Creating desire to meet in the Hawaiian Islands is not a problem. Neither is getting there or finding first-rate accommodations, meeting facilities, and post-event activities. An innovative initiative introduced recently by the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) is making the Islands of Aloha even more attractive for business meetings by making them more affordable.

Called the Added Value Resource Center and created specifically to address the demands of today’s economy, it is available online at BusinessAloha.com. Site visitors will find an easy-to-use menu of options to help groups save on costs and show why Hawaii is the smart choice to boost their return on investment. Meeting planners can mix and match HVCB’s offerings to fit their clients’ budget and objectives. This includes saving on accommodations, receiving special discounts on retail and attractions, and bolstering an itinerary with Hawaii’s free cultural and outdoors activities.

Michael Murray, HVCB vice president of sales and marketing for corporate meetings and incentives, says a Hawaii meeting is a proven winner for energizing attendance and generating the creativity essential to business success. “Hawaii is a motivator – always has been and always will be. Groups that meet in the islands return home inspired to meet their goals and be creative with their business planning strategies,” says Murray. “The response from planners has been phenomenal. Everyone wants to hold meetings in Hawaii and our new resource center is providing solutions to keep it affordable.”

Added Value Resource Center

HVCB worked with its industry partners statewide and island chapter bureaus for Kauai, Oahu, Maui County, and Hawaii’s Big Island to create the new Added Value Resource Center and the seven programs that are helping to make Hawaii more affordable and appealing to host business meetings:

• Hot Rates, Hot Dates! offers special savings on accommodations and activities at hotels and resorts statewide through 2010.
• Hawaii Value-Added provides meeting attendees special savings on retail goods and activities in partnership with Retail Merchants of Hawaii and Activities and Attractions Association of Hawaii.
• Hawaii Free lists more than 125 free activities to enjoy in the islands that planners can incorporate into meeting itineraries and save on costs.
• Hawaii Booking Advantage allows groups with a booked or planned meeting, and minimum 10 peak hotel room nights, to select a complimentary product or service from a participating HVCB member.
• DMC Offer lets planners utilize a variety of services provided by Hawaii’s Destination Management Companies (DMC) for free or at a discounted rate.
• Hawaii Speakers Bureau is a listing of elite Hawaii-based leaders that can share their expertise with groups meeting in the islands on various subjects, including medicine, scientific research, technology, and Asian affairs.
• Green Hawaii provides planners with an island-by-island listing of eco-friendly programs initiated by resort properties and activity providers.

Murray notes that the resource center’s programs are designed to answer the diversified interests of today’s business world. “Hawaii is a global business meeting destination that is ideal for bringing together the minds and powers of eastern and western industries,” he says. “Our resource center is an effective tool to make this happen.”

HVCB offers planners “one-stop shopping” support to host meetings in the islands, drawing upon the deep resources of Hawaii’s visitor industry. This service commitment begins with initial planning and includes site inspection assistance, marketing support, attendance-building promotions, and concierge hospitality.

Six islands, six experiences

The world has long admired Hawaii for its balmy year-round weather, tropical island splendor, and how the native Hawaiian culture is celebrated in the way people live. These timeless qualities – along with first-rate meetings and accommodations facilities – have also made Hawaii one of the world’s most desirable locations for meetings. Especially noteworthy is the variety of “destinations within the destination” that Hawaii offers.

The six islands the ancient Polynesians called “the heavenly homeland of the north” – Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Hawaii’s Big Island – have similar characteristics, but each offers a different meetings experience. It’s one of Hawaii’s biggest selling points, according to Murray. “Hawaii offers six exotic islands that provide six uniquely wonderful meeting experiences. We have the complete destination package and our meetings infrastructure is ideal for hosting groups of all sizes.”

HVCB and its four island chapter bureaus provide groups with an experienced team of professionals that maximize the meetings experience in the islands. “The island chapters are fantastic partners. We work together with a single goal in mind – to make a Hawaii meeting the most rewarding experience possible for groups doing business in one of the world’s great destinations,” Murray says.

He adds that today’s business leaders demand that meetings destinations provide an excellent return on investment, create the highest impact for attendees, and meet their objectives. In every respect, he said, Hawaii fits the bill. “The quality of venues and diversity of activities available year-round are unmatched. Groups can choose from a wide array of resorts on all islands ranging from luxury to budget accommodations,” Murray notes. “Businesses, especially those providing incentives, can book Hawaii year after year and be confident they’ll receive an invigorating experience each time.”

The following is a snapshot of each island – Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Hawaii’s Big Island..

Kauai – Island of Discovery

Also known as the “Garden Island,” Kauai is cloaked in brilliant shades of green, with lush mountains, verdant grottos, hidden beaches, and shimmering waterfalls. Kauai has four major resort areas for meetings – Poipu; Kalapaki Beach and Lihue; Wailua and Kapaa; and Princeville. The island is popular with couples and families, making it ideal for incentives.

Kauai offers more than 2,500 hotel rooms and 2,500 condominiums to support meeting facilities – the largest of which is more than 20,000 square feet and can accommodate 1,500 banquet guests. Nine magnificent golf courses are a favorite pre- and post-meeting activity.

