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Travel Weekly
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Travel Weekly
Hawaii Roundtable: Headwinds and change in the air
Following Travel Weekly's Hawaii Leadership Forum in April, Travel Weekly editor in chief Arnie Weissmann moderated a roundtable that covered a variety of topics, including major changes in leadership at the Hawaii Tourism Authority and Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, federal impacts, economic uncertainty and the increased Transient Accommodations Tax. Here are some of the highlights from that session. (The exchanges have been edited for length and clarity.) Arnie Weissmann: What developments have you seen in the past year in the way of attractions, hospitality developments, things at the airport, etc.? Ray Snisky, group president, ALG Vacations: The great things that we're continuing to see is that ownership groups are reinvesting in products and renovations, and hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent on the quality of experiences. It's good to see that kind of investment. It's vital to this destination. John Kimball, vice president, Hawaii and French Polynesia, Marriott International: There has been a genuine commitment by owners across all of our resorts, and across all brands, to invest big and prepare us for the future. While we've gone through some challenging days, most invested to prepare us for the stronger and positive days ahead. David Hu, CEO, Pleasant Holidays: What I've seen in hotels, which is commendable, is a lot more of the educational aspects to let people understand what their stay means to local people. Hilary Palanza, director of marketing, Hawaiian Airlines: There's been a lot of investment in film and TV. We're seeing the "Moana" live action, "Lilo & Stitch" and "Chief of War," so I think that keeps Hawaii top of mind from a cultural storytelling perspective. And with "White Lotus" in Thailand, there's this set-jetting trend of people wanting to experience what they see on TV. Caroline Anderson, interim president and CEO, Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA): We've been investing in our community organizations. We did a program called Community Tourism Collaboratives to bring up our smaller community organizations, so they'll have a foot in our visitor industry and help develop experiences so our visitors can get to know the community better and take part in agritourism ventures, for example. Katrin Koenig, chief commercial officer, Delta Vacations: After Covid, we were hearing about outdated hotel rooms at some of the hotels. We've definitely seen a noticeable shift on upgraded properties and rooms and also very definite plans on continuing that. Katrin Koenig of Delta Vacations. Photo Credit: Dave Miyamoto Weissmann: There were two notable resignations at the top of the HTA recently. Last year, an independent report suggested that the HTA needs to restore credibility with the community and the legislature. Have the recent resignations, including the chairman of the board, put the HTA in some sort of jeopardy? Anderson: The HTA is the state's agency for tourism. Tourism is the No. 1 industry for our economy, and it's building trust with the legislature so that they can see that we are spending funds in an appropriate manner. We also share with legislators why tourism is so important and how it helps provide for the livelihood of our community. Tom Mullen, senior vice president and COO, Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB): Tourism is so important to the state economy. There is a need to have somebody that sets a strategy overall that can get all the departments to work together. We don't have that. The HTA was created to do that, but what has happened over years is it started to turn into a political animal. And unfortunately, an industry that's generating over $2 billion in tax revenues is funded with $60 million. From left, Travel Weekly Hawaii editor Christine Hitt, Tom Mullen of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau and Angie Licea of Global Travel Collection. Photo Credit: Dave Miyamoto Weissmann: Regarding the HVCB, I know responsibilities had been scaled back to marketing only to the U.S. Is that still true, or are you back to being global? Mullen: U.S. only. Right now, we're putting $14 million into the state of Hawaii, which is about $10 million to $12 million less than what we've been spending over the years. That decrease started in 2016. And so our voice, it's nonexistent. And we've got to find a way to go back, because that is not enough money to maintain a brand over time. What we've had to do is focus our message on the audience that we believe has the wherewithal to come to Hawaii. I think we've proven that we need to drive value without cutting price. We're competing against other destinations that, quite frankly, can deliver more value than we can. But once people come to Hawaii, the experience sells itself, and people will want to come back. From left, Travel Weekly editor in chief Arnie Weissmann; Ray Snisky, ALG Vacations; and Gina Gabbard, First in Service Travel. Photo Credit: Dave Miyamoto Gina Gabbard, chief strategy officer, First in Service Travel: I've heard a lot about investment into the West Coast, and while