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C Photo courtesy of Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Tor Johnson TM C www.MokuleleAirlines.com A message from Ron Hansen, CEO of Mokulele Airlines What’s Inside? E komo mai! Game Thank you for choosing 6 On! Mokulele! Whether you’re here Revamped 2014 NFL vacationing in our beautiful islands or simply traveling to Pro Bowl Gives Fans a another island to visit family Lot to Celebrate and friends, we’re happy to play a role in helping you get where you want to go during this busy holiday season. Here at Mokulele, we’re always looking for better ways to serve you. We’re currently seeking approval to become Drums of the first commercial airline to provide interisland service from the former Barbers Point Naval Air Station at 10 the Pacific Kalaeloa Airport in West Oahu. This would give residents and visitors in Kapolei and the Ko Olina resort area an Hyatt Regency Maui alternative to flying out of Honolulu. We will keep you Refreshes its Popular updated on our progress. Lu‘au In this issue of our Island Hopper magazine, you’ll learn about our “biggest” group of winter visitors, the humpback whales, who are now arriving from their summer feeding grounds. We also share some big changes the NFL is making to the annual Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium, and we give you a preview of the new A Fresh New features the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa is 14 Look adding to its popular Drums of the Pacific Lu‘au. Plus, we’re proud to show you the fresh, new look we’re Honolulu to be the First giving to the commuter terminals we operate out of on to Feature Changes the five islands we serve. In this holiday season, we are especially grateful for our loyal passengers like you. We wish you all the best in the New Year and we look forward to serving your travel needs in 2014. Sincerely, Big Ron Hansen 18 Comeback Ron Hansen, CEO Humpback Whales Mokulele Airlines Return to Hawai‘i’s Waters TM CORPORATE President/CEO Mokulele Airlines RON HANSEN Publisher/ VP of Sales and Marketing DAVE BERRY Creative Director TOBY THOMPSON Editor-in-Chief KAREN BROST Editorial Director THOmas GAUL AccoUNT MANAGERS Corporate Account Manager GAIL GLUSHENKO Maui JEROMY HANSEN Kona CERISE “Peaches” HuIHUI Oahu JOCELYN PALAFOX TECHNOLOGY Web Development COREY KISTLER Editorial Inquiries: [email protected] Advertising Inquiries: [email protected] Island Hopper Magazine Corporate Office 8241 E. Evans, Ste. 102 . Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 Toll Free: 800-439-6955 . 480-393-3013 . Fax: 480-393-3017 Office: Mele Kalikimaka me ka Hau’oli Makahiki Hou On behalf from all of us at Mokulele Airlines, we would like to extend a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you! We hope the holidays bring you much happiness as you get together with family and friends to celebrate the joys of the season. We also want to thank you for flying with us in 2013. It was a busy year for us as we added Waimea-Kohala on the Big Island as our newest destination. With this addition, we currently offer over 100 flights daily to eight different island locations. We hope to see you on many more of our flights soon! We look forward to continuing to provide great service to all of our passengers in the upcoming 2014 year. Our growth is only made possible with your continued support and thanks to you, we are Hawai‘i’s number one island hopper! Make your next reservation online at www.mokuleleairlines.com and let us show you Hawai‘i’s greatest views! 2 I MOKULELEAIRLINES.COM Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) / Kirk Lee Aeder GAME ON ! NFL On Location REVAMPED 2014 NFL PRO “The alumni captains will conduct a player draft in Hawai‘i the week of the Pro Bowl, so all of the players that are selected through BOWL GIVES FANS A LOT the fan voting process will come to Hawai‘i, but they won’t know what team they’re going to be playing on,” he continues. The draft TO CELEBRATE will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday and will be broadcast live on the NFL Network. “We may actually have more players from BY KAREN BROST one conference than the other,” Frank adds. “It really doesn’t matter anymore. What really matters is the very best players are going to play at the Pro Bowl. It’s a true All-Star game.” hen the official coin toss takes place on January 26 Each captain will be joined by two top vote-getters, one at the 2014 Pro Bowl at Honolulu’s Aloha Stadium, offensive player and one defensive player, and by a fan who won the fans expecting the traditional AFC/NFC matchup opportunity to be there through NFL.com’s Fantasy Football game. will be in for a big