Marriott Resorts Hawaii is taking its Spirit of Aloha promotional bus tour the Midwest and East Coast after its West Coast run produced a surge of new bookings, company officials said.

"Marriott's Spirit of Aloha tour brought a welcome ray of Hawaii sunshine to our West Coast travel partners and a wave of new business bookings for our Hawaii hotels," said Ed Hubennette, vice president for North Asia, Hawaii and the South Pacific, Marriott International.

The tour team, traveling on45-foot-long tour bus decorated with tropical images of Hawai'i, includes Polynesian Cultural Center dancers, Maui's Camile Velasco of American Idol fame, and executives from Marriott Resorts Hawaii and Hawaiian Airline. On its West Coast tour the group greeted and entertained travel agents, meeting planners, wholesalers, and members of the public at Costco Warehouses and other venues in major ities.

The tour arrived in Minneapolis yesterday and will continue performances through Saturday. Other stops include Chicago, Feb. 15-18; New York City, Feb. 19-22, and Washington, D.C., Feb. 24-26.