Showing posts with label hawaii travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hawaii travel. Show all posts

Timeshare Contributes to Hawaii’s Popularity

Why is Hawaii so popular? Do we really have to ask? What other destination offers such a variety of gorgeous beaches, heavenly scenery and wide variety of activities? Where else is it more conducive to bringing the entire family on vacation, where you still might find a secluded beach all to yourself, and where you can feel right at home, but still enjoy a culture quite different from your own? And it's all pretty easy to get to for most of us. 

Timeshare Helps Break Hawaii’s 2015 Visitor Record

"Total visitor arrivals hit a record in 2014, and we'll hit another in 2015,” announced Carl Bonham, executive director of the University of Hawaii economic research organization. He spoke at a recent Chamber of Commerce Hawaii event that explored a new wave of timeshare customers. In the fourth quarter 2014, Hawaii greeted 182,284 visitors—a 4.4 percent increase in timeshare visitors above the same period in 2013. Other data showed that Oahu hotel room rates have risen by double digits, possibly influencing the shift in tourist behavior to timeshare and vacation rentals. Repeat travelers are exploring alternative places to stay.

Hawaii Tourism Authority data shows timeshares were up 4.9 percent for the first three months of the year.  It's no surprise to those of us in the timeshare industry. A timeshare resort is the perfect place to stay in Hawaii. Condominiums offer lots of room for families to spread out in, extra bedrooms and baths, kitchens to use to save money on meals, onsite activities and prime locations, often beachfront with ocean views.

Timeshare supports the economy of the people and communities of Hawaii. President and CEO of ARDA, Howard Nusbaum reports, "Timeshare generates 4,000 jobs, $100 million in wages, and $67 million in tax revenue annually in Hawaii". He added, "Hawaii is the most sought-after timeshare destination, with nearly $1 billion in sales. At 85.2 percent you’ve got the highest timeshare occupancy in the U.S".

A Few of the Major Developers

Marriott is one of the major timeshare/vacation club developers in Hawaii according to a recent report released by Sharket.com, a free website that supplies data for the timeshare industry. Three of Marriott’s developments in Hawaii are ranked in the top 5 of all the Marriott resorts: 
  • #2 Marriott’s Ko Olina Beach Club Resort in Oahu
  • #3 Marriott’s Maui Ocean Club
  • #5 Marriott’s Kauai Beach Club
Disney is another major player. Its multi-million dollar, Aulani Disney Vacation Club in Oahu was voted #1 in Travel + Leisure’s 2014 Top Family Hotels in the U.S.A. Disney also offers cruises around the islands.

Starwood Resorts has multiple locations on all four of the islands, as does Hilton Grand Vacations.  California based, Grand Pacific Resorts has three locations in Princeville on Kauai—Makai Club Resort, Alii Kai Resort and the Hanalei Bay Resort.

Most Popular Exchange Islands

There’s no easy answer to this question as each island offers its own uniqueness and attractions, but most polls put the islands in this order:
  1. Oahu
  2. Maui
  3. Kauai
  4. Hawaii (Big Island)

Hawaii Travel News: No Harmful Radiation Expected

President Obama has reiterated to all Americans that no harmful levels of radiation are expected to reach Hawaii, the West Coast, or the Pacific Territories as a result of damage to nuclear plants in Japan.



"I know that many Americans are worried about the potential risks to the United States," stated President Obama, "so I want to be very clear: We do not expect harmful levels of radiation to reach the United States, whether it’s the West Coast, Hawaii, Alaska, or U.S. territories in the Pacific. Let me repeat that: We do not expect harmful levels of radiation to reach the West Coast, Hawaii, Alaska, or U.S. territories in the Pacific. That is the judgment of our Nuclear Regulatory Commission and many other experts."

In addition, experts, most notably U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman Gregory Jaczko, have repeatedly declared that there is no evidence indicating that Hawaii is in any danger.

The NRC's official web site said, "In response to nuclear emergencies, the NRC works with other U.S. agencies to monitor radioactive releases and predict their path. All the available information indicates weather conditions have taken the small releases from the Fukushima reactors out to sea away from the population. Given the thousands of miles between the two countries, Hawaii, Alaska, the U.S. Territories and the U.S. West Coast are not expected to experience any harmful levels of radioactivity."

In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a statement saying that air monitoring readings taken in Hawaii show no elevated levels of radiation. State health officials previously said that based on all available information, they do not anticipate a risk of harmful radiation exposure to the islands "Daily monitoring reports show no change other than normal background levels of radiation," said EPA's spokesman in Hawaii, Dean Higuchi.

Hawaii's Governor Abercrombie echoed the President’s and the NRC’s assessment in a statement in which he said, "I want to reassure residents and visitors that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the highest authority on radiation in the nation, has indicated Japan’s nuclear emergency presents no danger to Hawaii."

"Our state and county monitoring systems have not detected any increase in radiation levels, and based on all available information, state and federal experts do not anticipate any risk of harmful radiation exposure to our islands. We are open for business. Hawaii continues to be the world’s paradise."

So, according to government officials and experts, if you are planning a Hawaiian timeshare vacation, there is no need to change your plans, and there are many budget-friendly timeshare rentals available in beautiful luxury resorts throughout the islands.

(Video credit - abcnews.go.com)

Travel to the Garden Island of Kauai

When you think of a Hawaiian vacation, most people travel to Oahu or Maui. If you’ve visited those two beautiful islands already and you’re ready to continue exploring all Hawaii has to offer, rent a timeshare on the Garden Island of Kauai. You may hear yourself saying "I can't believe anything is this beautiful!"

Kauai is called the Garden Island for a very good reason, because it is covered in lush tropical vegetation. Visit beautiful rainforests complete with climbing vines and wild orchids; swim out to refreshing waterfalls; and enjoy miles and miles of swaying coconut palms.

How is Kauai so different? This island offers many opportunities for spectacular scenery not seen on any of the other Hawaiian islands. Waimea Canyon (see photo) is one of those sites that you must see. Known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, you’ll be in awe of its deep chasms and lush, colorful, tropical foliage.

Get dirty and have fun at the Mud Bug tour. Starting out in the village of Poipu, where you can visit the endangered Monk seals, your tour will take you past an old sugarcane factory, through a tunnel and all the way up to a waterfall and pool near the town of Wailua. It’s the dirt roads you’ll travel on that can make the adventure a little muddy, since Hawaii often gets quick rain showers throughout the day.

A visit to Spouting Horn will show you ocean water shooting high up through an ancient lava tube. Take a boat tour up the Wailua River, or, go kayaking to the Fern Grotto. Ha'ena State Park offers many dry and wet caves or visit the historic Kilauea Lighthouse (see photo), a symbol of the town; and the one the island's best loved places.

A Kauai timeshare rental will give you a center point to set out on your daily adventures around the island. Relax and spread out in your spacious timeshare resort and take in the beauty that the islands have to offer.

(Photos courtesy of gohawaii.com and kilauealighthouse.org)