2009 Hawaii Year in Review
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2009 Hawaii Year in Review
Can you believe another whole year has gone by? With this Year in Review podcast, you can listen to Hawaii’s highlights from 2009 and catch up on what you’ve missed in the Islands since your last visit. But first, Hawaii Aloha Travel is excited to announce the new Hawaii Aloha Travel app for your smart phone. Keep in touch with us with your mobile device and have Hawaii news, podcasts and blogs on-the-go.
If you’re a fan of the ABC hit television series ‘Lost’ then you’ll love this late breaking news! The show will be premiering the final season this year on Oahu, and while the promotion was sold out just 12 days after its release, producers have decided to open up another bus that can accommodate an additional 23 people. If you’re trying to find a good excuse to come to Hawaii and happen to be a fan of ‘Lost’, this is a great promotion!
Let’s jump right into our 2009 Year in Review, which is listed in no particular order. First off, the Royal Hawaiian, otherwise known as the Pink Palace has reopened after their $5 million renovation. We have great deals for you at this hotel, so give us a call and let’s start planning.
And speaking of great deals, we’ve dubbed 2009 ‘The Year of the Deal for Hawaii’ as far as the economy goes. We saw the return of low air fares, great hotel deals and for the first time ever saw hotels offering a free 3rd night offer to guests. But for those of you planning some interisland travel during your Hawaii vacation, you might be sad to hear that the super ferry operation has been cancelled. This state-of-the-art boat was intended to transport people and cars interisland, but environmentalists, Hawaiian groups and residents were upset and much controversy surrounded the plans. This inevitably leaded to the demise of the super ferry.
Another negative news piece in 2009 was Hawaii Statehood Day, and it’s lack luster celebrations. Some were anticipating more tourism surrounding this annual holiday, but due to the sensitivity of the topic, much of the parades and celebrations were cancelled. On a positive note, Barrack Obama’s election has many Hawaii residents cheering and travelers flying to Oahu to explore the new president’s stomping grounds. So far, President Obama has brought nothing but good to Hawaii and its people.
And in other news, Mokulele and Go Airlines, two local interisland air carriers, have merged, creating a new airline called Go Mokulele. We’ve also seen hotel tax rise in Hawaii, and a controversy surrounding shark tours become a sore subject in the media.
Finishing off this podcast in a positive light, we’re reading off a handful of Hawaii Aloha Travel’s newest booked vacations. From family holidays at the Hyatt to couple retreats on Kauai, listen to some of the Hawaii Vacation Packages we’ve recently booked for people like you.