For Immediate Release

THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING EXCITING AND NEW ON OAHU WINTER 2012

OAHU – The island of Oahu, known as the Heart of Hawaii, sets the rhythm of the islands with exciting new improvements, changes and additions on an ongoing basis. Below is a glimpse of the new and dynamic happenings on Oahu:

Hotels & Resorts
The island of Oahu has fabulous hotels and resorts for people of all ages and budgets. Oahu’s hotels are constantly updating and adding an array of activities and packages that are sure to make any trip to Oahu unforgettable.
Turtle Bay Resort is undergoing a rebranding campaign to feature the resort’s position as the only destination resort on the North Shore and the area’s wide array of life enhancing experiences. Its strategy is centered around a new brand story based on six pillars -- Oahu’s Fabled North Shore, Eventful, Waterman, Agriculture, Romanticism, and Talk Story -- and includes the introduction of new logos and a new mission statement. www.turtlebayresort.com

The Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort recently completed its $45 million Rainbow Tower transformation, which included a total makeover of all 800 guestrooms, guestroom corridors, elevator landings, and new elevator system. www.hiltonhawaiianvillage.com

Aqua Lotus Honolulu now welcomes dogs up to 20 pounds with pet-friendly accommodations, doggie bowls and pads. The hotel also offers new guest amenities, including complimentary beach chairs and towels, complimentary bike use, complimentary daily wine service, and a personal fitness and wellness concierge. www.aqualotus.com

Na Ho‘ola Spa at Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa has launched two new spa journeys. The “Na Ho‘ola Experience” includes yoga and a Mango Na Ho‘ola Body Polish, followed by an authentic Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage. “Maluhia” includes a Limu Seaweed Wrap and Lomi Lomi Facial. http://waikiki.hyatt.com

SpaHalekulani at the Halekulani Hotel now offers waterless manicures and pedicures. Warm towels and steam therapy are used in the treatments, and nail shaping, cuticle conditioning, callus reduction, gentle exfoliation, leg and foot mask, and a massage are still included as part of the experience. www.halekulani.com

Two new fitness classes are now being offered at The Kahala Hotel & Resort’s CHI Health & Energy Fitness Center -- TRX Suspension Training Class, a complete sports training system used by the U.S. Navy Seals, and SUP Yoga, which combines yoga with the challenge of balancing on a standup paddleboard. www.kahalaresort.com

Activities & Entertainment
The island of Oahu is brimming with fun-filled activities that everyone can enjoy. Visitors to Oahu can explore Hawaii’s special culture and iconic history, or choose from a wide variety of outdoor and indoor activities that are sure to energize the spirit.

In March 2012, the recently merged Honolulu Academy of Arts and The Contemporary Museum will unveil its new name—Honolulu Museum of Art—and the first two of ten galleries that will be reinstalled through the fall. The museum kicks off its year of big changes with the opening of two exhibitions highlighting the work of island artists—Hawaii Art Now (Feb. 9-April 22) and Biennial of Hawaii Artists X (Feb. 23-July 22). www.honolulumuseum.org

Hawaii Food Tours will reintroduce its “Gourmet Trilogy Tour” in January 2012. The tour is a dine-around progressive experience that will showcase three outstanding Honolulu restaurants in one evening. www.hawaiifoodtours.com/trilogy.html

Mojo Barbershop, which recently opened in Honolulu’s Chinatown district, offers gentlemen’s traditional haircuts and hot towel shaves, hand and food detailing, and detox face treatments. The 960 square foot barbershop includes a waiting lounge; five barber chairs; a private space with leather seat lazyboy for hand, foot and facial treatments; flat screen TVs; vintage magazines; and serves alcohol on Fridays and Saturdays. www.mojobarbershop.com

The Pearl Harbor Historic Sites, which includes WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument, Battleship Missouri Memorial, USS Bowfin Submarine Museum and Park, and Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor, now offers a “Passport to Pearl Harbor” that provides visitors two-day access to these historic sites. With the Passport, visitors can return to Pearl Harbor within seven days of their initial visit at no additional charge. www.pearlharborhistoricsites.org

