BUSINESS BRIEFS
Festival expects 4,700 from Japan
Advertiser Staff
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The 15th Annual Honolulu Festival — March 13 to 15 — is expected to draw about 4,700 visitors from Japan and generate $10 million in spending, according to sponsors.
The cultural festival features free live performances and art exhibits in and around Waikiki. This year's festival theme is "Heart of the Pacific, Creating Our Future."
Among the highlights are the Obama Girls hula dancers from Obama, Japan, and the daijayama (fire-breathing dragon) float.
The event includes a parade along Kalakaua Avenue, school tours at the Hawai'i Convention Center, a craft fair and a Friendship Gala at the Hawai'i Convention Center on March 14 to raise money for the Honolulu Festival Foundation. The festival's Web site, www.honolulufestival.com, lists events.
MOKULELE, HAWAIIAN OFFER AIRFARE DEALS
Mokulele and Hawaiian airlines have both launched new programs to attract more customers in the interisland market.Mokulele Airlines is offering a coupon booklet of five one-way tickets for travel to any of Mokulele's destinations. The booklet costs $267, including all taxes.
The coupons are fully transferable, with a choice of confirmed or standby travel, the airline said. There are no penalties for itinerary changes or cancellations before departure.
Hawaiian Airlines has introduced an interisland fare guarantee program that locks in a $43 fare for any available coach seat on its interisland flights over the next three months with no money up front.
The Kama'aina Guarantee program allows Hawaiian's customers who sign up on its Web site to buy up to 40 interisland trips operated by Hawaiian at a guaranteed fare of $43. Travel on the special fare must be completed by May 15. Customers must sign up by March 11 to be eligible for the fare, which is subject to applicable taxes and fees.
569 MANUFACTURING JOBS LOST IN 2008
Hawai'i lost 569 manufacturing jobs last year, a 2.2 percent drop in the industrial sector workforce, according to Manufacturers' News Inc."As with the entire nation, Hawai'i's industrial employment is suffering due to stagnating demand and weaker exports," said Tom Dubin, president of the Evanston, Ill.-based company.
The local data were published in the company's annual Hawaii Manufacturers Directory.
Hawai'i is home to 1,211 manufacturers employing 24,911 workers, according Manufacturers' News.
Employment in the food products sector, which accounts for nearly 40 percent of all Hawai'i's industrial employment, fell 1.3 percent to 9,688 jobs.
Printing and publishing, the second-largest sector by employment, was virtually unchanged at 4,035 jobs. Textiles and apparel, with 2,544 jobs, experienced a 5.3 percent decline.
