By Carol Eannarino

Breathtaking natural beauty, palm-fringed beaches, a fascinating culture and endless outdoor adventures are among the many attractions that await your clients in Hawaii. A superb destination for all ages – from families with young children to honeymooners to baby boomers and seniors — Hawaii has something for everyone.
Here’s just a sampling: sailing tours, hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, camping, whale watching, golf, volcano viewing, downhill biking and luau shows, as well as various cultural festivals and events.
If you’re a Home Based agent who has never sold Hawaii before, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with the islands. One good place to start is online at the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau’s Hawaii Destination Specialist (HDS) Self-Study program (http://www.hvcb.org/). It’s free of charge to all qualified travel professionals in the U.S. and Canada.
The newly improved destination program offers graduates seven CEUs from The Travel Institute. Agents who are already HDS certified and meet certain criteria may also earn the additional seven CEUs by refreshing their knowledge of Hawaii.
Sales tools and materials can be ordered from an online form. These include island map brochures, visitors guides, posters, promotional DVDs, golf guides, personalized island itinerary maps highlighting popular activities and attractions, downloadable Hawaii color posters and tourism industry updates.
A Marketing Toolbox contains a downloadable image database from all six islands, informative editorial content useful in building an agent’s Web site or promotional materials, downloadable logos, and print and online marketing templates for Hawaii-themed promotions.
A Calendar of Events and Online Itinerary Builder sends itinerary E-mails to the agent or his/her client. There are festival and events calendars as well as a major events calendars (PGA and NFL events, etc.). The site also includes a new and improved Hawaii Rewards portal.
Other helpful Web sites are Kauai Visitors Bureau, travelagents.kauaidiscovery.com; Oahu Visitor’s Bureau (agents.visit-oahu.com, at press time which was in transition); Maui’s Visitors Bureau: www.visitmaui.com/agents; Lanai Visitors Bureau, www.visitlanai.net.
The Maui and Lanai sites also have Destination Specialist Programs for travel professionals.

Cruising Hawaii
Booking Hawaii for your clients depends on a number of factors. If they are first-time visitors, they’ll probably want to sample the major islands. While interisland flights are offered by Aloha Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Island Air — and a new SuperFerry will be launched in July — a cruise or packages tour may be the best bet.
The three U.S.-flagged ships of NCL America offer 7-day cruises from Honolulu that include Maui, Kauai and the Big Island (both Kona and Hilo), as well as cruising the lush Na Poli Coast.
Several other cruise lines — including Celebrity, Princess, Holland America, Carnival and NCL’s Norwegian Wind — also feature Hawaii cruises. Since they are not U.S-flagged, they must include a foreign port, generally Ensenada, Mexico or, in the case of the Carnival Spirit, a disembarkation in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Norwegian Wind, as well as 11-day Pride of Aloha cruises Oct. 20 and Dec. 1 and Jan. 12, Feb. 23 and April 5, 2008, stop at Fanning Island, Kiribati.

Package Tours
A number of tour operators – including Trafalgar, Globus, American Airlines Vacations, and Perillo – offer appealing land tours of Hawaii of varying lengths, usually eight to 13 days.
Perillo, for example, offers a choice between a 9-day Journey to Oahu, Kauai and Maui or a more in depth 12-day getaway, Journey to Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island. Both escorted tours include plenty of free time and all breakfasts and dinners, cocktail parties, shows and a luau. Log on to perillotours.com for a complimentary Hawaii DVD and brochure ordering information.

Oahu
Home to Honolulu, the state capital, this is Hawaii’s vibrant population center.
Two top Oahu attractions include the U.S. Arizona Memorial, which honors America’s Pearl Harbor heroes, and the Polynesian Cultural Center, spread out over 42 lush tropical acres and featuring the seven authentic Polynesian villages that showcase the traditional island life of Tonga, Tahiti, the Marquesas, Fiji, New Zealand (Aotearoa), Samoa and Hawaii. There’s also the pageant of long canoes, craft activities. canoe rides, a luau, the IMAX Theater, Polynesian (and American) cuisine and the Horizons night show.
Oahu’s North Shore is famous as the world’s best surf spot and in the winter, waves can reach around 40 feet or more. International surf pros take part in competitions between November and March.
Legendary Waikiki Beach is receiving a makeover. Ever since Outrigger Enterprises Group announced plans to redevelop the Lewers-Beach Walk area, there has been a sharp increase in renovation and new investment in Waikiki.

Kauai
Hawaii’s northernmost island has preserved its dramatic, natural beauty. The golden sand beaches of the Coconut Coast beckon, while the huge Waimea Canyon, called “The Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” is a must-see. The lush, towering cliffs of the spectacular Na Pali Coast are best seen by cruise ship or boat tours.

Maui
The second largest island has what many believe are the best beaches in the world. Humpback whales migrate off Maui’s shores every winter and a stroll through historic Lahaina reveals Maui’s whaling past. Spectacular scenery is the reward for those who take the long and winding road to Hana.

Big Island
The island of Hawaii, or Hawaii’s Big Island, is larger than all of the other islands combined. The number one attraction is Volcanoes National Park, which encompasses diverse environments that range from sea level to the summit of the earth’s most massive volcano, Mauna Loa at 13,677 feet. Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, offers visitors views of dramatic volcanic landscapes.
Over half of the park is designated wilderness and provides unusual hiking and camping opportunities.
Visitors can also snorkel, scuba or fish off the Kohala Coast and marvel at the waterfalls and seascapes off the Hamakua Coast. And tell your clients not to forget to buy some Kona coffee!