LIHU‘E — Canadian visitors can now fly to Kaua‘i without the need for a layover in the continental U.S. or even Honolulu thanks to a new direct Vancouver-Lihu‘e route that local officials hope will be a boost for the island’s tourism industry.
More than 100 people arrived on the maiden WestJet flight at Lihu‘e Airport Wednesday evening and were immediately met with aloha.
Each arriving passenger was “personally greeted” at the gate and given lei, Office of Economic Development Director George Costa wrote in an e-mail Friday. “They were so excited to be here — many for the first time — and were happy to leave the sub-zero temperatures back home in Canada.”
Lei were also presented to the 45 departing passengers leaving on the 130-seat capacity WestJet inaugural flight returning to Vancouver later that night.
“Everyone that I had the pleasure of meeting said they thoroughly enjoyed their vacation and will definitely return,” Costa said.
The flights are an addition to the weekly flights from U.S. Airways, American, Delta, Alaska and United Airlines, he added.
“The airlines are the lifeblood of our visitor industry and we are very thankful for their support, especially during these challenging economic times,” Costa said. “They keep our main economic engine running by preserving jobs and providing visitor spending.”
This is not the first time the island has had direct flight service from a Canadian carrier, but more than 10 years have passed since something non-stop between Vancouver and Kaua‘i was available, according to Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau Executive Director Sue Kanoho.
“Canadians love Kaua‘i and this new flight will give them more access and convenience to our Garden Isle,” she said.
An additional advantage to the service that is beneficial for island residents is the forthcoming Winter Olympics hosted by the city of Vancouver.
“During our blitz with the mayor (in Vancouver), we were excited to see the clock ticking down the days/hours/minutes until the Olympics begin,” Kanoho said. “This is a great market for us and we are looking forward to having a lot more Canadians coming to Kaua‘i.”
Flights can be booked from now until May 1, 2010 with one-way fares averaging about $229.
“At WestJet, we just can’t get enough of the Hawaiian Islands; the traditions, the locals, the sun, sand and surf,” said Hugh Dunleavy, WestJet Executive Vice-President of Strategy and Planning, in a press release Wednesday. “So it’s tremendously exciting that today marks the start of our winter service to Lihu‘e on the island of Kaua‘i. And as the only airline in Canada to provide service to all four islands, the aloha spirit is within easy reach for our Canadian travelers.”
