Hawaii hogs list of places families will see in summer
By Erika Engle
Article from: Star-Advertiser
Hawaii’s beaches are among the top summer destinations for families, according to a Travelocity booking data review released in advance of Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer.
That’s sure to be music to visitor industry players’ ears and bottom lines.
Orlando, Fla., and Cancun, Mexico, were ranked Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, but Travelocity explains that Honolulu, at No. 3, was only one of the four Hawaii destinations in the top 10.
Travelocity points out that “getting to the world-famous Waikiki (is) a breeze” since direct-to-Honolulu flights can be had from many mainland markets. (it calls them “U.S. cities” as if Hawaii is not part of the U.S. Doesn’t the Roaming Gnome remember that, after his trip here?)
Maui is ranked the No. 4 summer destination for families, despite it being known as a famous honeymoon spot.
The No. 5 spot on the Travelocity summer-travel-for-families list is occupied by Kauai, which it describes as the “perfect island choice for active families and nature lovers.”
The fourth Hawaii destination is Kona, at No. 7. Travelocity informs readers that Kona is “an excellent destination from which to explore … the state’s most diverse” island, with an active volcano and snow-capped mountains. “Yes, there’s snow in Hawaii!” it parenthetically exclaims.
OK, we in the 808 state all know that’s true, but your columnist feels the need to point out that Mauna Kea rarely, if ever, bears a snowy head lei in the summer.
The rest of the top 10 is composed of No. 6, the Bahamas; No. 8, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; No. 9, Turks and Caicos; and No. 10, the Dominican Republic.
The Travelocity list also cites average daily room rates for each destination, with Orlando, Fla., bearing the lowest at $87 and Turks and Caicos the highest at $248. Travelocity reports Hawaii’s ADRs as $136 for Honolulu, $181 for Maui, $154 for Kauai and $141 for Kona.
The trouble with such popularity rankings is that not everyone is a trend or popularity follower, and some are in fact crowd-averse to the point of steering away from things “everybody else” is doing.
