Posted on: Tuesday, May 3, 2005
BUSINESS BRIEFS
Golden Week travel booming
Advertiser Staff
Japanese travel to Hawai'i for the long vacation period called Golden Week is up sharply this year from a year ago, according to the latest visitor arrival numbers published by the state.
Since the start of Golden Week last Wednesday, more than 42,000 visitors from Japan have traveled to Hawai'i, a 20 percent increase from the same period last year. A survey by Japan travel agency JTB Corp found that Hawai'i bookings for Golden Week were up 15 percent from a year ago. Golden Week extends through Saturday.
American Airlines has expanded a program that sells $3 snack boxes or $5 sandwiches to passengers, offering the option in coach cabins on 750 U.S. flights to meet customer demand.
American began charging for sandwiches and snacks in the main cabin of U.S. flights on Feb. 1, hoping to save an annual $30 million. The airline hasn't served hot food on domestic flights since 2001.
As many as 60 percent of passengers on transcontinental and Hawai'i flights buy the sandwich boxes, and 13 percent to 21 percent buy snack boxes or sandwiches on other flights.
The operator of local hotel management firm Aston Hotels & Resorts is bringing in a unit of Deutsche Bank to be majority owner of the Aston Waikiki Beach Hotel.
Aston parent Gaylord Entertainment Co. of Nashville, Tenn., announced an agreement to buy the 716-room hotel from New York firm Leucadia National Corp. for $107 million.
As part of the deal, Gaylord said it would seek a partner for the purchase arranged in part to retain Aston's management contract for the Kalakaua Avenue property.
Deutsche Bank's DB Real Estate Opportunities Group will own 80.1 percent of the hotel under the agreement. Gaylord expects its investment will be $5 million to $7 million if the deal closes.
Hawaiian Airlines has named a veteran airline industry executive as senior director of cargo sales and service.
Rick Fall will be responsible for Hawaiian's cargo program, with a particular focus on developing new revenue within the state and between Hawai'i and destinations in the western United States, South Pacific and Australia.
Fall last worked for Continental Airlines as director of Asia-Pacific cargo sales, based in Honolulu.
Airline expands flight food sales
Hotel gets new majority owner
Hawaiian names cargo sales chief
