Helicopter tour company Blue Hawaiian has launched its own activities concierge service, drawing much of its staff from the recently shuttered local offices of Expedia Local Expert.
The new service launched on Feb. 1 with offices on Maui and Oahu and plans to expand to Kauai and Hawaii Island in the coming months. Myra Galinato, who served as general manager of Expedia Local Expert's Hawaii offices when the company closed the offline service at the end of January, is taking the same role at the newly formed Blue Hawaiian Activities.
"I believe in this business, and I didn't want all of our hard work to go for naught. So, I talked to hoteliers and asked: If we can keep the company going with a different name, will you give us the opportunity to keep your business? And 90% of hotels said they'd give us a shot," said Galinato, who spent 13 years with Expedia Local Expert and hired roughly 40 people from its Aloha State offices to join the new company at Blue Hawaiian.
"If you run the business well, it's a good business to be in. I know travel is going to return, and this is the best place to be. Everyone wants to come to Hawaii."
A natural fit
Galinato said that upon learning late last year that Expedia Local Expert was closing its Hawaii offices, she immediately started working to find a business partner who was willing to keep a new version of the offline concierge service alive. She saw Blue Hawaiian Helicopters, a company originally founded in Maui and operating in all four Hawaii counties, as a natural fit and met with Quentin Koch, president and general manager of Blue Hawaiian Helicopters.
"It's a local company that has done a lot in the community," she said. "Previously, Expedia and Blue Hawaiian partnered on charitable events here. I think we shared a vision for the business and a belief that travel was on the rebound. So far, it's been a wonderful partnership."
Together, Blue Hawaiian Helicopters and Activities will offer customized, in-person concierge-planning services for a full menu of activities, from dinner reservations and car rentals to full-day tours, snorkeling adventures, golf excursions, concerts, and surf lessons.
Currently, Galinato says business has been steadily increasing as more hotels open, tourism numbers steadily increase, and pandemic protocols are gradually being lifted. Luaus, operating at reduced capacity, are still proving popular, and both boat and helicopter tours have been a frequent request early on in 2021.
"Luaus are still doing the best out of our portfolio, and with Oahu moving into a less restrictive tier recently that means more companies are offering shuttle service or other transportation to the luaus," she said. "That helps a lot, because many guests don't want to drive to a luau because it doesn't make for the best experience."
Bullish on tourism's return
Overall, Galinato is bullish on Hawaii tourism, saying she sees former levels of visitation returning much sooner than the three to five years that some state economists have predicted. While the statewide hotel occupancy rate in January was 23%, 60 percentage points below January 2020, she is already seeing signs of significant increases in bookings.
"Some of the hotels I work with here on Maui are seeing a 70% occupancy rate for the spring break period," she said. "I believe this summer is going to be fantastic, and the December holiday season will be fantastic this year."
Galinato does predict some travel trends that emerged during the pandemic are likely here to stay.
"I think we're going to see less mass movement, fewer big buses and large tours," she said. "I think people have gotten used to smaller crowds, or even being in their own group with just family or friends, and they like it. I think we'll see more demand for custom tours and individualized itineraries."
As she gets Blue Hawaiian Activities up and running, Galinato's immediate priorities include launching the service on both Kauai and Hawaii Island, while she is also devising long-term strategies for growth.
"I want to look at different revenue streams, not just the traditional concierge services," she said. "I'd like to expand into more group business, get more into weddings and tailoring more activities and big events for groups and organizations."