Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Obama's Hawaii holiday may boost tourism
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Africa
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
North America
Obama's Hawaii holiday may boost tourism
By MARK NIESSE,Associated Press Writer -
Sunday, December 27
Send
IM Story
Print
KAILUA, Hawaii – Tourism officials hope images of a president celebrating a warm Christmas in Hawaii will remind mainlanders that a sunny getaway awaits them if they'd just hop on a plane and leave the frigid temperatures and mounds of snow behind.
While officials don't expect President Barack Obama's visit to attract tourists immediately, they hope it will provide free advertising for a financially struggling state that relies on travelers to keep its economy afloat.
"Hawaii reaps the benefit of the spotlight he provides," said Darlene Morikawa, a spokeswoman for the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, which has a Web page dedicated to Obama's past visits. "The last time he was here in Hawaii, national news shows were going live every morning. We had our sunny coverage in the middle of CNN's snow coverage."
The snack shops, landmarks and beaches Obama previously visited continue to get a steady stream of visitors a year after his last visit to the island.
People remember the campaign photos of Obama sharing shave ice _ a monster version of the snow cone _ with his daughters at Island Snow Shave Ice in Kailua, near the family's vacation house.
"It's amazing how many people come in and ask about it," said Kainoa Kaehu, an employee at the shave ice store. "There's going to be a lot more people coming. People are saying, 'Maybe we'll see him this time.'"
A family of six from Spokane, Wash., visited Island Snow this week after they heard it was where Obama had eaten.
"If it's good enough for Obama, it's good enough for us, and I'm a Republican," said family patriarch Steve Salvatori as he sipped a root beer shave ice. "Most people on the mainland wouldn't know where Kailua is until you say, 'It's where Obama vacations.'"
Tourists frequently ask to see Kapiolani Medical Center where he was born, Punahou Circle apartments where he lived for much of his childhood and Punahou School where he graduated high school, said David Uchiyama, vice president of marketing for the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
But most efforts to capitalize on Obama's fame haven't proven successful, said Rob Kay, who highlights significant places from Obama's childhood on his Web site "Obama's Neighborhood."
"The nascent Obama tourism industry never really took off. There was some interest for a while, but for whatever reason it seemed to dissipate," Kay said. "It's hard to anticipate that his visit will bring any kind of boom, but it can't hurt."
People wishing to follow Obama's activities while he's in the islands can do so on the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau Web site, which has set up a page labeled "Barack Obama's Hawaii." Other businesses have incorporated Obama into their Pearl Harbor and Polynesian tours.
"People want to vacation where the president vacations," said Anissa Gunther, operations manager for Kailua Sailboards & Kayaks, located in the same shopping center as Island Snow Shave Ice. "It's cool to see him come back."
This is Obama's first visit back to Hawaii since he was sworn in as president.
He was previously in the islands for Christmas vacation last year and during a family vacation in August before he accepted the Democratic presidential nomination. He also returned to Honolulu last October to visit his ailing grandmother, Madelyn Payne Dunham, who died just two nights before Election Day.
"People are sitting back home and saying, 'Wow, look how beautiful it is. Let's go to Hawaii,'" said hiking guide Mitch Berger. "It's very slow this holiday season. Anything that gets us in the news doesn't hurt."
The number of visitors to Hawaii declined to about 5.4 million through the first 10 months of this year, a 5.5 percent decrease from the previous year, according to statistics from the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
___
On the Net:
Barack Obama's Hawaii: http://www.gohawaii.com/obama/
Obama's Neighborhood: http://www.obamasneighborhood.com/
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
Airlines: New rules keep passengers in seats AP - 2 hours 33 minutes ago
NV governor has date in divorce court AP - 2 hours 37 minutes ago
Iran anti-government clashes erupt on Shiite holy day AFP - 2 hours 16 minutes ago
Measures that Chavez opponents call undemocratic AP - 2 hours 39 minutes ago
Venezuelan seeks to revive anti-Chavez movement AP - 2 hours 39 minutes ago
News Search
Top Stories
Half of stranded Air Comet passengers rescued
Azerbaijan to double gas supplies to Russia
Barmy Brits brave winter chill for Christmas dip
Eurostar denies safety lapses over train breakdowns
Obama to Hawaii for holidays, challenges await him in 2010
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
British royals celebrate Christmas
Obama to Hawaii for holidays, challenges await him in 2010
Wall Street prepares to coast to end of 2009
Saab to shut as GM won't consider Spyker bid: report
Ukraine facing 'serious problems' paying for gas: Gazprom
More Most Viewed »
Tiger's wife Elin seeking divorce: reports
