Foremost in many people’s minds when they think of the Hawaiian islands as a holiday destination is that of a bustling beachfront resort lined with surfers and high-rise hotels. That may be true of Waikiki on the island of Oahu but there are plenty of contrasting places and product available on the UK market. With Hawaii’s popularity increasing, operators are featuring more diverse product. Here is an example of what can be sold at this exotic destination.
Island-hopping holidays
Island-hopping holidays are one of the best-selling arrangements to the Hawaiian islands and are seen as an ideal way to experience the contrasts of neighbouring destinations. Multi-centres are now a major feature of all operators’ programmes.
Sample product: Jetlife offers a 19-night Hawaiian Quartet which includes stays at Waikiki Beach on Oahu for six nights, Kauai for five nights, Hawaii for three nights and Maui for five nights.
There are three categories of accommodation to choose from, with a lead-in price of £1,169 twin share during April. This also includes all flights, transfers and car hire. There are other durations of 14 and 17 nights.
Hotel resort stays
All the major islands including Oahu, the Big Island of Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, Lanai and Molokai offer a wide range of coastal and inland resorts, with a high standard of accommodation, facilities and service.
Many offer their own sports and can organise local tours or guided expeditions, including horse-riding, trekking, water sports, diving and four-wheel-drive itineraries.
Many resort hotels also offer incentives such as free room upgrades, breakfasts, fruit and drinks.
Sample product: seven nights at the Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort costs from £650 per person with North America Travel Service, excluding flights.
The Romance Package costs around £280 per couple and includes champagne on arrival, robes, massage, one breakfast in bed and one candlelit dinner with wine.
Funway Holidays features nightly stays at the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach on Oahu from £59 per person twinshare.
Children’s programmes
Many of Hawaii’s hotels feature daily supervised activities for children, including on-site entertainment programmes and excursions of particular interest to youngsters.
Sample product: Outrigger Hotels and Resorts has a full-day package based at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach hotel for children aged five-12 which costs $30. It is available to those staying at any of its hotels in Waikiki on Oahu.
Activities include body boarding lessons, Polynesian crafts, making a Hawaiian Lei (traditional flower garland), hula dancing, shoreline fishing, games and excursions to places like the Honolulu Zoo and Waikiki Aquarium. Half-day options cost about $20. Outrigger has similar programmes on Kauai and Maui.
Independent tours and excursions
There are now many more opportunities to increase the total cost of Hawaiian bookings and improve commission levels as operators devote more brochure space to add-ons.
Sample product: tailor-made specialist Travel 4 now features four independent land-only packages which can be added to other arrangements.
These include four-day tours centred around Honolulu (Oahu) and Kauai, and six-day packages twinning Oahu with Maui and Oahu and Hawaii.
They comprise transfers, beach stays and day tours and cost from £195 per person twin share in standard accommodation for four days on Oahu, and from £335 for two-centres.
United Vacations features a host of sightseeing options, including a 50min Circle of Fire/Waterfall Helicopter Tour over Hawaii’s lava flows and rainforests for £89 and a Grand Circle Island and Waimea Valley Tour on Oahu for £27, among others.
Golfing holidays
Most tour operators to the Hawaiian islands feature pre-bookable golf packages and tailor-made holidays with a wide mix of varying courses.
Sample product: tailor-made operators include The Hawaiian Dream, Hawaiian Travel Centre and Delta Vacations Golf America.
The Hawaiian Dream features 15-night packages including golf, cart and accommodation on Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Lanai and Hawaii, plus rental car, inter-island flights and United Airlines service from Heathrow. Prices range from around £1,200.
Hawaiian islands cruises
American Hawaiian Cruises operates seven-night sailings from Honolulu on Oahu on the SS Independence.
Itineraries include visits to Kauai, Maui and Hawaii with a choice of optional shore excursions.
Sample product: Page and Moy features the voyages, which start at £1,065 per person for a seven-night cruise on a full board basis. The price does not include flights from the UK.
Adventure holidays
Mountain biking, hiking, water sports, sea kayaking and ranch activities can be included in tailor-made packages combined with resort stays.
Sample product: Hawaiian Travel Centre offers stays at several beachfront camps centred on the Great Molokai Ranch.
Tented accommodation costs from about £140 per person per night and includes all day activities such as mountain biking, hiking, snorkelling, kayaking, beach sports, archery and a children’s programme. Horse-riding is free at some of the camps.
The operator also features adventure packages based on a minimum of four nights with a choice of 10 activities.
Customers booking the four-night breaks stay either at The Lodge at Koele or at the Manele Bay Hotel, which are both on Lanai.
On offer is a choice of four-wheel-drive hire, golf, watersports, horseback trail ride, tennis, bike tour or guided exploration. Four nights cost from around £570 per person.