April Visitor Numbers Look Good

Aloha Kakou:

Maui had an 11% growth in our number of visitors this April compared to 2010. Total visitor spending was up this year by 22.4%.

"The growth in arrivals to Maui in April 2011 was supported by increases from Canada (+32.7%), U.S. West (+12.4%) and U.S. East (+1.4%), which offset fewer visitors from Japan (-34.2%). Considerably more Canadian (+38.5%) and U.S. West (+15.4%) visitors stayed exclusively on Maui compared to last April."

"For the first four months of 2011, arrivals to Maui from Canada (+23.8%), U.S. East (+8.4%) and U.S. West (+8%) increased, but arrivals from Japan (-5.2%) declined compared to the same period last year. "

Spending per person per day was up about 9% to $79.40, about a $10 increase over 2010.

http://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/default/assets/File/reports/visitor-statistics/April%202011%20Visitor%20Stats%20PR%20(FINAL).pdf

San Diego 6 Contest

Aloha Kakou:This commercial is running on San Diego's channel 6. We're participating in a contest with that channel and in conjunction with Kaanapali Beach Resort Association by providing 12 comp nights. Contestants can win one of four 3 night trips, including air on Alaska Airlines, to stay at the Outrigger Maui Eldorado.

All About Hawaii Feature

Aloha Kakou:



All About Hawaii emailed this flyer out on Wednesday to approximately 3,820 travel agencies from their database, reaching over 10,115 individual agents. The special will also posted to All About's website and www.mailpound.com , a travel agent reference site currently serving over 196,596 travel agents.



11065E OUT

Guests Prefer Shower To Bath

Aloha Kakou:

With many travelers preferring to showers to baths, many hotels have removed bathtubs from most rooms.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/2011-05-19-where-is-the-hotel-bathroom-tub_n.htm

Wither Goest Thou, Tourism?

Aloha Kakou:

Hawaii's tourism outlook for 2011 depends upon who you ask.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority is projecting a total number of visitors to the islands very close to the record set in 2006 of 7.63 million.

According to UHERO, the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, is predicting a decline in visitors from Japan will lead to weaker numbers for Oahu and Big Island but will lead to a 6% increase on Maui, compared to last year.

http://www.staradvertiser.com/business/20110520_Tourism_outlook_Up_Down.html

Bait And Switch?

Aloha Kakou:

A lawsuit filed in US Federal Court this week alleges that a hotel's resort fee is a "hidden" charge and essentially amounts to a bait and switch scheme.

Fortunately, the resort fee model is not one to which we subscribe here at the Outrigger Maui Eldorado.

http://www.hotelsmag.com/MembersOnly/webNews/details.aspx?item=23698

Summer Airfares Waning?

Aloha Kakou:

There are projections that the airlines, who had held out for higher fares for the summer months, may be about to lower them based on the few seats that have sold. It may be worthwhile to pay extra attention to airfares in the next few weeks.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43022148/ns/travel-seasonal_travel/

Outrigger Condos Go Green

Aloha Kakou:

Please take a look at this article in Travel Age West (a publication for travel agents) regarding Outrigger's Maui Condos green initiatives:

http://www.travelagewest.com/OutriggerEcoCondo/