I understand why you market heavily there, I do believe there's a missed opportunity not to invest heavily in the East Coast, especially in markets where Hawaiian has nonstop lifts. We've got United, Delta. Mullen: There is no funding to go to the East Coast, to put any brand marketing out there at all. We're working everything through the wholesale channel, and then the wholesalers penetrate their customer bases throughout the country. The quickest way for us to get results is from the West Coast markets. Palanza: We're in the same boat. We don't have enough marketing dollars to make an impact in markets outside of the West Coast. Kimball: What we need is more state funding relative to the broader market conversation to try to get this messaging. Marriott Bonvoy wants to play off of that. But unfortunately, to your point about East Coast and all those opportunities, we just need to figure out the funding. Hu: I think getting funding is one element. There needs to be consistent funding because branding does not happen overnight. I think ever since 2000, the budget seems to be dropping and dropping. Weissmann: Sometimes, fear of recession can start the recession. There have been some big swings in the markets, and consumer confidence is down. How is this impacting your businesses? Snisky: We had a fantastic first quarter. Really excited about that. But we see bookings moving forward being really impacted, there's really a softening there. As much as we've all seen the growth of luxury, how you get through these lulls is through some aggressive value, whether that be pricing or value-adds. Hilary Palanza, Hawaiian Airlines, left, and Caroline Anderson of the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Photo Credit: Dave Miyamoto Angie Licea, president, Global Travel Collection: If we start lowering prices, right, your transactions may increase but will increase at the same sales rate you were experiencing, so it becomes dicey. Right now, our transactions are down, but sales are way up. So as things start to come down, unless transactions pick up, that's trouble for travel advisors and all of you. Koenig: I think we need to be really, really careful on this. We have all been through downturns a lot, and I don't think discounts are the answer. Gabbard: What we are seeing with the high-net-worth, ultrahigh-net-worth client is that while they're looking for a good deal, they don't want to feel that they're being taken advantage of. And that's where the value-adds -- the third, fourth night free -- comes in. From a luxury hotel perspective, I think they learned after 9/11 that it was very difficult to get prices back up after they've been dropped because you've trained the consumer to wait for prices to drop. For hotels to put up those type of value deals is very wise. Kimball: We're really excited to partner and get creative with value-adds. Costs and labor costs continue to escalate, and driving down just prices is really not the path. We'll do with less occupancy to ultimately give and create a much better Hawaii experience. John Kimball, Marriott International. Photo Credit: Dave Miyamoto Weissmann: Looking at the current federal administration, are there any other actions that are impacting your businesses? Snisky: When there's uncertainty in the market, there are tools and products we have that spike sales. And we're seeing [travel protection programs] moving up in multiple points. That's another revenue stream. Gabbard: There's been a lot of talk, even in Europe and in Canada, about the fear of coming into the country. Will you be detained? Will you be turned around and not allowed to come in? That fear is something we really need to look at, because even in Hawaii, you rely on some of the international markets. Weissmann: Hilary, are you seeing a noticeable drop in Japan and Canada? Palanza: Japan is still struggling for us. We're still investing a lot, from a marketing perspective, so we have confidence that it's going to come back. Our network is smaller out of Canada; we have seen it come down, but not at the levels that we're hearing in the media. David Hu of Pleasant Holidays. Photo Credit: Dave Miyamoto Gabbard: First in Service does have a very large presence in Canada. It's 100% leisure. So the sentiment of our group is twofold: Canadians love Americans; they understand the difference between Americans and politics. But there is the group that has decided they will not be traveling to America and will not be buying American goods. But there is a group that will still travel, but they're not talking about it -- they're doing it silently. A bigger issue for those who are willing to travel is the devaluation of the Canadian dollar, which is tied strongly to the American dollar. Will hotels look to do at-par rates? Can the operators that operate in Canada look at pricing a little differently? Will they offer Canadian resident discounts? Because it's even more expensive than before to come to the Islands. We have seen a shift in business to those products who are welcoming Canadians by dropping prices for them. Licea: Sometimes an advisor will make a decision for a consumer without asking the consumer, so we're [saying], "Your job is consultation. Don't make assumptions that a Canadian traveler is not going to come to