Travel Weekly's Hawaii E-letter: Jan. 8, 2007
APPLE VACATIONS is including two complimentary whale-watch excursions per room when clients book a vacation to Oahu and Maui this winter. Travel agents will receive 1,000 Bonus Royalties points with every new whale-watch excursion booked prior to departure. The promotion is valid on new bookings of four nights or more to Oahu or Maui made by Feb. 10 for travel through March 30. If a whale isn't spotted on the first excursion, clients get to go again. Visit www.applevacations.com.
UNITED VACATIONS is offering discounts from $50 to $200 on packages to Hawaii booked before Feb. 5, good for travel through December. Vacation packages include roundtrip air on United, hotel and 24-hour traveler assistance, and roundtrip airport/hotel transfers. Five-night packages begin at $599, per person, double. Call United Vacations at (800) 328-6877 or visit www.vaxvacationaccess.com.
THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY, with guidance from its Hawaiian Cultural Program Advisory Council, has selected 19 organizations that will receive funding in 2007 through its Hawaiian Culture Program. The grants are designed to strengthen the relationship between the tourism industry and the Hawaiian community. The list of beneficiaries includes Iolani Palace and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
THE ALA MOANA HOTEL, a former Renaissance property until it was bought in 2004 by Miami-based condominium developer Crescent Heights and converted to timeshare sales, will be operated by ALM Management Services, an Outrigger Enterprises affiliate. ALM will market 1,000 of the property's 1,154-rooms in its hotel pool.
" Starwood Hotels has made a number of appointments. Kelly Sanders has been named general manager of the 1,695-room Sheraton Waikiki. Sanders was previously the general manager of the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. Jon Gersonde has been promoted to general manager of the neighboring Royal Hawaiian Hotel. On Maui, Paige Cabacungan has been named director of sales and marketing for the Westin Maui Resort & Spa.
" Pleasant Holidays has welcomed back Elizabeth Johnsen as staff vice president of national accounts, responsible for building partnerships and increasing revenues with key national travel agencies. Johnsen had a previous seven-year stint with Pleasant Holidays in a similar capacity. Most recently, Johnsen served as the managing director of travel industry partnerships for the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau.
" The Outrigger Napili Shores on Maui has named John Brunold as general manager.
Hawaii Editor: Allan Seiden
For promotional opportunities in the Hawaii E-letter, contact Debbie Joseph at [email protected].
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