Blue Sky Tours


	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Charlotte Kerr, 505.944.8930, marketing@blueskytours.com Blue Sky Tours Partners with the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau to Bring More Robust Destination Content to VAX VacationAccess -The Hawaii Destination Center Now Contains Expanded Resources to Help Travel Agents Sell Hawaii- ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Jan. 24, 2011 – Blue Sky Tours has partnered with the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau to enhance the presence of and content available for the Hawaiian Islands on VAX VacationAccess. The state of Hawaii now has an elevated position by way of a Hawaii-dedicated tab within the www.VAXVacationAccess.com Destination Center. Blue Sky Tours has worked with VAX VacationAccess to incorporate the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau’s beautifully rich and robust content, including photos and information about unique experiences such as whale watching, surfing and volcano excursions. The result is a one-stop-shop for travel agents to access all Hawaii information. Content now available within the Blue Sky Tours Supplier Center includes maps with state, island and region destination information, Stories of Hawaii videos, travel tips, frequently asked questions, and overviews of popular Hawaii experiences. “Blue Sky Tours sells only Hawaii and only through travel agents, so this was a natural fit for us. In this our 30th anniversary year, Blue Sky Tours is proud to sponsor the Hawaiian Islands Destination Center on VAX VacationAccess,” said Kevin Wilmore, Vice President / General Manager of Blue Sky Tours. According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, both visitor arrivals and spending significantly increased in 2010, a trend that is expected to continue in 2011. At the same time, the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau recently improved its destination information resources, focusing on the Hawaiian Islands as a state, as well as the individual island experiences. As Hawaii continues to see growth as a destination, Blue Sky Tours, the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau and VAX VacationAccess are focused on improving travel agents’ access to all the resources they need to best sell Hawaiian vacations. “The Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau recognizes the growth of VAX VacationAccess and is excited about Hawaii’s destination content being available on this excellent travel agent tool and resource,” said Julie Zadeh, CTC – Managing Director of Travel Trade Marketing for the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau. “I would also like to recognize Blue Sky Tours for having the vision to bring VAX, the HVCB and Blue Sky Tours together to address this need.” VAX VacationAccess is the largest online distribution platform for leisure travel agents and gives vacation suppliers a variety of ways to reach qualified travel agents. Now in its 10th anniversary year, VAX continually invests in innovative technology to help travel agents and agencies become more productive and profitable businesspeople. “This is a great example of one of our quality travel suppliers listening to the requests of travel agents and working with VAX VacationAccess to bring forth the resources to best address those needs,” said Becky Capper, director of vendor and partner development for VAX VacationAccess. “VAX has the ability to facilitate suppliers and destination visitor organizations as they engage with travel agents.” # # # Blue Sky Tours is your Hawai’i expert, selling only Hawai’i and only to Travel Agents. Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Albuquerque, NM, Blue Sky Tours provides the best value for Hawai’i vacations with an outstanding selection of hotels, condominiums, rental cars, tours and every airline flying to the islands. Blue Sky Tours is a proud member of The Mark Travel Corporation family of companies which includes memberships with USTOA and ASTA TOP. Website: www.BlueSkyTours.com. The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau is contracted by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), the state of Hawaii’s tourism agency, for marketing management services in North America. The HTA was established in 1998 to ensure a successful visitor industry well into the future. Its mission is to strategically manage Hawaii tourism in a sustainable manner consistent with the state of Hawaii’s economic goals, cultural values, preservation of natural resources, community desires, and visitor industry needs. VAX VacationAccess Worldwide brings together leisure travel professionals, suppliers and destinations in one easy-to-use online platform. Powerful booking engines for vacation packages, hotels, cruise vacations and air consolidator give travel professionals the flexibility to easily shop and sell custom vacations. Rich content and hundreds of timesaving reservation management, sales, and marketing tools allow travel professionals to succeed in today’s competitive leisure travel industry. Used by more than 100,000 leisure travel agents, VAX VacationAccess was voted “Best Technology Provider” by Agent@Home Readers’ Choice and “Best Supplier/Destination Website” by Recommend Readers’ Choice. Visit www.vaxvacationaccess.com for more information. www.blueskytours.com www.vaxvacationaccess.com Reservations: 800-678-2787 FAX: 800-747-1221

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Charlotte Kerr, 505.944.8930, marketing@blueskytours.com

Blue Sky Tours Partners with the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau to Bring More Robust Destination Content to VAX VacationAccess
-The Hawaii Destination Center Now Contains Expanded Resources to Help Travel Agents Sell Hawaii-

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Jan. 24, 2011 – Blue Sky Tours has partnered with the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau to enhance the presence of and content available for the Hawaiian Islands on VAX VacationAccess.