the United States. Consult with them." One other thing is that corporate travel is down. So corporate travel to Hawaii is down. That means the leisure add-on attached to corporate is down. Hu: Yeah, we are definitely seeing that slowing in the corporate side and certainly the government side. While that doesn't directly impact some of our hotels, it impacts the whole market. Weissmann:A bill raising the Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) -- will that help or hurt tourism? And is there a way the TAT can be related to the benefits it provides more closely, so it's clear that the community is benefitting? (Editor's note: This roundtable took place prior to the tax increase being approved by the Hawaii Legislature on May 2.) Mullen: I think that's what has to be done so people will understand how tourism drives the state. We as an industry probably should take it upon ourselves [to make the connection]. Hu: We are not in favor of a TAT increase. We just don't want costs to increase. We talked earlier about value, and it would not take us in that direction. If it happens, we want to make sure it's fenced and it goes toward marketing. Anderson: We had a dedicated source of funding through TAT. We've lost that; now, we're funded generally. If we had a dedicated source of funding, there would be a consistent funding mechanism for HTA, and residents could see that tourism dollars go back into the agency that could market the state. Weissmann: When HVCB CEO Aaron Sala spoke at the Travel Weekly Leadership Forum, it certainly seemed to mark a radical shift in emphasis for HVCB. What did you think about his new positioning? Mullen: We're an organization that has been here for over 20 years. We're born and bred in this state. We understand tourism. We marketed tourism. What we're trying to do now is take control of our destiny and get back into a leadership role and do things with our partners versus waiting for funding from HTA. ____________________ Photo at top of page: Standing, from left, John Kimball, Marriott International; Tom Mullen, Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau; Christine Hitt, Travel Weekly; Gina Gabbard, First in Service Travel; Ray Snisky, ALG Vacations; David Hu, Pleasant Holidays. Seated, from left, Hilary Palanza, Hawaiian Airlines; Angie Licea, Global Travel Collection; Arnie Weissmann, Travel Weekly; Caroline Anderson, Hawaii Tourism Authority; and Katrin Koenig, Delta Vacations.
Travel Weekly
13-05-2025
- Travel Weekly
Dispatch, Xcaret Park: Nature lover's paradise in the Mexican jungle
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico — As I floated on my back in the refreshing water, I watched a colony of bats congregate, hanging upside down on the ceiling of the cave I was swimming through. I was in Xcaret, a sprawling 200-acre ecological park that includes swaths of jungle, on an excursion day with Pleasant Holidays. I was invited to spend four days in Mexico for Pleasant Holidays' Elite Experience program, an annual event the company holds to celebrate the accomplishments of the top 50 producing travel advisors for Pleasant. The experience included three nights at the Dreams Sapphire Resort & Spa and an excursion day for advisors and their guests. Xcaret Park includes a cemetery with examples of pre-Columbian elements and Mexican folk art to highlight how close the culture feels to its dead. Photo Credit: Brinley Hineman The park, which opened in 1990 and is attached to a resort, is part of Grupo Xcaret, which also owns nearby park Xplor, which focuses on adventure tourism and requires visitors to wear a helmet during their visit. Xcaret, which has aspects of an adventure park, includes some relaxing options, too, such as a lagoon and the underground river I was swimming through when I paused to study the bats clinging to the ceiling, evoking childhood memories of watching bats swoop through the twilight sky. Your Xcaret ticket grants you access to 50 excursions, featuring natural pools, an aquarium, jungle trail and children's section. You can opt to purchase add-on experiences, including swimming with sharks, participating in the ancestral ritual of temazcal (a sweat lodge) and parasailing. Tours and river cruises editor Brinley Hineman feeds and pets a manatee at Xcaret Park. The park is home to two rescued manatees. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Brinley Hineman Manatees and cultural exploration I didn't choose any add-ons, instead opting to experience the basic access to the park, which included more than I could dream of accomplishing in a single day. The park is a nature lover's paradise, full of trails that lead you into the jungle and spit you out next to an excursion you didn't know was available. That was the case when I was wandering down such a trail and observed a sign that said "manatees" with an arrow, so off I went in pursuit of the sea cows. There were two of them, Pompom and Nohoch, who the park says were rescued. The employee monitoring them told me they were mother and baby. A vibrant scarlet macaw sits on a branch at Xcaret Park. Photo Credit: Brinley Hineman To my delight, I was allowed to feed them treats, which they greedily devoured, pushing their hairy snouts into my hand and chowing down. History and culture were on full display at the park and the highlight of our tour. Led by one of the park guides, we embarked on a walking tour on the Pueblo Prehispanico Route. We visited a chapel dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi, the protector of nature and animals, and a traditional Mexican cemetery, which includes pre-Columbian elements and Mexican folk art — though no one is interred there, our guide said. The park's inclusion of a cemetery is to underscore how close the culture feels to its dead. As we walked, I caught a glimpse of four men flying in the sky from a 98.5-foot pole while another man on top played a flute. They were performing a ritual called Danza de los Voladores de Papantla, an ancient Mesoamerican ceremony where men spin down in a controlled descent using ropes. The ritual is believed to summon rain. A curious coatimundi relaxes in a tree at Xcaret Park. Photo Credit: Brinley Hineman Coatimundi encounter Finally, after traipsing through the aviary where we saw vibrant parrots and toucans, we concluded the tour with a dip in the river, which hovers at an average temperature of 72 degrees. It took more than half an hour to swim down the long waterway, passing through caves, a mangrove forest and a waterfall. There were moments when I had stretches of the river entirely to myself, making for a magical and serene experience. The rest of the time I spent exploring the jungle, marveling at the wildlife. Having grown up with a forest as my backyard in West Virginia, I love a good nature walk, especially those that feature animals. It was my goal to see a coatimundi up close, which was a delight the last time I was in Mexico and watched baby coatis play at the Tulum ruins. My wish was granted when I came face-to-face with one relaxing on a tree branch. Not long after, I heard jarring screeches and looked over a ravine to see flashes of color shoot past me: two scarlet macaws soaring, their vibrant colors illuminated by the sun.
Travel Weekly
12-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Pleasant Holidays' new CEO emphasizes fun and brand storytelling
RIVIERA MAYA, Mexico -- Pleasant Holidays CEO David Hu, who joined the vacation wholesaler in January, identified one of his top priorities for his team: having fun. Speaking in an interview at the company's annual Elite Experience event at the Dreams Sapphire Resort & Spa, Hu outlined his mission as company leader: "We want to build a culture that's fun and supportive of each other." Hu also identified goals of improving brand storytelling, streamlining operational efficiencies through technology upgrades and enhancing travel advisor support. Hu made a series of new hires to support his vision: Dajana Levy as vice president of technology, Denis Fastert as chief operations officer, James Kareka as vice president of trade brands and Lauren Brown as senior marketing manager for social media. Hu said he has observed opportunities to strengthen the brand, including better identifying what Pleasant Holidays represents. To boost the company's identity, Hu said the company will focus more on social media "to help tell our story." The company created a Pleasant Holidays Facebook page for travel advisors to ask questions and connect with one another and the company's business development managers (BDMs). Hu identified the relationships advisors have with Pleasant's reservations agents as a company strength. Travel advisor Heidi Nanigian, an independent contractor with Travel Concepts of Orange County, Calif., who attended Elite Experience, said her relationship with her go-to Pleasant agent is one of the advantages of working with the company. "Their support system is amazing for both the travel advisor and for my clients," she said. "One of the main reasons that I book with them is the support system. If there is an issue in destination, I know I have someone to contact." Jami Turner Advisor Jami Turner, a KHM Travel Group independent contractor in Odessa, Texas, said she began booking through Pleasant after the pandemic when she observed the quality of service drop with another supplier. What sealed the deal was that her BDM offered to make the drive to Odessa to meet with her. "That effort really made a huge impression," she said. These relationships at Pleasant shine, and Hu said they are why advisors work with the company, but he added that advisors likely lack a cohesive understanding of the company's mission because it had not been a priority for Pleasant to "tell its story and be front center in terms of branding." "Over the next six months, we're going to be a little bit more direct, a little bit more poignant about what our brands are and what each offers, because there isn't a good enough differentiation right now," he said, referencing Pleasant Holidays' distinction from Journese, the company's luxury arm. Pleasant Holidays will also upgrade the company's laptops, monitors and network infrastructure and will take stock of its destination offerings to ensure the options resonate with clients, Hu said. Earlier this year, the company expanded its portfolio to include Australia and New Zealand. Hu said he also expects more events to reward top-producing advisors, building on the annual Elite Experience four-day getaway. The event recognizes the top 50 producing travel advisors.
