Hawaii Hotels Renovate To Meet The Boost In Mtgs. Biz
The Hawaii meetings and conventions scene appears to be returning slowly and steadily after being hit particularly hard last year by the soft economy and Sept. 11.
The first quarter of 2002 brought with it a positive sign to Hawaii, traditionally considered an expensive destination. According to Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau vice president Sandra Moreno, the number of corporate visitors to the islands has rebounded from last fall and local properties are reinvesting in renovations and other capital projects.
The number of air seats coming from the mainland United States also has jumped, Moreno said, and there are indications of steady growth in incentive and group bookings for the remainder of the year. "Convention center bookings came to a screeching halt post 9/11," Moreno said. However, so far this year convention and group bookings have rebounded.
"The pace of group bookings is gradually becoming better, but the corporate market is still constrained by the economy," she said. "Everybody was so impacted by 9/11. We're viewing it with cautious optimism."
Nonetheless, Moreno said, some groups meeting in Hawaii so far this year have broken attendance records. One such recent event drew 11,000 attendees.
Additionally, Moreno said, the Japanese meeting and convention market is doing well in bringing business to Hawaii.
Responding to the relative rebound, some hotel properties in Hawaii are undergoing upgrades and expansions.
The Hawaii Marriott Waikiki Beach, which last year purchased a 1,300-room property, has poured $60 million into renovations. Located on Waikiki Beach on the island of Oahu, the Marriott Waikiki Beach overlooks Diamond Head—one of Hawaii's most famous landmarks. This full-service resort property offers deluxe accommodations, including standard guest rooms and luxury suites, recreational activities and a variety of dining options. Meeting and banquet facilities include three ballrooms, 11 meeting rooms and two outdoor pool areas suitable for cocktail parties.
The Renaissance Ilikai Hotel, an oceanfront resort overlooking the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor at the gateway to Waikiki Beach, has completed a $27 million renovation that includes a new tropical open air main lobby, a restaurant and an enlarged pool area with new whirlpool and poolside bar. The majority of rooms have been renovated in their entirety with some rooms in the Ilikai tower being completed. The hotel is located minutes from downtown Honolulu and one block from the Hawaii Convention Center and Ala Moana shopping center.
To further serve the needs of visitors, including corporate travelers who need access to their e-mail and the Internet, the island of Maui early this summer will offer wireless broadband Internet access throughout the island.
Maui Sky Fiber, a Maui-based telecommunications carrier, this month said it will deploy the IPWireless Advanced 3G Broadband wireless solution on the island of Maui. Maui will be the first in the nation to deploy 3G broadband technology in the commercial market, enabling businesses, consumers and visitors to access a high-speed Internet connection anywhere on the island.
Resorts and hotels will be able to take advantage of the complete plug-and-play nature of the pocket-size IPWireless modem to offer their guests Internet access while visiting the island. Because the service is mobile and "always on," a user could be on a boat between Kihei and Lahaina going 80 miles per hour downloading a movie and it would be just like having a DSL line, according to a company spokesperson.