Monthly Newsletter Vol. 10 No. 6 Aloha!! Hawai i Tourism Asia would like to express our gratitude to those partners who participated in the Annual Asia Travel Mission in May. Twenty-four Hawai i companies/organizations participated in the Korea Mission and 23 in the China Mission, and 20 in the first-ever Taiwan Mission from May 21-31. Following are just some of the highlights of Hawai i Tourism Asia s activities during the past month and opportunities to participate in some of our future marketing programs in Asia. Mahalo! Asia-wide: The 4 th Annual Hawai i Asia Travel Mission (May 21~31) Hawai i Tourism Asia successfully organized the 2013 Annual Hawai i Asia Travel Mission in Busan & Seoul (Korea), Qingdao (China), and Taipei (Taiwan) from May 21~31. Hawai i Asia Travel Mission in Busan & Seoul, Korea (May 21~23): Hawai i Tourism Korea organized the Korea Mission with a total of 24 delegates from Hawai i. The Korea portion of the Mission was held from May 21~23, with four major events. Korea Market Briefing: This year, for the first time, HTK arranged the market briefing and the Hawai i Travel Agent Seminar in Busan instead of Seoul, to educate key agent personnel in the south of the country, as well as create more business opportunities from the Busan region where demand for Hawai i travel is significantly increasing. Hawai i Travel Agent Seminar: HTK invited more than 100 working level travel agents to attend a full-day educational seminar with all delegates. Hawai i Travel Mart: the Mission organized one-on-one meetings between 24 Hawai i vendors and 23 major travel agents including a luncheon. Aloha VIP Reception: HTK invited over 100 VIPs from travel agents, airlines and media to the Aloha VIP Reception, held at the Grand Ballroom of The Westin Chosun. HTK invited famous singer, Ms. Bada and professional hula dancers from Tihati Productions to provide Hawaiian entertainment for the event. 1
The following 27 Hawai i delegates participated in the mission in Korea: * Ala Moana Center * Landmark Hotels Group (The Kahala Hotel & Resort * Ala Moana Hotel & Makena Beach & Golf Resort) * Alamo Rent A Car * Marriott Resorts Hawaii * Aqua Hospitality * Outrigger Hotels & Resorts * Aston Hotels & Resorts * Sea Life Park Hawaii * Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. * Tihati Production, Ltd. * Grand Wailea * Trump International Hotel Waikiki Beach Walk * Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki and Golf Course * Waikele Premium Outlets * Hawaiian Airlines * Big Island Visitors Bureau * Hertz Rent a Car * Kaua i Visitors Bureau * Hilton Hawaii * Maui Visitors & Convention Bureau * Hyatt Resorts Hawaii * O ahu Visitors Bureau * Kualoa Ranch Hawaii 4th Hawai i Asia Travel Mission in Qingdao, China (May 26-28): Hawai i Tourism China successfully organized this event, welcoming 41 delegates from 23 Hawai i companies and organizations. It was the first participation in a Travel Mission in China for eight of the companies. The China section of the Mission included five major events: China Market Briefing: Hawai i delegates received updated information on China s current travel market trends, numbers of arrivals and spending which reflected the soaring demand for travel to Hawai i from China in 2012 and Q1 of 2013. Welcome Dinner Reception: HTC invited all delegates from Hawai i to a seafood dinner in appreciation of their support for working closely with the China team to develop and promote new Hawai i tour package products in China. 2
Hawai i Travel Agent Seminar: over 90 travel agents from around China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Dalian, Chengdu, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Qingdao, etc.) attended a full-day educational seminar with Hawai i delegates. Kainoa Daines of the O ahu Visitors Bureau started the seminar for HTA with a Ma ema e program to promote Hawai i's culture and language. Aloha Dinner Reception: HTC invited 90 travel agents, airline partners and media to the Aloha Dinner Reception. The Top 10 travel agents of 2012 were presented with awards for outstanding contributions to Hawai i-bound travel from China. China Eastern Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines also received awards for being HTC's best airline partners. The highlight of this