The state of Hawaii now has an elevated position by way of a Hawaii-dedicated tab within the www.VAXVacationAccess.com Destination Center. Blue Sky Tours has worked with VAX VacationAccess to incorporate the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau’s beautifully rich and robust content, including photos and information about unique experiences such as whale watching, surfing and volcano excursions. The result is a one-stop-shop for travel agents to access all Hawaii information.

Content now available within the Blue Sky Tours Supplier Center includes maps with state, island and region destination information, Stories of Hawaii videos, travel tips, frequently asked questions, and overviews of popular Hawaii experiences.

“Blue Sky Tours sells only Hawaii and only through travel agents, so this was a natural fit for us. In this our 30th anniversary year, Blue Sky Tours is proud to sponsor the Hawaiian Islands Destination Center on VAX VacationAccess,” said Kevin Wilmore, Vice President / General Manager of Blue Sky Tours.

According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, both visitor arrivals and spending significantly increased in 2010, a trend that is expected to continue in 2011. At the same time, the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau recently improved its destination information resources, focusing on the Hawaiian Islands as a state, as well as the individual island experiences. As Hawaii continues to see growth as a destination, Blue Sky Tours, the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau and VAX VacationAccess are focused on improving travel agents’ access to all the resources they need to best sell Hawaiian vacations.

“The Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau recognizes the growth of VAX VacationAccess and is excited about Hawaii’s destination content being available on this excellent travel agent tool and resource,” said Julie Zadeh, CTC – Managing Director of Travel Trade Marketing for the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau. “I would also like to recognize Blue Sky Tours for having the vision to bring VAX, the HVCB and Blue Sky Tours together to address this need.”

VAX VacationAccess is the largest online distribution platform for leisure travel agents and gives vacation suppliers a variety of ways to reach qualified travel agents. Now in its 10th anniversary year, VAX continually invests in innovative technology to help travel agents and agencies become more productive and profitable businesspeople.

“This is a great example of one of our quality travel suppliers listening to the requests of travel agents and working with VAX VacationAccess to bring forth the resources to best address those needs,” said Becky Capper, director of vendor and partner development for VAX VacationAccess. “VAX has the ability to facilitate suppliers and destination visitor organizations as they engage with travel agents.”

# # #

Blue Sky Tours is your Hawai’i expert, selling only Hawai’i and only to Travel Agents. Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Albuquerque, NM, Blue Sky Tours provides the best value for Hawai’i vacations with an outstanding selection of hotels, condominiums, rental cars, tours and every airline flying to the islands. Blue Sky Tours is a proud member of The Mark Travel Corporation family of companies which includes memberships with USTOA and ASTA TOP. Website: www.BlueSkyTours.com.
The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau is contracted by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), the state of Hawaii’s tourism agency, for marketing management services in North America. The HTA was established in 1998 to ensure a successful visitor industry well into the future. Its mission is to strategically manage Hawaii tourism in a sustainable manner consistent with the state of Hawaii’s economic goals, cultural values, preservation of natural resources, community desires, and visitor industry needs.
VAX VacationAccess Worldwide brings together leisure travel professionals, suppliers and destinations in one easy-to-use online platform. Powerful booking engines for vacation packages, hotels, cruise vacations and air consolidator give travel professionals the flexibility to easily shop and sell custom vacations. Rich content and hundreds of timesaving reservation management, sales, and marketing tools allow travel professionals to succeed in today’s competitive leisure travel industry. Used by more than 100,000 leisure travel agents, VAX VacationAccess was voted “Best Technology Provider” by Agent@Home Readers’ Choice and “Best Supplier/Destination Website” by Recommend Readers’ Choice. Visit www.vaxvacationaccess.com for more information.
www.blueskytours.com
www.vaxvacationaccess.com
Reservations: 800-678-2787
FAX: 800-747-1221