Australian visitor arrivals to The Hawaiian Islands in 2011 (January to November) are up 32.5% versus 2010, thanks to the tremendous support of the travel industry 'ohana (family). As a token of our appreciation, Hawai‘i Tourism Oceania invite Hawai‘i-selling travel professionals to participate in the Mahalo Month program.

Mahalo Month will take place from April 1 to May 31, 2012 and is our way of saying "mahalo" or "thank you" for helping to sell and promote our destination. Mahalo Month 2012 provides travel professionals with special rates and offers from Hawaii's travel industry, including discount airfares, accommodation and touring options.

Mahalo Month is a fantastic opportunity for trade to experience Hawaii first-hand and really get an insight into the destination. Be it a first time or repeat visit to the islands, this is a great chance to see how much Hawaii has to offer and in turn be able to offer these experiences to the growing number of Australian consumers interested in visiting Hawai'i.

Helen Williams, Country Manager of Hawai‘i Tourism, said “We look forward to welcoming our travel trade partners to The Hawaiian Islands during Mahalo Month. This is an ideal opportunity to experience Hawai‘i’s unique culture, warm hospitality and unlimited possibilities for adventure, romance, dining and shopping. We would like to thank our travel trade partners and invite them to take advantage of the exceptional discounts being made available to them through this program. It is through their partnership that we can continue to meet our objective of increasing visitor arrivals to the Islands.” continued Williams.

With recent increases in air capacity to Hawai‘i, including new a daily service from Hawaiian Airlines, a trip to the Islands could be just the ticket to help you convert the current Aussie demand for Hawai‘i holidays.

Travel professionals will be able to take advantage of special offers on O‘ahu, Maui, Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i Island, Lana‘i, and Moloka‘i. Accommodation rates start from just US$65 per night, touring ranges from 50% off up to "Free" and there are even discounts for attractions and dining. Fly Hawaiian Airlines ex. Sydney to Maui, Hawai‘i the Big Island or Kaua‘i from only AUD$679* per person plus taxes, with one free stopover in Honolulu. Fly Qantas Airways ex. Sydney to Honolulu from AUD$679* plus taxes. *Terms and conditions apply. For more information and a complete listing of all special offers, visit the Mahalo Month Web site at www.mahalomonth.com.