The Hawai’i visitors & Convention Bureau is urging Kiwi event planners to add Hawai’i into the mix for future MICE booking—as its tourism industry stakeholders look to offer competitive and compelling packages.
Visiting vp global sales MCI sales and marketing Lynn Whitehead, who was in Auckland this week as part of the Meet Hawai’i roadshow, says the organisation remains committed to the Kiwi market. While acknowledging the NZD-USD exchange rate challenge, she says there’s a misconception that ‘we’re really higher priced’. “I think in the next couple of years you’re going to see a lot of value—and we’re here to really urge [MICE planners] to work with our partners,” she adds The Hawai’i Convention Center is closing for repairs in 2026/27, and some of the event groups have had to be relocated. “That’s taking a lot of compression that we’ve had in the destination away; so what I think you’ll see is hotels offering discounts to build that base back up for group business.” Hawai’i continues to attract sporting and incentive business from New Zealand, but the bureau is keen to work with the Kiwi trade to grow the MICE business. “It’s the time to be here and you’ve got be in the market, keep that low hum going—and we really want to be here to support [event planners]. There is opportunity there and we want New Zealanders and we have multiple options across the budgets. We cater to the high end, but we also have mid-scale hotels on all of the islands, which are especially popular with sporting groups.”
. . . Pre & Post
Whitehead says the STO is also getting ready to launch a new pre- and post-event offering for attendees offering agents, and delegates, a link that will connect them with options and suggested itineraries on the other islands
. . . Winner
C&I Travel’s Winnie Fong was the winner of the Meet Hawaii Auckland event grand prize. She won 90,000 HA miles, two nights at the Alohilani Resort, a paddle pass for two at the LineUp at Wai Kai and a Maverick Helicopters’ Maui helicopter ride for two.