year s event was the hula performance by China's first hula group, called Hālau Mokuli i, which comprises entertainers from Beijing, Shanghai, Xi an and Chengdu and is based in Shanghai. Hula is fast catching-on in China partly because of the strong promotion by the China team. Hawai i Travel Mart: consisted of one-on-one meetings between the Hawai i delegates and 23 major travel agents from all over China. The following 23 Hawai i delegates participated in the mission in China: * Ala Moana Center * Landmark Hotels Group (The Kahala Hotel & Resort * Ala Moana Hotel & Makena Beach & Golf Resort) * Alamo Rent a Car * Marriott Resorts Hawaii * Aston Hotels & Resorts * MC & A Inc. & PPEG * Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. * Sea Life Park Hawaii * Fairmont Resorts Hawaii * Waikiki Trolley * Hawaiian Airlines * Wasabi International Tour * Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki and Golf Course * Wet N Wild Hawaii * Hilton Hawaii * Big Island Visitors Bureau * Honolulu Marathon & Hapalua * Kaua i Visitors Bureau * Hyatt Resorts Hawaii * Maui Visitors & Convention Bureau * Kualoa Ranch Hawaii * O ahu Visitors Bureau 3
Hawai i Asia Travel Mission in Taipei, Taiwan (May 29-31): Taiwan was included in the Hawai i Travel Mission to Asia for the first time because of the increased interest along with the U.S. Visa Waiver program as well as the launch of new direct non-stop flights by China Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines from Taipei to Honolulu which has focused many travel agents on selling new Hawai i tour packages. Twenty Hawai i vendors engaged with 100 Taiwan agents at the Taipei Westin on May 30 to introduce the latest travel information through the Hawai i presentations and workshop. The following 20 Hawai i delegates participated in the first mission in Taiwan: * Ala Moana Center * Kualoa Ranch Hawaii * Ala Moana Hotel * Marriott Resorts Hawaii * Aston Hotels & Resorts * MC & A Inc. & PPEG * Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. * Sea Life Park Hawaii * Fairmont Resorts Hawaii * The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua * Hawaii Prince Hotel Waikiki and Golf Course * Waikiki Trolley * Hilton Hawaii * Big Island Visitors Bureau * Honolulu Marathon & Hapalua * Kaua i Visitors Bureau * Hyatt Resorts Hawaii * Maui Visitors & Convention Bureau * Intercultural Communications College * O ahu Visitors Bureau KOREA: Asiana Airlines Online Promotion, Aloha Hawai i, Healing in Hawai i (May 24 ~ June 30) Hawai i Tourism Korea and Asiana Airlines conducted two large-scale online promotions targeting the FIT market for the summer holiday season. One of the promotions is to push Hawai i sales via either Asiana Airlines official website or its mobile application by offering special benefits to 45 randomly selected Korean travelers who have purchased round-trip tickets during the promotion. HTK contacted different Hawai i partners to request prize sponsorship and the following partners confirmed participation; Ala Moana Center, Ala Moana Hotel, Doraku Sushi, Hawaii Wedding Story, and PF Chang s. Another promotion to attract online members of Asiana Airlines as well as to give general knowledge of Hawai i is the Hawai i Quiz Event. One hundred Koreans who answer correctly will be randomly selected and given a free coffee voucher. 4
Hana Tour International Travel Show (May 24 ~ 26) Hawai i Tourism Korea participated in the Hana Tour International Travel Show, which was held from May 24 to 26 at KINTEX in Seoul. HTK prepared materials such as Island maps and Hawai i travel planners to serve general consumers visiting the Hawai i booth for their travel to Hawai i. In order to draw attention to the Hawai i booth as well as highlighting Hawaiian culture, HTK and Hana Tour jointly organized a special event to give the visitors a truly Hawaiian experience in Seoul, with Hawaiian shaved ice. During the 3-day travel show, a total of 85,000 Koreans visited the travel show. Media Coverage on Hawai i in Korea My Wedding, Hawai i, The Paradise : with a monthly circulation of 60,000 copies, My Wedding successfully generated a 4-page editorial after the individual media trip to O ahu with the couple who had won the readership promotion conducted by DFS Hawai i and My Wedding. It focused