Kauai’s spectacular and varied landscape makes it a favorite of Hollywood and fans of eco-travel. For example, Waimea Canyon, known as the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” is a massive 10-mile gorge laced with excellent hiking trails and a vivid palette of nature’s colors that paints a new picture as the day wears on. Another popular activity is exploring the many trails and isolated beaches along the stunning Napali coastline and its towering 3,000-foot cliffs.
For more information, contact Sue Kanoho, executive director, Kauai Visitors Bureau, at (808) 245-3971 or via e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Oahu – Heart of Hawaii

Oahu is home to Honolulu, a vibrant, cosmopolitan center of international commerce, and world-famous Waikiki Beach. Waikiki offers numerous resort properties, providing an impressive selection of top-notch facilities to accommodate all groups and budgets.

Rising from Waikiki’s edge, the award-winning Hawaii Convention Center has elevated the standing of Hawaii’s meetings infrastructure to among the world’s best. Supported by up to 10,000 committable hotel rooms within a mile, the Center features a 200,000-square-foot exhibit hall, the state’s largest ballroom at 36,000 square feet, 49 meeting rooms comprising 100,000 square feet, and two presentation theaters.

Outside Waikiki, groups will find first-class meeting facilities in west Oahu at Ko Olina and on the North Shore. Groups will also find a seemingly endless list of pre- and post-meeting activities to enjoy, including world-class restaurants, tours, ocean sports, galleries, museums and the only royal palace and home to a monarchy on U.S. soil – Iolani Palace.

Another popular attraction is historic Pearl Harbor, home to the two battleships that signify the beginning and end of World War II – the USS Arizona Memorial and the Battleship Missouri Memorial.

For more information, contact Les Enderton, executive director, Oahu Visitors Bureau, at (808) 524-0722 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Maui – The Magic Isle

“Maui no ka oi!” Translated from Hawaiian, it means “Maui is the best!” – a statement millions worldwide would acknowledge.

Maui has four major resort areas – Wailea, Makena, Kaanapali and Kapalua – offering a choice of properties that can host meetings for up to 3,000 attendees. There are nearly 19,000 rooms in 380 hotel and condominium properties, with the largest indoor hotel meeting space measuring more than 28,000 square feet.

Maui’s valleys, golden beaches, forested mountains, grasslands, and open plains are home to some of Hawaii’s most storied attractions, including the fabled whaling town of Lahaina; the world’s largest dormant volcano in Haleakala Crater; the winding road leading to idyllic Hana, and the gorgeous sands of Kaanapali Beach.

For more information, contact Terryl Vencl, executive director, Maui Visitors Bureau, at (808) 244-3530 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . MVB also handles marketing activities for Molokai and Lanai.

Molokai – Hawaiian by Nature

Molokai is a place in which nature has carved out a rugged beauty of its own and where residents and visitors alike enjoy a relaxed Hawaiian-style ambiance. Ancient Hawaiians believed the island had spirituality unique to Hawaii. It’s a sentiment that carries forth today.

Molokai is equipped to handle small and medium-sized meetings, and is supported by approximately 200 hotel rooms. It’s especially popular with groups who enjoy solitary beaches and wild outdoor beauty.

The west end of this long, narrow, mountainous island is marked by wide plains, while the east end is a tropical rain forest featuring a rough-hewn northern coastline with deep ravines in rich green hues. The towering sea cliffs – the highest in the world – plunge more than 3,000 feet into the ocean.

Lanai – the Most Enticing

Seclusion and rustic beauty are the primary reasons meetings are scheduled on Lanai, which is ideal for hosting small, executive gatherings. Once home to the world’s largest pineapple plantation, Lanai boasts the historic Hotel Lanai and two luxurious resorts – Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay Hotel, and Four Seasons Resort Lanai, The Lodge at Koele – specializing in a true getaway experience. Approximately 340 rooms are available.

For high-end visitors, Lanai offers one of Hawaii’s most diverse travel experiences in a setting far removed from the more populated resorts, including golf on immaculate courses, four-wheel driving on rugged trails, diving in pristine bays, and miles of deserted beaches.

Big Island – Island of Adventure

At 4,038 square miles, Hawaii’s Big Island is twice as big as the other islands combined, and it’s the most diverse in appearance and composition. The Big Island has nearly 11,000 hotel rooms in 258 properties. Most are luxury resorts located along the Kona-Kohala coastline. The largest meeting-oriented hotel has 45,000 square feet of meeting space and can comfortably accommodate 2,000 banquet guests.

Ecologically, the Big Island offers a climate and terrain that ranges from tropical rain forests and waterfalls to arid, desert-like conditions. Environmentally, it takes visitors on journeys from mountains topped by clouds (and often snow) to sprawling cattle ranches and uncluttered beaches.

It’s the youngest island, but the first discovered by the voyaging Polynesians, thus becoming the cradle of early Hawaiian civilization. Today, the Big Island is a fascinating collection of cultural and historic sites. And it’s still growing. Kilauea is the world’s most active volcano. The sight of lava flowing into the ocean is a popular attraction safely witnessed by more than one million visitors annually.

For more information, contact George Applegate, executive director, Big Island Visitors Bureau, at (808) 961-5797 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .