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.
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