on the honeymooners itinerary by introducing different activities such as a glider ride, surfing lesson, sunset dinner cruise and the Polynesian Cultural Center. It also covered DFS Hawai i. Total equivalent advertising value: $16,000. CHINA: Many New Hawai i Tour Products introduced in China Hawai i Tourism China jointly launched a Hawai i-only tour package promotion with UTour in the Shanghai Morning Post targeting the high season of June and July. The new high-end packages ($2,180, $2,580 and $5,440) include staying at least five nights and it will be promoted in East China. Leading travel agencies such as Shanghai Jin Jiang Tours and Shanghai Spring International are also supporting the promotion. 5
Hawai i Tourism China continued to participate in the Hawai i Tourism Road Show with Hyde International in east China cities. The successful educational seminar in Shanghai attracted over 200 U.S.-bound travel agency representatives. Tourism information and tour packages for the six Hawai i islands were introduced to stimulate sales for the coming summer peak season. Hawai i Tourism China jointly promoted high-end Hawai'i tour packages with Shanghai Jin Jiang Tours by producing a Summer Product Brochure featuring three new Hawai i-only tours that will be on sale from June. Shanghai Spring International responded to Hawai i Tourism China's aggressive encouragement to develop O ahu + Neighbor Islands, and Hawai i + U.S. West Coast tour packages. The products generated 1,000 bookings after being promoted with a discount of about US$160 at the World Travel Fair in Shanghai. 6
Hawai i Tourism China promoted a new 9-day Hawai i + West Coast tour package with America International Travel Service. AITS is a key wholesaler of China Eastern Airlines' group seats from Shanghai to Honolulu, and its 4N/7D Hawai i tour package is a popular product in the east China market. The agent has also negotiated with China Eastern Airlines for possible charters and group seats for the October National Day holiday to increase its group sales to Hawai i. Hawai i Tourism China worked with Affinity China in Shanghai to collaborate on promoting the agent's creative 17HAWAI I high-end FIT tour package aimed at holidaymakers planning to visit Hawai i during the October National Day holiday. Affinity China will partner with LUXE Travel Hawai i, Honolulu International Film Festival, Hawai'i Fashion Incubator and Hush Media to sell different FIT packages at prices ranging from $1,300 to $11,060. The prices include different activities and events but not air tickets from China to Hawai i. HTC will host a joint Hawai i travel trade training program and introduce 17HAWAI I with Affinity China on June 18. The Commercial Service of the U.S. Consulate General Shanghai will also join. HH Travel uses Korean Air's business class for its luxury romance and golf-themed VIP customers. Hawai i is HH Travel's top destination to promote in 2013, using Four Seasons Hotels and visiting O ahu and the Neighbor Islands for its 5N/7D product. Total price for the new 7-day package will be around US$8,600. 7
China Classical Holidays International Travel Center is promoting three new tour packages in the Tianjin market: Hawai i-only (5N/7D), Hawai i + U.S. West Coast and Hawai i + East & West Coast. Korean Air is China Classical Holidays major partner because it has connecting flights to Hawai i from Tianjin through Seoul/Incheon. The agency participated in the Hawai i Travel Mission in Qingdao and the one-on-one meetings. Media Coverage on Hawai i in China Modern Bride: this leading Chinese bridal magazine features luxury contents about wedding fashion, beauty, jewelry, accessories, relationships and honeymoon travel. The magazine is distributed through retail outlets and 5-star hotels in major cities, and at marriage registry offices in China. Hawai i Tourism China successfully secured exposure for Kaua i including Sheraton Kauai Resort and The Westin Princeville Ocean Resort in its April 13 edition. Total circulation is 605,000. Total equivalent advertising value: $898,600. 8
