you $95, and you can do that when you get here. It’s quick if you have your hunter’s education card with you and a picture ID. The state of Hawaii will give you an exemption, and with that you can get your license right away. You also can get your exemption by mail and then your license on-line. Pick a Hawaii-Aloha agent from the home page (Hawaii-aloha.com), or call 1-800-843-8771. We’ll talk you through the process. Happy hunting!
If you travel with children, keep in mind that a whole lot of hotels in Hawaii offer special programs for kids. The sessions are fun for the young people, and they give you the opportunity to enjoy some adult time on your own – maybe at a beachside bar, in the surf, or just on your back on a towel on the beach with no little distractions. In the meantime, those little people can be learning boogie boarding, ceramic painting, fishing and lei making. They can create lava-filled volcanoes that actually smoke. Some learn the hula; others learn to paint Hawaiian tapa cloths.
A number of hotels offer excursions to fascinating attractions and locales on their islands. Night adventures are available, too, so parents can sneak off for a romantic dinner or bawdy show while the kids are crab hunting, decorating cookies or playing cultural games. On top of all that, they can make new friends to communicate with when they get back home. When you talk to a Hawaii-Aloha agent, be sure to indicate that you’re interested in hotel activities for children and you can be sure the accommodations we recommend will be appropriate for you. Pick an agent at our Web site www.hawaii-aloha.com, or call 1-800-843-8771.
Did you ever consider big-game fishing? If you’ve never tried it, you probably don’t understand the lure of the excitement and satisfaction involved. Seasoned anglers come to Hawaii from all over the world for tournaments — or simply to fish in our waters, where they can go after Blue or Striped Marlin, Sailfish, Swordfish and Spearfish. A little less exciting and challenging, but every bit as fulfilling, are the Yellowfin and Big-eye Tuna, Mahi-Mahi and Wahoo. The islands’ steep dropoffs and deep marine canyons provide the hunting grounds for these big predator fish, and a huge benefit is that you don’t have to go far to reach them. In most game-fishing areas worldwide, you can expect to travel for hours to find your spots, but here it’s just a matter of minutes. You actually can spend most of your day in action. During your trip, you may see any number marine mammals –perhaps humpback whales, spotted dolphin or spinner dolphin, and the views of the islands themselves are spectacular.
The most popular fishing areas are Kona – on the West coast of the Big Island — and Oahu’s North Shore. Fishing boats (and their captains and crews) can be chartered in Waikiki, as well. All the tackle and supplies you’ll need are provided. Some of the charter companies offer combination trips that include deep sea-fishing, snorkeling or whale watching if you ask for them, as well as taxidermy services so you can send your mounted trophy home. The Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament is held in Kona every year – this year on the last weekend in July. It’s an icon among big-game fishing tournaments — the grandfather of them all.
You should try the sport; it’s an extraordinary experience. Even if you’re a practiced sport fisherman (or woman) – or especially if you are – you’ll find sport fishing in these islands unlike anything you’re ever experienced. Let your Hawaii-Aloha agent (hawaii-aloha.com) arrange a charter for you, wherever you might be staying. Or call us at 1-800-843-8771.
While the rest of Hawaii’s travel practitioners were wringing their hands and gnashing their teeth in the face of declining hotel occupancy, reduced airline capacities, layoffs and cutbacks, we were appreciating a sustained clientele level and a confirmed high level of service to our clients.
From initial contact via our Web site or toll-free telephone (1-800-843-8771), we stay with you and trouble shoot in the event of glitches such as cancelled flights, hotel mix-ups, unavailable or unsatisfactory rental-car arrangements – things you would find impossible to rectify by contacting the providers directly. We all were either born and raised in Hawaii or have lived here long enough to be true experts in the market – even those of us based on the mainland. We have the clout and the wherewithal to fix things immediately so you can experience a snag-free trip. You will have your own agent, and he or she will be backed up by a network of Hawaii-Aloha professionals who make things happen on a daily basis – always available to you and loaded with suggestions and money-saving solutions.
