We arrived today to The Mark Travel Corporation headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and to our pleasant surprise, we were greeted by the one and only Charlie Brown who posed for a shot with SI (Shave Ice)!
Mark Travel's Destination Strategy and Buying Leader Megan Stansil Reilly stopped to chat with us about what their customers are looking for when booking their Hawaii vacations and hotels in Hawaii.
Come to find out, Megan lived in Ewa while working at Mark Travel in Honolulu in 2003 and fondly remembered how much she liked strawberry shave ice with ice cream!
Hundreds of Mark Travel employees were treated to music and dance by the Polynesian Cultural Center performers and a mini trade show hosted by Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa's General Manager Rodney Ito and Director of Sales and Marketing Peter Thoene, and Marriott Resorts Hawaii Director of National Accounts Margaret Laletin.
And if you're wondering what was in the heart-shaped basket, we offered the Mark Travel team delicious Mauna Loa macadamia nut chocolate kisses, courtesy of the gracious Mauna Loa team, based on the Big Island. The tasty treats received rave reviews!
Here are Maluhia (left) and Farwyn (right) of Polynesian Cultural Center in beautiful blue aloha attire, entertaining the Mark Travel team.
Here's Linda of Mark Travel getting into the aloha spirit by learning how to hula. Hey, Charlie Brown looks like he's learning the moves too!
Later in the day, Rodney and Peter met with United Vacations' Vice President and General Manager Richard Karnes and Senior Product Manager Lisa Eickberg; Mark Travel's Destination Strategy and Buying Leader Megan Stansil Reilly and Strategy and Buying Director for Hawaii and Europe Hongfar Chan; and Funjet Vacations Manager of Integrated Marketing Sarah Patt for a Hawaii travel update. The focus was on short term booking trends, airline pricing and value packages. Mark Travel was very appreciative for the warmth of aloha we brought to their chilly Milwaukee office!
Tomorrow we head back to Chicago, and there was one last thing SI had to do to make this Wisconsin trip complete! SI, can you say Cheeeeese?!
-- Marriott's Spirit of Aloha Tour team
