Hawaii.com draws $10M in business

By Kelly Yamanouchi
Advertiser Staff Writer

A Web site promoting travel to the Islands called Hawaii.com has brought in more than $10 million in business for airlines, hotels and visitor attractions since it was overhauled two years ago.

And the Web site, which works with companies including Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, Hilo Hattie and Hawaiian Airlines, has booked another $6 million in business through the end of the year, president Rhett Long said.

"It's our job to continue to make Hawai'i businesses successful," Long said. The site sells travel activities and attractions to Hawai'i, but also can "tell the unique story of each island," he said.

While Hawaii.com draws in only a small percentage of business in the state's $10 billion tourism industry, the site draws about 500,000 visitors per month on average.

The fastest-growing segment for Hawaii.com is last-minute travelers — those making bookings only 13 days or less before their trip, Long said. Many are empty-nesters who can come to Hawai'i on short notice.

Hawaii.com was developed in a partnership between Gannett Co., which owns The Honolulu Advertiser, and Stephens Media Group, which owns Big Island newspapers Hawaii Tribune-Herald in Hilo, West Hawaii Today in Kailua, Kona, and the North Hawaii News in Waimea.

On the site, the number of advertisers in many categories is limited, so those listed get a higher return on their investment, Long said. Slots for selling activities and attractions are already sold out in 2004, he said.

Hawaii.com's travel club, a mailing list with special offers, has about 492,000 members. The club gets about 1,000 new members daily.

"We're not out to compete against Expedia and Travelocity, but we compete against Mexico, Europe, the Caribbean," Long said.

One area where Hawaii.com wants to expand its business is in promoting opportunities for disabled travelers. The Web site provides a link to Access Aloha Travel, a company that provides vacation planning for disabled travelers, including rentals of wheelchairs and specially equipped vans.

Reach Kelly Yamanouchi at kyamanouchi@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2470.