Travel Agent - January 7, 2008 - (Page 35)

HAWAII BRIEFS BY MARK ROGERS Hawaiian Airlines to Purchase Longer-Range Wide-Body Jets MONTAGE ACQUIRES HANALEI PLANTATION Hawaiian Airlines has signed contracts with Airbus and engine maker Rolls-Royce to acquire up to 24 new long-range wide-body aircraft as the first step in a phased fleet plan that will replace the carrier’s current wide-body fleet of 18, expand its long-range fleet and enable it to serve more distant markets nonstop from Hawaii. The agreements have a total list price value of approximately $4.4 billion if all of the purchase rights are exercised. Hawaiian’s pacts with Airbus and Rolls-Royce pave the way for the airline to lease additional A330 jets for introduction into its fleet as early as 2009, providing for growth and replacement of aircraft with leases expiring during this time frame. The first A350XWB-800 will join Hawaiian’s fleet in 2017. The wide-body jet will seat 322 passengers in a two-class configuration (first and coach) and have a range of 6,900 nautical miles, which will give Hawaiian the capability to fly nonstop between Hawaii and Asia, Australasia, the Americas and Europe. Princeville Associates has sold 122 acres at Hanalei Plantation on Kauai to Ohana Hanalei, LLC, an affiliate of Montage Hotels & Resorts. The transaction includes a number of connected parcels adjacent to Hanalei Bay and the Princeville Hotel and fronting the Hanalei River, as well as the former site of the Hanalei Plantation Hotel. The sale also includes the historic Kamoomaikai fish pond, with long-term plans for restoration under consideration. Montage Hotels & Resorts is a luxury hotel and resort management company. The company’s flagship Montage Deer Valley is currently under construction in Park City, Utah, and Montage Los Cabos is being developed in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Montage Royal Island, Bahamas is scheduled to open in 2010. Castle Resorts to Rep Waikiki’s Queen Kapiolani Castle Resorts & Hotels was selected to handle sales, marketing and reservations for the Queen Kapiolani Hotel in Waikiki, effective December 1. Castle Resorts & Hotels’ presence in Waikiki has more than doubled in the past year with the addition of over 1,300 rooms in the area. Earlier last year, the company was awarded contracts for Maile Sky Court and Ocean Resort Waikiki. The 315-room Queen Kapiolani is Castle’s fifth Waikiki hotel. Accommodations have views of Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach, and include kitchenette studios and suites in addition to standard rooms. Castle maintains a portfolio of 26 hotels and condominium resorts throughout the Pacific region. RENOVATIONS AND REOPENINGS SET FOR Mauna Kea Hotel and Golf Prince Resorts Hawaii will spend $150 million on repairs and renovations to the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and Mauna Kea Golf Course. The hotel, which plans to reopen in December 2008, has been closed since December 2006 due to structural damage and safety concerns resulting from earthquakes off Hawaii’s Big Island. The multimillion-dollar refurbishment will focus primarily on interiors, including guest rooms, lobby, restaurants and common areas. Mauna Kea’s room inventory will be reduced from 310 to 258, as units in the main building are reconfigured with larger bedrooms and bathrooms. The hotel will also be introducing retail shops and other amenities, including a spa and fitness center. The Mauna Kea Golf Course, which closed last May, is scheduled to reopen for play in November.

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - January 7, 2008

Travel Agent - January 7, 2008 Online Now Contents From the Editor From the Publisher Contributors Europe: Top Hotels in the Czech Capital, Prague Europe News & Notes Pacific/Asia: India's Tourism Boom Hawaii Spas: Send Your Spa-Loving Client to these Havens of Relaxation in the Islands Hawaii Briefs Las Vegas: Restaurants are Taking Center Stage as Vegas Becomes a Destination for Foodies California: San Diego, La Jolla and Coronado Offer a World of Options Close Together Ski/Snowboard: Mont Tremblant in Quebec, Canada New Orleans: Hotels for All Types of Travelers and Can’t-Miss Events to Consider Central & South America: Selling Santiago, Chile Caribbean & Bahamas: The Reef Atlantis, Cape Eleuthera Debut in the Bahamas in Time for the New Year Caribbean News & Notes Cruises: Onboard Enrichment Programs Grow as Cruisers Seek to Work on More than their Tans Cruise Lines Expand the Variety in their Shore Excursions with Special Activities and Adventures Cover Story: A New Era for Classic Luxury Travel Expo & Home Based Travel Agent Expo: Photos and a Recap of the Events Rail: Company Books Private Train Trips Agent Profile: Dave and Christa Krick, Advantage Cruise & Travel in Northern California Technology: XML Enhances Sabre and Amadeus Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Onsite Reports from Queen Victoria Christening and Marriott Headquarters Funjet Vacations NCL’s New Ship, Norwegian Gem The African Country of Djibouti In the Spotlight Editorial Index Classified Marketplace Advertisers Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - January 7, 2008

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