The voting public has made Holo Holo Charters No. 5 on USA Today’s list of Best Boat Tour Companies in the United States.
The company was nominated by USA Today’s travel experts as one of 20 companies for the Reader’s Choice award in April, and then the clock started counting down.
Voters had 28 days to narrow down the 20 companies to their top 10 favorites. Anyone could vote.
Days before the contest closed, Holo Holo Charter was sitting at number six on the list. The Garden Island shed more light on the contest as the May 20 deadline approached, reminding Kauai people to jump online and vote.
Holo Holo was up against tour companies from Alaska, New York, Texas and Florida.
The company NYC By Sea was No. 1 one on the list at that time, and kept the position throughout the contest.
Companies shuffled around in the top five as the last day to vote neared, and Holo Holo Charters ended up pushing Niagara Jet Adventures to No. 6, securing the last spot in the top five.
The company couldn’t be more thrilled.
“Our mission statement is to be the best boat tour company on Kauai, so to receive recognition as one of the 10 Best Boat Tours in the U.S. is a huge honor,” said Chandra Bertsch, general manager of Holo Holo Charters.
“Our entire team takes pride in providing a unique, memorable, and safe ocean experience every day. Our aloha spirit customer service is a true reflection of our staff and the joy they get from sharing the beauty of this area with our guests.”
Holo Holo has a wide variety of boat tours available, including a tour that takes customers to explore the waters around the “Forbidden Island” of Niihau and adjacent island Lehua.
Snorkeling and cruising the channel, taking in the majestic Napali Coast, watching dolphins surf the bow, and sunset cruises are all included in the tours Holo Holo offers. From catamarans to their sailboat, Leila, there are lots of options at Holo Holo.
The crewmembers aboard the tours are full of the stories of Kauai’s coastlines and more than willing to talk about the history of the island, to bring visitors up to speed on the impacts of the 2018 floods, and to provide info on the animals that cross the pathway of the tours, animals like dolphins and green sea turtles.
“Holo Holo Charters is very deserving of their latest success,” said Jeremy Clement, one of the travel experts judging the companies for the contest.
“Their commitment to providing travelers with a safe, consistent and high-quality experience makes them an ideal partner in the travel industry, while their embrace of local culture and environmental sustainability makes them an important asset to Hawaii.”
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Jessica Else, environment reporter can be reached at 245-0452 or jelse@thegardenisland.com.
