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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, August 25, 2006

Ad push features photos by residents

Advertiser Staff

The Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau is hoping to lure visitors here with photos of the Islands taken by Hawai'i residents.

The "Picture Hawai'i" fall campaign features an online collection of about 300 photos of activities and attractions submitted by residents following HVCB's request for pictures showing the lifestyle of local people. Residents responded by sending more than 8,000 photos to HVCB, the state's tourism marketer to North America.

Visitors can see the pictures with an interactive vacation planning tool at www.gohawaii.com/picturehawaiicontest. The site allows visitors to click on photos to learn about an activity or attraction and place them in an online photo album and a dream vacation itinerary to enter a contest for a free Hawai'i trip for two.

"Our research shows that visitors appreciate knowing what residents like to experience, and they get more enjoyment in Hawai'i from the more activities they do," said Jay Talwar, HVCB's vice president of marketing. "This program helps them accomplish both."

HVCB is publicizing the Picture Hawai'i campaign with online, print and TV advertising, including banner ads on www.TravelChannel.com and FoodNet work.com; full-page ads in National Geographic Traveler and Sunset Magazine; and TV commercials on the Travel Channel, Outdoor Life Network and Home & Garden Television.