Hawaii Tourism Set to Soar as Disney Moves In

Famed for its stunning coastline, Oahu is the 3rd largest of the Hawaiian Islands and will be home to Disney's newest resort.

In their first major announcement regarding Hawaii's newest attraction, Walt Disney Co. have released information on their latest resort. Due to be completed next year, the beachside resort is set to increase tourist numbers to the popular holiday destination.

Whilst not being affiliated with a theme park, Disney's 'Aulani' resort will have the branding and services needed to attract holidaymakers from across the world. A new undertaking by the company who have, until now, only built hotel resorts around their theme parks, Walt Disney's chairman of Parks and Resorts, Tom Staggs, revealed "This is a very special project for us. It's unlike anything that Disney has done before; at the same time, it's very like many of the things we do."

Spread across 21 acres of the Hawaiian coast and approximately one hour away from the international airport of Honolulu, Aulani will incorporate 481 time share units with 359 hotel rooms. While a convention centre, restaurants, spa and water play area will provide guests with entertainment facilities within the resort holidaymakers can also take in the scenic golf course and white-sand lagoons of the Leeward Coast.

With no theme park being built, the move by Disney could be seen as risky. However, globally renowned branding and cheap flights from airports including London Heathrow via Los Angeles will probably attract many guests, and with the hotspot being a central location for films such as 'Pearl Harbour' and 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides', guests may not need a theme park to feel as if they have been taken to another world.

Posted by Cathy, 28 July 2010 15:47

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