Maui, The Magic Isle

Honolulu and the island of Oahu might be the most talked-about among meetings stakeholders, but Maui, the second largest of the Hawaiian islands and known as the Magic Isle to many, increasingly is getting its share of attention.  

Matt Bailey, managing director of one of Maui’s biggest group properties, the 780-room Grand Wailea, notes that 2011 was a rebound year for business and reports that 2012 bookings “are significantly better and 2013 is looking very promising.” According to Bailey, who also serves as a director for the Hawaii Hotel and Lodging Association, it helps that “the business travel industry has been doing a better job of making the argument for meetings” and companies are making sure their meeting programs have quality business components to go along with the fun. 

Last month, Hawaiian Airlines gave additional impetus to hold a meeting in Maui, especially for West Coast-based groups, by initiating thrice-weekly nonstop service from San Jose, CA, and four-times-weekly nonstop service from Oakland, CA. Both routes use Boeing 767-300 planes and serve complimentary meals, even in coach.

On the hotel front, a dazzling array of properties can accommodate groups. The upscale Grand Wailea, on the southwestern side of the island, celebrated its 20th anniversary last year and is opening a new restaurant this spring by award-winning chef and restaurateur Alan Wong, called Amasia. The resort has 100,000 square feet of group space, including a 28,000-square-foot ballroom. Another upper-tier option is the 463-room Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, with more than 150,000 square feet of event space.

From Starwood Hotels & Resorts are the 759-room Westin Maui Resort & Spa, with 45,000 square feet of meeting space, and the Sheraton Maui Resort & Spa, which has infused its 508 guest rooms with more traditional Hawaiian ambiance following a $6.5-million renovation project. And the Travaasa Hana, in the idyllic town of Hana, on Maui’s eastern coast, serves groups of up to 150 people in a retreat-like setting. 

But to truly experience Maui is to get out of the comfy confines of resorts and explore the island’s distinctive cultural roots and lush natural wonders. Here is just a smattering of the abundant options to consider.

In northwestern Maui, groups can enjoy some fresh air and the nostalgic charm of Old Hawaii on the Sugar Cane Train, which traverses a six-mile stretch between Lahaina and Kaanapali. Attendees will gaze upon panoramas of neighboring islands and the lush West Maui Mountains amid blasts of the churning locomotive’s vintage steam whistle. 

The trek takes a leisurely 40 minutes, during which an onboard docent regales attendees with stories about points of interest. From December to April, riders might even spot a humpback whale in the Pacific waters during their journey. The Sugar Cane Train runs charters for groups, allowing for creative and private setups aboard the carriages. 

Adventurous groups can spend a day hiking to the summit of Haleakala National Park, on the southeastern edge of the island. Along the way, they will catch glimpses of rare native birds, such as the Hawaiian dark-rumped petrel, as well as waterfalls and rocky coastlines, all of which make up a true wilderness experience. But remember: One caveat of going rustic like this is that there are few to no amenities or food and beverage in these remote areas. 

The park offers three main areas—the mountainous Summit Area, the coastal Kipahulu Area, and the Wilderness area—but the more popular Summit Area is where 35 miles of hiking trails allow for the exploration of the incredible Haleakala Crater, formed by the clashing of headwalls of two large valleys of the East Maui Volcano.

For a completely different experience, the Maui Ocean Center (MOC), near the midpoint of the western coast of the island, immerses group participants in the wild blue yonder of the water sort, notably the 750,000-gallon, 2,000-fish Open Ocean Exhibit. Exhibiting its own version of local sourcing, the $20-million aquarium collects all of its marine animals from Hawaiian waters, including green sea turtles, moray eels, hammerhead and tiger sharks, monk seals, and blue and bottlenose dolphins—the crowd favorite.

The MOC offers guided tours with marine naturalists, and private tours can be held within two hours prior to opening or after closing of the facility. If a tour is conducted in the evening, it can be followed by a sit-down banquet dinner for 40 to 850 attendees in one or several of the venue’s open-air spaces, accompanied by a full and exclusive run of the facility and its exhibits.   

Before completing a program of activities, planners should check out the calendar of the Maui Arts & Cultural Center (MACC), which holds approximately 1,800 events annually, from major music and theater productions to taiko drumming shows to ballets. Have the group catch a cultural program or an outdoor festival focused on Pacific peoples and themes, such as the annual international hula competition. 

At the foot of Iao Valley and overlooking Kahului Bay, the $32-million MACC complex rents out its 1,200-seat Castle Theater, 250-seat McCoy Studio Theater, 4,100-square-foot Schaefer Gallery, and 5,000-capacity A&B Amphitheater. There also are arcade-like areas, a tree-lined and grassy courtyard area, and smaller meeting rooms on-site. They serve every type of event, from meetings to hands-on workshops, and seminars to receptions after dusk.