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Hawaii

by Christine Sarkis, SmarterTravel.com Staff - February 16, 2009
Hawaii has long been a favorite destination with honeymooners and couples celebrating an anniversary. But which island should you choose? GoHawaii.com has a vacation planner with island info, activity suggestions, dining recommendations, and more to help you plan your perfect trip.

Hawaii headed into the current economic crisis already down on its luck, and now it's working extra hard to get more visitors to say "aloha."

The normally thriving tourism industry was hit hard last year by the bankruptcies of Aloha and ATA and the resulting drop in visitor traffic. Now, with more people skipping annual vacations to save money, the islands are awash in offers designed to be too good to pass up.

Deals, particularly air-and-hotel packages and discounts on hotel stays, are the norm for spring travel to Hawaii. Nearly two dozen package providers, including Liberty Travel and Pleasant Holidays, have spring deals you can access through gohawaii.com. For instance, Pleasant Holidays is listing an Oahu three-nights-plus-airfare package from $299 per person. It also offers up to 50-percent off on companion airfare from Los Angeles or San Francisco.

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Here's a taste of the sort of discounts and perks you should be able to find at hotels and resorts: Oceanview rooms at the Royal Kona Resort are being offered from $135 per night. With the Ohana Plan at the New Otani Kaimana Beach Hotel, you can get four nights for the price of three, plus a $100 dining credit and an all-day family pass at the Waikiki Aquarium. And Hilton has 50 Years of Aloha packages that offer a fifth night for $50, $50 in resort credits, and more at select hotels. Throw in Alamo's $10 per-day weekend rental rates from airport locations, and you've got yourself an affordable tropical vacation.

What destinations are on your bargain radar this spring? Share your ideas with other readers by using the comments field below.

Editor's Note: SmarterTravel is a member of the TripAdvisor Media Network, an operating company of Expedia, Inc. Expedia, Inc. also owns Expedia.com

 
 
 
 

Archived Comments:

  • dantheman88 - February 16, 2009

    Id just like to say that I can now afford to go to Hawaii with the prices and the unfortunate economy crisis. I cant wait to get out of cold central PA for Spring Break. yay!!! dantheman

  • Christine Sarkis, SmarterTravel.com - February 17, 2009

    Just noticed that the Bahamas is now advertising its upcoming "Bahamas Bridal Bailout" contest. Five couples will win a Bahamas wedding that includes round-trip airfare for the couple and eight guests, three nights' accommodations, a wedding planner, a cake, flowers, and a photographer. The contest runs from March 20 to April 24, 2009: www.bahamas.com/bridalbailout. And sure, banking on winning a contest probably isn't the best way to plan a vacation (or a wedding), but if you've got your heart set on a destination wedding, it's certainly worth entering.

  • Christine Sarkis, SmarterTravel.com - February 18, 2009

    Here's another one for Mexico travel that just came out: Pleasant Holidays is offering up to $375 off on air-and-hotel packages to Barcelo resorts in Mexico. Looks like the low price is $549 for five nights plus air from either L.A. or Miami (depending on the destination). Other departure cities are available for a higher price: http://www.pleasantholidays.com/PleasantHolidaysWeb/HTMLPagesDisplay.do?screenName=barcelo_09.html&cid=c979

  • eva alvarez - February 19, 2009

    I would like to travel w/good deal w/discount rt. tickets Intl. flight. Pls. let me know if you have promotions different destinations tks a lot. & keepup the good works..God bless you.. eva

  • beware - February 24, 2009

    A word of caution for those considering travel to Mexico...please be mindful of the growing problems that are compromising the safety and security of all travelers to all vacation regions, including resorts. www.travel.gov---the U.S. State Department has updated the alert for anyone considering travel to Mexico. At this time, it is simply NOT a destination location.

  • Christine Sarkis, SmarterTravel.com - February 25, 2009

    To clarify a point made by beaware, the newly updated U.S. Department of State travel alert does not say that Mexico is not a vacation destination. Instead, it points out that millions of U.S. citizens (18 million in 2008, according to the Mexico Tourism Board) safely visit Mexico each year. The need for the alert is primarily based on the increase in drug-related violence particularly along the U.S.-Mexico border, and points to spikes in crime in Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, and Nogales. The alert advises that: "common-sense precautions such as visiting only legitimate business and tourist areas during daylight hours, and avoiding areas where prostitution and drug dealing might occur, can help ensure that travel to Mexico is safe and enjoyable." You can find the full alert here: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_3028.html

  • jnelson296 - February 27, 2009

    Living in the middle of no where - Omaha, Nebraska - makes deals tough to find. Sometimes, I don't care which city or state I go to. I just want sun, a pool and a deal. A $345 flight means nothing to me since it's usually major city to major city. Suggestions?

  • maltasr - June 30, 2009

    I just returned from three days to Mexico City. Except for the occasional dishonest cab driver, I found the city to be the delightful and fun place it has always been.In addition, they are making extra certain that no one gets through immigration who is not in good health. A team of medical personnel screens every arriving passenger for illnesses before leaving the immigration area. In addition, a high tech machine screens each passenger on departure for bodily inflammations just prior to ticketing procedure. It's obvious the Mexican government is taking the proper protocols to keep every visitor healthy.

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