surprise. This year, the game will “They will become the front office of the team. It really is fantasy Wtake on a whole new format as the All-Star players will be voted in football come to life,” Frank notes. by fans, coaches and players without regard to conference. The NFL has created plenty of ways for fans to enjoy the game. “We’re excited about the changes,” says Frank Supovitz, senior NFL On Location is offering two three-night packages, the All-Pro vice president, events for the National Football League. “This was and the MVP. Each game package includes lower level sideline actually an idea that was brought to us by the players to re-energize seating and accommodations at the Sheraton Waikiki (headquarters the Pro Bowl and make it more intriguing and entertaining than ever. hotel), the Moana Surfrider or The Royal Hawaiian. The two There’s a lot of peer pressure involved this time around. There are packages also include access to the NFL Official Saturday Night two alumni captains, Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders, and they are Party and the NFL Official Tailgate Party, as well as other amenities. already actively engaged. In fact, if you follow either of them (on The Gameday package includes upper sideline seating and entry to Twitter), they’re already talking to each other about how they’re the Saturday night and tailgate parties. Fans can also purchase game going to beat each other on the field.” tickets through Ticketmaster. 6 I MOKULELEAIRLINES.COM Issue 7 I 7 The above photos are courtesy of NFL On Location “The tailgate party on game day at Richardson Field is really the place to be before the game,” states Dave Wintergrass, senior director, events for the National Football League. “It’s the official NFL tailgate party.” The NFL Official Saturday Night Party will take place on the beachfront Ocean Lawn of The Royal Hawaiian and feature entertainment, the Pro Bowl cheerleaders and the team mascots. “(Guests) can leave that reception and spill right out on to the block party,” Dave notes. The Official Pro Bowl Block Party, which is free and open to the public, is expected to attract 70-75,000 people to Waikiki to enjoy food, music and entertainment stages, a sports talk stage and performances by the Pro Bowl cheerleaders. Fans are also invited to attend “Ohana Day” on Saturday morning, which is an open practice at Aloha Stadium. Admission is free. “It runs the full morning and they’ll be able to see the players go through their paces during their warm-ups and there’s also some additional programming and entertainment,” Frank describes. “We’ll typically have a sneak preview of the halftime show or the pregame show. We’ll have special guests. It’s a great morning at the stadium.” For more information about the 2014 NFL Pro Bowl, visit www.nflonlocation.com. 8 I MOKULELEAIRLINES.COM HYATT REGENCY MAUI REFRESHES ITS POPULAR Lu‘AU BY KAREN BROST PHOTOS COURTESY OF Hyatt REGency MauI t is a long-held tradition in Polynesian cultures that guests be treated well, fed well and welcomed with song and dance. For more than 30 years, the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and ISpa on Ka‘anapali Beach has faithfully followed that tradition by presenting its Drums of the Pacific Lu‘au. The popular event has entertained more than two million guests since the resort opened in 1980. Now, the Hyatt is taking a good thing and making even better by making enhancements to the lu‘au. As part of a $10 million renovation project, the Hyatt has refreshed the site where the lu‘au is held, the oceanfront Sunset Terrace, by resurfacing the flooring, adding additional restroom facilities, adding a new, elevated group seating area and redesigning the lu‘au’s tables and chairs. New interactive elements are also being added to the performance to encourage guests to participate and immerse themselves in Hawaiian culture. For example, dancers recruit guests from the audience, including keiki (kids), to come up on stage to learn a few hip-shaking Tahitian dance moves, creating perfect photo ops that make great, lasting souvenirs. New costumes have been designed for the lu‘au show and additional dancers, including three fire 10 I MOKULELEAIRLINES.COM Issue 7 I 11 dancers, will now perform. All of renovations are ADA-compliant, including a ramp that leads up to the stage, so anyone who wishes to can take part in the hula lesson. But the very essence of what makes the lu‘au such a popular Maui attraction will remain the same. Guests are presented with a shell lei upon arrival (along with a fresh Mai Tai or fruit punch) and will continue to be welcomed by the haunting sounds of the conch shell, the beating of drums and traditional Hawaiian chants.