instigator in the founding of the Hawaiian islands.
Reed’s connection with the destination goes back 20 years when, as an agent, he travelled to Honolulu as part of a Pan Am ticketing course. He liked Hawaii so much he decided to go into business selling it.
He said: “I formed the company with operations director Gerry Manser and we launched the first tour programme into Hawaii from the UK in 1979. Flights were with Pan Am and we sold two-week beach holidays.”
Reed said over the years, prices haven’t really changed that much because air fares in the ’80s were so much higher than they are today, and the average selling price was around £1,000 per person.
However, the product has moved on. Reed recalls the days when clients simply booked a hotel resort stay either on Waikiki Beach on Ohau or the Big Island of Hawaii. The same grand luxury hotels are still there but buying patterns have changed enormously.
According to Reed, the growth is now to the lesser-known islands of Maui and Kauai, with clients travelling to two or three islands in one visit.
Rather than just sitting on a beach, people are booking golfing holidays, weddings, adding adventure activities and even combining skiing holidays in western Canada with a more relaxing stay in Hawaii.
He said: “There is a better awareness of Hawaii. Agents are also more knowledgeable about the destination, although most of our business comes from independent retailers.
“Last year we booked a large incentive trip for 500 people and sent a party of 28 from Jersey for a wedding in Hawaii. We are also getting an increasing amount of business from corporate agents, whose clients are looking to go somewhere special for a holiday.”
Reed said that while the product is improving, air fares are continually under market pressure, which makes the overall price increasingly attractive.
More agents are also booking the land content through the company but making the flight reservation themselves. “We’re happy for them to do this,” said Reed. “They feel they’re getting a better deal if they do this separately.”
He admits that The Hawaiian Dream is not a big-volume operator, sending around 2,500 clients to the islands annually, but claims that Hawaii will remain the domain of the specialists and operators who feature it on an add-on basis.
“We tried offering an all-inclusive resort,” said Reed. “But the concept hasn’t really taken off in Hawaii like it has in the Caribbean. To include popular Hawaiian activities such as kayaking, mountain-biking and scuba-diving makes the all-inclusive package more expensive than the Caribbean, where water-skiing is more the norm.”
However, in a second edition of its 2000 brochure first launched last October, the company has introduced inclusive stays at the new Molokai Ranch Resort.
The Hawaiian Dream is offering it as an all-inclusive with meals and some activities for a week from about £650 land-only and clients can tack it on to other components of their holiday. This is being followed by a separate golf holiday programme. But after 20 years, Reed is adamant that the Hawaiian islands can still offer a competitive beach holiday, with the new brochure featuring a lead-in price of £699.
That may reflect the cheaper air fares but The Hawaiian Dream’s average selling price is now around £1,500 per person, indicating that people want more variety from the package holiday.
“It is the ultimate dream island destination,” said Reed. “You can compare it with the Caribbean or Bali – which is the same distance – but the standard and quality is infinitely better.”
WITH a wry smile, Alan Reed, managing director of The Hawaiian Dream, says he got the inspiration for his tour operation from an historic venue just a couple of miles from his east London office.
It was at Barking Abbey where South Pacific explorer Captain James Cook was married. He later became a major instigator in the founding of the Hawaiian islands.
Reed’s connection with the destination goes back 20 years when, as an agent, he travelled to Honolulu as part of a Pan Am ticketing course. He liked Hawaii so much he decided to go into business selling it.
He said: “I formed the company with operations director Gerry Manser and we launched the first tour programme into Hawaii from the UK in 1979. Flights were with Pan Am and we sold two-week beach holidays.”
Reed said over the years, prices haven’t really changed that much because air fares in the ’80s were so much higher than they are today, and the average selling price was around £1,000 per person.
However, the product has moved on. Reed recalls the days when clients simply booked a hotel resort stay either on Waikiki Beach on Ohau or the Big Island of Hawaii. The same grand luxury hotels are still there but buying patterns have changed enormously.
According to Reed, the growth is now to the lesser-known islands of Maui and Kauai, with clients travelling to two or three islands in one visit.
Rather than just sitting on a beach, people are booking golfing holidays, weddings, adding adventure activities and even combining skiing holidays in western Canada with a more relaxing stay in Hawaii.
He said: “There is a better awareness of Hawaii. Agents are also more knowledgeable about the destination, although most of our business comes from independent retailers.
“Last year we booked a large incentive trip for 500 people and sent a party of 28 from Jersey for a wedding in Hawaii. We are also getting an increasing amount of business from corporate agents, whose clients are looking to go somewhere special for a holiday.”
Reed said that while the product is improving, air fares are continually under market pressure, which makes the overall price increasingly attractive.
More agents are also booking the land content through the company but making the flight reservation themselves. “We’re happy for them to do this,” said Reed. “They feel they’re getting a better deal if they do this separately.”
He admits that The Hawaiian Dream is not a big-volume operator, sending around 2,500 clients to the islands annually, but claims that Hawaii will remain the domain of the specialists and operators who feature it on an add-on basis.
“We tried offering an all-inclusive resort,” said Reed. “But the concept hasn’t really taken off in Hawaii like it has in the Caribbean. To include popular Hawaiian activities such as kayaking, mountain-biking and scuba-diving makes the all-inclusive package more expensive than the Caribbean, where water-skiing is more the norm.”
However, in a second edition of its 2000 brochure first launched last October, the company has introduced inclusive stays at the new Molokai Ranch Resort.
The Hawaiian Dream is offering it as an all-inclusive with meals and some activities for a week from about £650 land-only and clients can tack it on to other components of their holiday. This is being followed by a separate golf holiday programme. But after 20 years, Reed is adamant that the Hawaiian islands can still offer a competitive beach holiday, with the new brochure featuring a lead-in price of £699.
That may reflect the cheaper air fares but The Hawaiian Dream’s average selling price is now around £1,500 per person, indicating that people want more variety from the package holiday.
“It is the ultimate dream island destination,” said Reed. “You can compare it with the Caribbean or Bali – which is the same distance – but the standard and quality is infinitely better.”
the hawaiian dream
Background: The Hawaiian Dream, part of American Dream, which includes Ski The American Dream.
Location: 1-7 Station Chambers, High Street North, London E6 1JE. Tel: 020-8470 1181. Fax: 020-8552 7726.
Management: Alan Reed, managing director; Gerry Manser, operations director; Terry Page, general manager.
Product: year-round programme of tailor-made and package holidays to six Hawaiian islands. New first-time dedicated golf brochure.