Paula Takamori held at least a half-dozen jobs -- registered nurse, public relations, cook for a gravel-crushing outfit -- before traveling to Hawaii and becoming enamored with the state. It was her love for the Aloha State that finally drew her into the travel advisor business, since sharing the beauty and wonder of her adopted home came so naturally.
The Saskatchewan native traded "40 below for 80 above" after a short trip to the Hawaii in 1989.
"I came for a two-week holiday, ended up staying for six weeks, and then went home, packed up and moved over," she said.
Takamori, who lives in Kailua on Oahu, opened Travel to Paradise, a Hawaii specialty agency, in 1997, after a friend showed her the ropes of the profession.
Paula Takamori
"I met a great group of people, and I really fell in love with Hawaii right away: the culture, the people, everything about it," she said. "It felt like home, and it made it easy to have a passion to help people come here and put together a great stay. The way I look at it, I've spent the last 20 years selling my backyard. I don't really see it as trying to sell people on anything as much as it is using my knowledge to find the best fit for what they already want."
I recently spoke with Takamori, who drew on her two decades of experience as a Hawaii resident and destination advisor to offer insights on the latest Hawaii developments.
Q: Tell me about your philosophy at Travel to Paradise.
A: We are very passionate about Hawaii and about what there is to see and do here. One thing I try to do is get people to embrace that Hawaii is more than coming and laying on the beach.
A lot of people who've never been here before don't realize how different all of the islands are. I've been there, done that, spending time on all of the islands, so I can talk fluently about the options. I'll talk it through with them to see what their interests are.
Q: Are there any overlooked sights you routinely recommend?
A: I frequently recommend the Iolani Palace, because it's not that long of a tour, about an hour, and it's a great history lesson. A lot of people don't realize this was a full, recognized kingdom prior to the U.S. coming in and taking over. It's a beautiful building, and it's something people will never forget.
Q: How has Southwest Airlines' introduction to the market impacted tourism?
A: Southwest coming in is making people more aware of the options for flying to Hawaii, and I think it generated a lot of interest among people with Southwest points. But they are only flying from select destinations on the mainland.
It has certainly helped with inter-island fares, for sure. When it was only Hawaiian Airlines it could be $100 each direction, and that could get pricey for a family of four. Those prices are coming down.
Q: What trends are you seeing with hotels?
A: I've noticed more properties adding club levels, which I think is great. It's a private lounge with maybe enhanced breakfast options, evening drinks and appetizers and space to get together and relax. It's great for large families.
If you get them all in rooms with club level access, they can all get together for breakfast or for evening cocktails. More hotels here on Oahu are adding them, like the Aston Waikiki, Moana Surfrider, Royal Hawaiian and Outrigger Reef.
The Moana Surfrider is one of the hotels on Oahu adding a club level.
Q: What trends are you seeing in Hawaii visitation?
A: I'm seeing more multigenerational families traveling together, and I just love working with those groups. They are usually coming to celebrate an anniversary, wedding or family reunion. Hawaii is great for them because there is something for every interest and age group.
Q: What common misconceptions do you hear about Hawaii?
A: One thing a lot of people fail to think about is beaches. They don't realize that all beaches are not swimmable and that even if a property is oceanfront, it may not have a beach. Especially for people who aren't used to the ocean or haven't visited these types of places before, they often don't understand ocean rules for safety and those types of things.
I think people just need to come with an open mind. I still get calls asking about all-inclusives, but in Hawaii we don't really have that. And there's a reason: You can speak the language, eat the food, drink the water … so you're encouraged to get out and explore the culture and see what's here. So you're unlikely to go back to the hotel to eat there every single day. There are a million great restaurants, and we're adding more all the time.
Q: What interest have you seen in the Island of Hawaii after the 2018 eruption of Kilauea?
A: Some people honestly call and ask, "What happened to that volcano anyway?" They don't get it. Everyone saw the eruptions on the news but not how it all concluded.
Some people are disappointed that you can't see flowing lava anymore, but I think it's still very interesting. It's a big area, and there's a lot to see. Not only that, but I really encourage people to spend time on Hawaii Island to see the Hilo side and the Kona side. It's fascinating how much the landscape changes as you drive around.
Q: What's your first impression of the new parking fees and permit system on Kauai's north shore that are designed to ease overcrowding?
A: It looks great. They've added a beautiful boardwalk out in Haena State Park to get to Kee Beach. I absolutely think the new permitting and shuttle system is a positive change. They are enforcing parking now, which is great because for a time there it was impossible to even get close.
Overtourism is not good for any area; it's hard for the people who live there, and it's hard on the destination itself. It's a positive change, but people will have to let their clients know, because it's a big one. If you want to drive out, you should be booking a permit two weeks in advance, and you should also be reserving ahead for the shuttle.
Q: What impact have you seen and do you expect from Oahu's new short-term vacation rental restrictions?
A: I never worked much with the vacation-rental market, but I think with time there will be some effects. I think there's going to be a crunch for the more economical travelers … I'm not sure where the people looking for $100 per night are going to go. Also, large groups and families that want to stay in a house together will struggle more to find places.
Q: Any tips for advising clients traveling to Hawaii for the holiday season?
A: We have some people calling us now for Christmas this year, which is getting very late and makes it tricky. It's such a busy time, I suggest booking at least 10 months in advance. Some people book for the following year on the way out the door.
Also, a lot of the condo owners want to come for the holidays and stay in their own places, so you are starting with diminished capacity.
Q: What upcoming things are you looking forward to?
A: I'm excited about the reopening of the north shore of Kauai. I'm scared of birds, but if you're not like me, some of the birding hikes they are doing on the Island of Hawaii are really neat. They've seen some great progress with the recovery of some native species.
In terms of properties, I'm excited to see what Mauna Lani Auberge [resort] will look like, and the Hyatt Maui is in the midst of heavy renovations.
Also, some normalcy. It seems like there were big issues on every island in the last year. There were the floods on Kauai and the north shore shutting down, the volcano and even hurricanes and wildfires. There have been lots of disruptions, and even the work on Pali Highway [on Oahu] should be done by the end of the year. I'm hoping for a quiet winter.