More and more our islands are saying Aloha to Australia.
"I’ve heard really great things about it and decided, that’s it need a holiday and off to Hawaii," says Shelly Crosato. She and her family of eight plan to stay 2 weeks in Waikiki.
"I want to visit Pearl Harbor, maybe do a surf school, definitely the beach, definitely cocktails, and definitely shopping, absolutely shopping," she says.
According to the state, as of June, Australian visitors are up 17% compared to last year.
"As we go surfing we notice there’s a lot more Australian surfers in the water," says Greg Solatorio, Hawaiian Oceans Waikiki.
Surf schools say it’s a market they’re capitalizing on.
"Business with Australians is really picking up," says Solatorio. "Compared from last summer to this summer it’s a whole lot more."
One reason may be all the exposure Hawaii is getting in the land down under. Earlier this year the Australian Soap Opera "Home and Away" filmed 3 episodes in Hawaii that aired in June. And last November, the country’s highest rated morning show broadcasted live from Waikiki. Just this week two Australian magazines Cosmopolitan and Cleo also shot photo spreads here.
"It’s nice and warm, plus the history, the surfing – Australians love surfing, mainly the sunshine," says Crosato.
But, it used to be the only way to get here was direct from Sydney. Beginning Sunday, Strategic Airlines is taking reservations for flights between Melbourne and Brisbane non-stop to Honolulu.
"It would be much easier, Melbourne is a lot closer to us so we’d just fly direct to Melbourne which would be fantastic," says Australian visitor Donna Beaumont.
This year Hawaiian Airlines also nearly doubled its flights from Sydney, with smaller increases by Quantas and Jetstar.
"Anything to help this economy for Hawaii is definitely good," says Solatorio.
Services on Strategic Airlines begin December 14, in time for the Christmas and school-holidays period.
See the original article at: KHON2 Developing Stories