The Honolulu Zoo will once again offer its “Vacation Adventures” school break program to elementary-aged students from March 12-16 and March 19-23. Program participants will be led on educational animal tours, have the opportunity for exclusive animal enrichment/encounter activities, and have all program aspects reinforced with classroom lessons and lectures. Other activities include crafts, animal-themed lawn games, and educational videos. www.honzoosoc.org

Wilcox’s Shot by Sean T.C. O’Malley will open at Kumu Kahua Theatre on March 29. The play dramatizes the life of Robert Kalanihiapo Wilcox, Hawaii’s first delegate to Congress, at the dawn of the 20th century. www.kumukahua.org

GreenCar Hawaii, the first car share company in Hawai‘i and the only one of its kind serving the travel and tourism markets nationwide, officially launched at DoubleTree by Hilton Alana Waikiki Hotel on Dec. 2, 2011. www.greencarhawaii.com

The new Lani Misalucha Show has opened in Waikiki at the Magic of Polynesia Showroom at the Holiday Inn Waikiki Beachcomber Resort. Presented by Roberts Hawaii, the show is available five nights a week through March 2012. www.laniinwaikiki.com

Legends in Concert ® debuted its star-studded show in Waikiki on Dec. 8 at Royal Hawaiian Center. Artists play tribute to and portray the likes of legendary superstars, such as Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Rod Stewart, Madonna and Prince, enhanced by a live band and dancers. www.legendsinconcert.com

The Star of Honolulu’s 2.5-hour Premier Whale Watch and 2-hour Early Bird Whale Watch is sailing daily now through April 5. www.starofhonolulu.com 

Kids now ride free on all Polynesian Adventure Tours’ double-decker AlohaBus and Pearl Harbor & Circle Island Tours. www.polyad.com

Restaurants & Cuisine
Oahu is known for its diverse culture, which is exhibited by the island’s assortment of foods. With wonderful choices and a vibrant array of cuisine options, there’s sure to be a restaurant for everyone.

Kimukatsu, one of Japan’s most highly regarded tonkatsu (pork cutlet) restaurants, is expected to open its first Hawaii location at the Aston Waikiki Joy Hotel in February 2012. www.astonwaikikijoy.com

Japengo Sushi Bar and Lounge at Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa will launch The Ultra Lounge in January. The after-hours event will highlight Japengo’s ambiance and sushi every Saturday from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. beginning Jan. 7. http://waikiki.hyatt.com

New to Oahu’s nightlife scene is The Standard, which opened at Waterfront Plaza in Honolulu in December 2011. The restaurant, bar and club offers three bars, exclusive VIP seating areas, stage and dancefloor, elevated DJ booth, live Twitter feed, and new kitchen serving Pacific Rim-American fare.

Eggs ‘n Things recently opened a second location in Waikiki. The new venue, called Waikiki Beach Eggspress, located at the Aston Waikiki Circle, serves up the same food but in a fast-paced setting. The menu includes Eggs ‘n Things favorites, as well as new items, such as Crab Cake Benedict and Smoked Pork Chop & Eggs. www.astonwaikikicircle.com

Chef Peter Merriman is planning to open an outpost of his popular restaurant, Monkeypod Kitchen, at the Ko Olina Resort in summer 2012, with construction scheduled to begin in November 2011. The 10,000-square foot, two-story restaurant will be located at Station Square shopping center. This will be Merriman’s first restaurant on O‘ahu. www.monkeypodkitchen.com

Shopping
Oahu is home to hundreds of fashionable designer stores as well as markets that carry locally made crafts.  Visitors are sure to love the shopping experience no matter where they go.