Elite Traveller: this leading travel magazine in China is published by Ctrip, the most influential online travel agent in China. Hawai i Tourism China successfully secured exposure about self-driving in O ahu in the May 13 edition. Total equivalent advertising value: $360,000. TAIWAN: Taipei Tourism Expo (TTE) 2013 (May 24 27) A large U.S. Pavilion was set up for the first time this year at Taipei Tourism Expo at Taipei World Trade Center. The pavilion was largely the initiative of Hawai i Tourism Taiwan's director who was appointed Executive Director of Discover America in Taiwan after the U.S. Visa Privilege was granted. HTT set up a Hawai i Booth with co-exhibitors Aston Hotels & Resorts, USS Missouri, Ala Moana Center, and Pop Tour. Hawaiian Airlines also had a strong presence for the first time in preparation for its start of direct flights to Taipei. Hawai i had strong exposure, with HTT and HA jointly promoting the Hawai i Food and Wine Festival with Taiwan Chef Amber Lin. Nani Hula and Johnny Ukulele provided Hawaiian cultural presentations on TTE's main stage and at the pavilion, and visitors were attracted by HTT and HA's giveaways. The HTT Director/Discover America Executive Director was given an Achievement Award for Uplifting Tourism by Taipei Association of Travel Agents. 9
Kaohsiung International Travel Fair (May 10 13) Hawai i Tourism Taiwan participated by displaying and distributing Hawai i brochures at KITF held in the southern city of Kaohsiung on May 10 13. The ROC President opened the fair for the third straight year and HTT's Director was among VIP guests invited to cut the ceremonial ribbon on behalf of foreign national tourism offices. KITF Opening Ceremony National Tourism Office Directors Trade Training activities in Taiwan Hawai i Seminar in Taichung: Hawai i Tourism Taiwan arranged a seminar and exchange with Taichung travel agents on May 31 for Kainoa Daines of O ahu Visitors Bureau and Shufen Chang of USS Missouri. Taichung Association of Travel Agents supported the seminar by inviting its members to the seminar. HA s Hawai i Holiday Agent Training program: with the support of Hawaiian Airlines and Hawai i Tourism Taiwan, Dragon Tour, HA Hawai i Holiday s local tour operator, conducted educational training for travel agents on May 2. Most travel agency sales managers and staff have never been to Hawai`i so the training was important for them to understand more about the destination and activities available for visitors. 10
Media Coverage on Hawai i in Taiwan World Travel Weekly (WTW): volume 778 featured a special 10-page report with analysis of the Hawai i Travel Market. The content said most people s first impression of Hawai i is of a family vacation and honeymoon destination. However, the magazine said higher costs than other destinations are the main concern for Taiwanese, so Hawai i's image needs to be redesigned to enable the market to focus more on its higher lifestyle value rather than cost. Total equivalent advertising value: US$18,300. Travel Trend News (TTN) Magazine: volume 776 featured Hawaiian Airlines on its cover and included stories on the new airlift, introductions to the four Hawai i islands and a new image ad design. The magazine's weekly circulation is 35,000, plus 50,000 e-newsletters issued tri-weekly. Total equivalent advertising value: $10,400. TTN volume 779 featured Hawai i Tourism Taiwan's Director on its cover page, with an accompanying 4-page interview and articles featuring the four Hawaiian Islands. Total equivalent advertising value: $10,000. Upcoming Asia Promotional Opportunities Korea: a) Promotion for Hawai i Food & Wine Festival in September (June ~ August) b) Asiana Airlines Changwon FAM in September (TBD) For more information please contact Liz You of Hawai i Tourism Korea at lyou@aviareps.com China: a) Hawai i Tourism Educational In-house Training (June 18, Shanghai) b) Beijing International Tourism Expo 2013 (visit only, June 21-23, Beijing) c) 9th International Forum on Chinese Outbound Tourism (visit only, June 24th, Beijing) For more information please contact David Sun of Hawai i Tourism China at dsun@aviareps.com Taiwan & Other Asia: a) Hawaiian Airlines Press Conference (June 21) b) Hawaiian Airlines Inaugural Flight Launch (July 10) c) Hawaiian Airlines Media/Agents Fam Tour (July) d) Hawaiian Airlines Taiwan Agents Fam Tour (September) e) China Airlines Singapore Agents Fam Tour (September) For more information please contact Jemy See of Hawai i Tourism Taiwan at jsee@aviareps.com 11