Money Saving Tips for Visitors to Hawaii - Part 1: Free Nights and More at Hawaii Hotels and Resorts

Hawaii tourism is down. For the month of July 2008, almost 100,000 fewer visitors arrived in the islands than last July. That's a 14% drop, and things don't look good for the rest of 2008. Surprisingly visitor arrivals from the western part of the USA were off more than visitors from the east - 20% to 14%.

While this is bad news for the economy of the islands where so many people work or benefit from the visitor industry, it is not necessarily bad news for you, the visitor. Desperate to increase visitor numbers for the rest of 2008 into 2009, there are many great opportunities available for you to visit the islands this fall and winter.

Everyone cringes when they take that first step in planning a visit to Hawaii and look at airfare prices. Those prices are up and in many cases way up. Flights from the east part of the USA which were once easily available for under $800 are now often charging well over $1000. Flights from the west are also up by significant numbers.

Fall and winter are great times for couples to visit Hawaii. The children are back in school and many hotels and resorts are less crowded than in the peak summer months. It's also much easier to book activities with lesser demand. The fall is my favorite time to visit the islands since the weather is near perfect. (In fact I'm making two trips to Hawaii this fall.)

Were you planning a trip to Hawaii this fall or winter, but put off when you found that airfare for two was up by as much as $1000? What can you do to make up that money with the rest of your trip expenses and still get to visit paradise?

Over the next week I'll give you some tips to help you save money this fall and winter for your Hawaii vacation. Each day I'll look at another way that will help you make your Hawaii vacation more affordable.

Today, let's look at ways you can save money on hotels and resorts in our feature Free Nights and More at Hawaii Hotels and Resorts.