The Pualeilani Atrium Shops at Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa will welcome two new shops in early 2012. The Coach Men’s Store, one of the only on Oahu, will open on the ground floor off of Kalakaua Avenue. The hotel will also celebrate the opening of Rix Island Wear on the first floor Ewa Tower. http://pualeilanishops.com

Bring Home Aloha, a store by the University of Hawaii-Manoa Entrepreneurs Club, has recently opened at the Ilikai Hotel & Suites in Waikiki. The student-operated business sells locally-crafted products, as well as University of Hawaii brand merchandise. www.ilikaihotel.com

Ala Moana Center launched The Ala Moana Hula Show on Nov. 12, 2011. The free, 20-minute production features kahiko (ancient) and auana (modern) hula, and shares the history and stories of the islands through song and dance. The show takes place Monday through Saturday at 1 p.m. at Ala Moana Center’s Centerstage. www.alamoanacenter.com

The Ala Moana Farmers’ Market at Ala Moana Center will operate during new hours beginning Dec. 31, 2011. The weekly Saturday market will be open from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and include 50 vendors featuring island-fresh produce and healthy foods. www.alamoanacenter.com

Festivals and Events                                                                                                     
Oahu is home to the largest number of festivals and events in Hawaii. Each year, visitors have the opportunity to connect with the local community and experience renowned events that showcase the island’s rich arts and culture scene, the world’s top amateur and professional sporting competitions and championships, and the many ethnic celebrations that are exclusive to Hawaii.

The Sony Open in Hawaii will kick off the PGA Tour at Waialae Country Club, Jan. 9-15. 2012 tournament participants include Ryo Ishikawa, Zach Johnson, Justin Leonard, and 2011 winner, Mark Wilson. www.sonyopeninhawaii.com

Polynesian Cultural Center will present the 22nd Annual Moanikeala Hula Festival on Jan. 21, the longest running and first of PCC’s cultural events. The Festival, which honors the legacy of kumu hula “Aunty” Sally Wood Naluai, features hula halau from across Hawaii and beyond. www.polynesia.com 

Ala Moana Center’s annual Chinese New Year celebration will take place Jan. 25-28. The 2012 celebration will feature lion pole jumping, a Kung Fu demonstration, lion dancing, an appearance by the Narcissus Court, and fireworks. Lions dancing throughout the Center will collect lai see (lucky red envelopes) from shoppers and participating merchants. www.alamoanacenter.com

The Kahala Hotel & Resort will host its annual bridal showcase, The Kahala Event & Bridal Showcase, on Feb. 17 in the resort’s Maile Ballroom. The free event showcases everything from gowns and cakes to floral displays, themed linens and amenities for the bride-to-be. www.kahalaresort.com

The Waikiki Aquarium will host the 4th Annual Aloha Koi Society Show on Feb. 18-19. This event will showcase hundreds of top-quality koi for the public to view, as well as educational seminars and keiki activities. www.waquarium.org

Dole Cannery Shops will host the 2nd Annual Hawaii Chocolate Festival on Feb. 25. Events include chocolate tastings, guest speakers, chocolate inspired spa lounge, chocolate garden, coco café and tea house, live entertainment, and more. The festival was created to raise awareness about Hawaii’s growing cacao industry and to solidify chocolate as the state’s newest ‘ambassador of aloha.’ www.hawaiichocolatefestival.com

The 18th annual Honolulu Festival will celebrate cultures from across the Pacific from March 2-4. This three-day celebration of art, music, dance, and crafts is filled with spectacular sights and sounds. The festival culminates with a Grand Parade in Waikiki, followed by the newly added Nagaoka Hanabi fireworks display.  www.honolulufestival.com

Ala Moana Center will present Shop a Le‘a, its fifth annual weeklong spring shopping event, from March 19-25. The event presents locals and visitors to Hawai‘i with more than 150 experiences in fashion, health and beauty, active lifestyle, home décor, travel, and cuisine. www.alamoanacenter.com

The annual Waikiki SPAM® Jam will take place on April 28 on Kalakaua Avenue in Waikiki. The event celebrates Hawaii’s love of SPAM® and features a variety of restaurants serving up SPAM®-inspired creations, local entertainment, and merchandise vendors selling SPAM®-themed items and Hawaiian crafts. Proceeds from the event benefit the Hawaii Food Bank. www.spamjamhawaii.com

Share Our Strength, a national nonprofit seeking to end childhood hunger, will launch its inaugural Taste of the Nation Hawaii event in Honolulu on April 29. This culinary event will take place at the Bishop Museum and feature drinks and dishes prepared by Hawaii’s hottest mixologists and chefs, using fresh, local ingredients. Additional event highlights include live entertainment and a silent auction. www.hawaiitaste.org