Century-old butter found in Scott's Antarctic hut
Virgin unveils spaceship to offer space tourism
Brazilian confesses to sticking needles into two-year-old
Tiger Woods' girlfriend apologizes in TV interview
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Sunday, 27 December 2009 US commander: Iraq must be fair to Sunnis
Israel kills 6 Palestinians in surge of violence
Car bomb wounds 19 in Pakistan's commercial capital
|
Airline suspect is Nigeria banker's son
|
Bombs targeting Iraqi pilgrims tent kills 5
Shiite pilgrims among 7 killed in Baghdad attacks
Iraqi and Iranian forces stand off in oil well row
Bomb squad searches Lufthansa jet in Iceland
|
Beirut bomb targets Hamas car, one wounded
|
In election season, Iraq steps up Ashura security
Obama's Hawaii holiday may boost tourism
NYC mayor's 2nd term not as flashy as 1st
Activist: US missionary crosses border into NKorea
Receiver muscles through new San Quentin hospital
Takahashi wins Japan figure skating nationals
Nigeria banker fears son is alleged plane attacker
'Clogged' Philippine volcano could burst: expert
House and Senate look to final health care talks
Car bomb wounds 19 in Pakistan's commercial capital
Taliban planned to use Americans in Pakistan attacks
Police search London flat in US plane attack probe
Pakistan: US men had maps of nuclear power site
Pakistan officials: Suspected US missiles kill 3
AP NewsAlert
India governor, 86, resigns after 3-woman sex tape
France berates China over sentencing of dissident
Sherlock Holmes beats out Avatar at box office
|
US special forces ' boost in Afghanistan: report
Trapped cavers in France found safe and well
Ferry sinks off Philippines, 4 dead, 21 missing
|
Amazon Christmas day e-book sales beat print sales
Bomb hits Hamas car in Beirut, casualties unclear
Swiss bank secrecy emerges from 2009 with holes
Half of stranded Air Comet passengers rescued
Heavy police presence in Tehran says Iran opposition
|
Azerbaijan to double gas supplies to Russia
Shiite pilgrims pour into Iraqi shrine city for Ashura
Croats start voting for new head of state
|
Apathy and fear as Uzbekistan votes in election
|
Report: Iranian forces, demonstrators clash
Iran anti-government clashes erupt on Shiite holy day
Mideast tensions rise after deadly West Bank raid
In election season, Iraq steps up Ashura security
|
Ferry sinks off Philippines, 4 dead, 21 missing
AP source: US knew of terror suspect
Winter weather disrupts travel in Plains and East
Taiwan's Ma urges Beijing on dissidents: report
First case of highly drug-resistant TB found in US
2nd human skull found in forest near Los Angeles
India governor, 86, resigns after 3-woman sex tape
Cash seizures quadruple on Arizona-Mexico border
Drug cocktail kills Australian musician: report
Grandpa: Kids of missing Utah mom in good spirits
AP NewsAlert
Naked Japanese woman found dead on Bali: police
Obama advisers consider how terror list used
Judge tells man he's charged with blowing up plane
US activist held in N.Korea: colleague
Father of Nigerian would-be plane bomber warned US
Ferry sinks in Philippines; 3 dead, 22 missing
AP NewsAlert
Family of British death row inmate come to China
Travel of man charged in airline attack probed
China enacts law to promote renewable energy
Spain turns to Hollywood to boost tourism
Police: Ivana Trump becomes angry, taken off plane
Spain turns to Hollywood to boost tourism
"Sherlock Holmes" beats out "Avatar" at box office
Charlie Sheen out of jail after domestic incident
Iran website says Mousavi nephew killed in clashes
|
Iran website says four killed in Tehran protests
Curtain falling on 'Digital Decade'
Dutch hero 'reacted on a bang' to subdue suspect
U.S. plane attacker passed Nigeria security checks
|
Netanyahu says will visit Egypt on Tuesday
Blast outside Shi'ite prayer hall kills 2 in Pakistan
|
Four dead in clashes with Iran security forces: website
Millions of Iraq Shi'ite Muslims gather for Ashura
|
Hezbollah chief asks Egypt to stop Gaza border wall
|
Netanyahu says will visit Egypt on Tuesday
|
Four Iraqi Shiites killed in Ashura attack
Somali pirates say $4 million ransom paid for coal ship
|
Yemen says Houthi rebel leader may be dead
|
Troops deaths in Afghan war seen rising with surge
Somali pirates say £2.5 million ransom paid for coal ship
Airports step up security after failed bombing
AK tug that hit reef, spilled fuel reaches port
Uzbekistan votes in parliamentary election
Suspect identified in kidnapping of Phoenix girl
NATO: US serviceman killed in Afghanistan
Japanese woman killed on Indonesia's Bali island
Poet, anti-apartheid activist Dennis Brutus dies
Paper airplane virtuoso tests record aloft
Alleged terrorist known but not thought a threat
Percy Sutton, attorney for Malcolm X, dies at 89
US drone strike 'kills 13' in Pakistan
India's senior Congress leader resigns after sex scandal
Airports step up security after failed airline attack
Calmer Philippine volcano a threat: govt expert
Thailand says Hmong repatriation imminent
WRAPUP 2-S.Korea wins landmark Gulf nuclear power deal
S.Korea says wins $20 billion nuclear deal from UAE
S.Korea says wins $20 bln nuclear deal from UAE
Indonesia's religious police on hemline frontline
South Africans smoke vulture brains for lotto luck
Borneo mega-dams proposal raises fears for tribes
English subtitles missing in Hong Kong's 'Avatar'
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights