Hawaii rides new wave of interest

Australian visitor numbers should get a further boost when Hawaiian Airlines launches year-round daily flights between Sydney and Honolulu in mid-December.

The airline, which is operating five flights a week on the route, has tested the market with seasonal flight increases and says demand warrants a year-round boost.

The general manager of sales and marketing for Hawaiian Airlines, Sherilyn Robinson, says demand has been growing steadily since the airline began operating flights out of Sydney in mid-2004.

Robinson says that while many travellers are going to Hawaii as a destination in its own right, others are using it as a stopover on their way to or from the US mainland.

Passengers out of Sydney can connect in Honolulu to services to 10 mainland destinations, including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, San Francisco and Seattle.

They can also connect to flights to other Hawaiian islands, such as Maui and the Big Island.

In addition to Hawaiian Airlines' increased flights are new services out of Melbourne and Brisbane with Strategic Airlines (now Air Australia), which has been promoting sale fares from $349 one-way to Honolulu.

Jetstar and V Australia also operate direct flights from Australia, while several other carriers offer indirect services.

Data from Hawaii Tourism shows Australians are staying longer in Hawaii, with an average of nearly 10 days, and spending more money during their stay.

They are also visiting more islands: the average is now 1.45 islands a visitor and all six of Hawaii's islands have had big increases in room nights from Australia. Maui is the most popular island after Oahu (the entry point for most travellers, as the home of the capital Honolulu), with the Big Island third.

Wiseman says Hawaii has taken some of the Gold Coast's key market, with lots of families heading to Hawaii for a break.

There are also plenty of honeymooners taking up the luxury accommodation options and large numbers of "empty nesters".

Wiseman says Hawaii offers cheap shopping, including factory outlets, along with nature-based attractions such as volcano tours and historical sites such as Pearl Harbour.

"There's so much to see and do over there," she says.

The flight time from Australia to Hawaii is only about nine hours and it is a good choice for first-time overseas travellers as an English-speaking destination with similar food and customs.

"It's different enough from Australia to be an interesting holiday but not so much that it is a culture shock," she says.

Wiseman says a good option for Australian travellers is taking a one-way flight to Hawaii and returning to Australia on a repositioning cruise between October and April, when cruise companies are moving their ships to Australian waters.

These cruises have the added advantage of visiting Tahiti, which can otherwise be prohibitively expensive to reach.

"Three years ago, there was only one ship doing it [offering repositioning itineraries from Hawaii to Australia] - there are now four," she says.

"But they're so popular, they can sell out 12 months ahead."

Saying I do

Australians are not just choosing Hawaii for holidays — it has also become popular for destination weddings.

The country manager for Hawaii Tourism in Australia, Helen Williams, says the most notable trend in the Australian market this year has been a 574 per cent increase in people going to Hawaii to tie the knot.

Williams says it is very easy to get married in Hawaii, with no legal complexities, and wedding packages are readily available.

"All the major hotels have got a wedding planner," she says.

jane@janeefraser.com.au