On May 1, Oahu will celebrate Lei Day with entertainment, food booths and a lei-making contest at beautiful Queen Kapiolani Park and Bandstand in Waikiki. The event is followed by an honoring of Hawaii’s alii at Mauna Ala and Kawaiahao on May 2. This year marks the 85th anniversary of the celebration of Lei Day in Hawaii. www.honoluluparks.com

The We Are Samoa Festival, featuring the 20th Annual World Fireknife Championship and High School Samoan Cultural Arts Festival, will take place from May 9-12 at Polynesian Cultural Center. At the 20th Annual World Fireknife Championship, dancers of all ages showcase their mastery of Samoan fireknives in which acrobatic moves and death-defying tricks combine with ancient Samoan culture. Held in conjunction with the World Fireknife Championship, the High School Samoan Cultural Arts Festival is an event in which Hawaii high school students demonstrate their own cultural knowledge of Samoan traditions with exhibitions in basket weaving, coconut husking and fire making, and more.  www.polynesia.com

The Hawaii Academy of Recording Artists will present the 2nd Annual Mele Mei, a month-long celebration of Hawaiian music, in May 2012. Mele Mei will encompass more than 30 workshops, concert performances and other events, and will culminate with the 35th Annual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards on May 27. www.melemei.com

On Memorial Day, May 28, thousands of Hawai‘i residents and island visitors of various cultural and religious backgrounds will gather at Ala Moana Beach Park for the annual Lantern Floating Hawaii Ceremony. The ceremony is based on the theme “Many Rivers, One Ocean,” and serves to honor those who have sacrificed their lives in war, pay respect to ancestors and loved ones who have passed away, and pray for a harmonious and peaceful future. More than 3,000 candle-lit lanterns will be set afloat on the ocean, a traditional Buddhist rite originating in Japan. The ceremony also features live entertainment by local and international musicians and inspiring speeches. www.lanternfloatinghawaii.com

Miscellaneous

Beginning June 4, Hawaiian Airlines will add daily nonstop flights between Honolulu and New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Hawaiian Flight 50 will depart Honolulu at 3:05 p.m. and arrive in New York City at 6:55 a.m. the following morning; Flight 51 will depart JFK at 10 a.m. and arrive in Honolulu at 3 p.m. The route will add 107,000 new air seats annually. www.hawaiianairlines.com

Hawaiian Airlines will expand its service to Los Angeles, Calif. and Sydney, Australia in summer 2012. On Dec. 14, 2011, the airlines increased from five flights per week to daily on its Sydney-Honolulu route. In May 2012, the airlines will further increase its Sydney-Honolulu seat capacity by upgrading to its newer and larger Airbus A330-200 aircraft, adding 11,000 seats annually. Beginning June 7, Hawaiian Airlines will add a third daily flight to its Los Angeles-Honolulu route, adding more than 70,000 seats annually between the two cities. The new flight will depart Los Angeles International Airport daily at 10:30 a.m. and arrive in Honolulu at 1:10 p.m. The return flight will depart Honolulu daily at 10:20 p.m. and arrive in Los Angeles at 6:45 a.m. the following morning. www.hawaiianairlines.com 

On Dec. 28, 2011, Delta Air Lines began nonstop seasonal service between Fukuoka and Honolulu. www.delta.com

Alaska Airlines launched daily nonstop service from San Diego to Honolulu on Nov. 17, 2011. The flight departs San Diego at 9:15 a.m. PST and arrives in Honolulu at 1:15 p.m. HST. The flight from Honolulu departs at 3:40 p.m. HST and arrives in San Diego at 11:15 p.m. PST. www.alaskaair.com

Roberts Hawaii has launched the Roberts Hawaii Express Shuttle, a new transportation service for visitors traveling between Honolulu International Airport and Waikiki hotels. www.robertshawaiiexpress.com


All information is subject to change without notice.  For more information, please go to
www.visit-oahu.com, follow OVB’s tweets at www.twitter.com/OahuVB, or become a fan of Oahu on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/OahuHawaii.

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