WHAT’S NEW IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS – APRIL/MAY 2016

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

• Following the completion of more than $110 million in renovations, the Hilton Garden Inn Waikiki is scheduled to open in summer 2016, becoming Oahu’s first Hilton Garden Inn and the chain’s largest property worldwide. The new resort will offer 623 rooms, including 32 suites redeveloped to satisfy modern, multigenerational travelers. Renovations will also include a full-service restaurant and lounge, a grab-and-go market, an upgraded contemporary lobby with a two-story cathedral ceiling, an enhanced pool deck, and a state-of-the-art fitness center. HiltonGardenInn.com
• Mauna Kea Beach Hotel recently unveiled Hawaii Island’s newest venue, the Kaunaoa Ballroom, designed to accommodate weddings and private events. Boasting three sides of floor-to-ceiling windows framing stunning views of Kaunaoa Bay, the ballroom features nearly 3,500 square feet of indoor event space as well as expansive outdoor pre-event space. Flexible for events of various sizes and scope, the venue includes a länai (patio) surrounding the ballroom, and a nearby open-air area featuring a striking mural commissioned by Hawaii artist Solomon Enos. The Kaunaoa Ballroom is part of a larger $4.5 million transformation of the hotel’s promenade level inclusive of the new Copper Bar, Mauna Kea Beach Hotel’s iconic gathering place.MaunaKeaBeachHotel.com
• Sheraton Kona Resort & Spa is converting its current presidential suite into a Sheraton Club Lounge called theKaiulu Club Lounge. The lounge, which opened in early April, is the only Sheraton Club in Hawaii with indoor-outdoor space. Offering more than 3,000 square-feet of space, the Kaiulu Club Lounge overlooks the stunning Kona Coast while adding a level of luxury, comfort and convenience, including computer and internet access, office workstations, complimentary breakfast, and an array of snack and beverage selections throughout the day and early evening. Access to the Club Lounge will be available to SPG members and non-SPG members who would like to upgrade to the club level. SheratonKona.com
• As it moves into the next phase of its $5 million enhancement plan, the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani hotel, located in the heart of Waikïkï, is conducting a soft refresh of all 280 guestrooms on the top 10 floors of its Äinahau Tower. Upon completion in the summer of 2016, rooms on these floors will showcase completely new furniture, artwork and decorative accents, highlighted with peacock themes and hues celebrating the treasured birds that graced the former estate of Princess Kaiulani. Princess-Kaiulani.com
• Aqua-Aston Hospitality is excited to announce the opening of Waikïkï’s newest boutique hotel, the Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club. Taking cues from vintage 1960s Hawaii, the boutique hotel offers 112 bungalows and suites exhibiting the true meaning of aloha. Formerly known as the Hokele Suites Waikiki, the Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club is located on Lewers Street near the Ala Wai Canal. Each bungalow features reed ceilings, batten walls, and handcrafted furniture recalling Hawaii tourism in the 1960s. The hotel’s line-up of guest activities includes surf lessons, foraging experiences with a local botanist, and tours of Honolulu’s creative neighborhoods with local artists. Surfjack.com
• Slated to open in 2017 on Maui’s famed Käanapali Beach, The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas will offer world-class accommodation in 390 luxurious one-, two- and three-bedroom villas. Beach access and a variety of sumptuous resort amenities will be included in The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas experience, including: numerous pool- and water-play amenities, a restaurant, a WestinWorkout facility, a cultural center, and a market place with light food, beverages, snacks and sundries. Following the lead of its neighboring sister property, The Westin Käanapali Ocean Resort Villas, The Westin Nanea Ocean Villas will be committed to both sustainability and celebration of the Hawaiian culture. Westin.com

DINING

• Kona’s iconic oceanfront restaurant Huggo’s has served up island-inspired cuisine alongside epic sunsets for two generations. It now adds hBAR to its seaside offerings, presenting a vibe that makes it Kona’s coolest oceanfront lounge. hBAR’s exciting menu of handcrafted cocktails includes the “Classic Mai Tai” – authentic, made-from-scratch, and accented by a secret almond syrup – and an eclectic collection of housemade syrups, fresh-squeezed tropical juices, and liquors infused with herbs, fruits, vegetables and nuts. Huggos.com
• Koholä Brewery is a new microbrewery that is part brewhouse, part brewpub, located in Maui Brewing Co.’s former Lahaina facility. The location features a 1,200 square-foot tasting room, an on-premise brewery able to fill kegs for big-parties, 64-ounce growlers for small get-togethers, and beer for sale directly to retail customers. With nine locally crafted beers concocted by head brewer Justin Brouhard on the menu, the microbrewery’s focus is on quality, smooth-drinking beers. KoholaBrewery.com
• Kona Brewing Co. is scheduled to start construction on its new 100,000 square-foot brewery and canning facility in summer 2016 on a 2.6-acre site in Kailua-Kona on Hawaii Island. Slated for completion by 2018, the new facility will be able to produce up to 100,000 barrels of beer per year for the Hawaii market. The new canning operation will also allow Kona Brewing Co. to sell additional flavors alongside its Kona Longboard Island Lager and Big Wave Golden Ale in canned form. KonaBrewingCo.com
• Celebrating the abundance and variety of quality foods and ingredients on Maui, Japengo at the Hyatt Regency Maui has launched a monthly Tastemakers Dinner Series featuring a dining experience carefully crafted by the culinary team of chefs Gevin Utrillo and Jin Hosono. Each event will present a unique, five-course menu featuring one of Japengo’s valued Maui food and produce partners – a list that includes farmers, artisans, fishermen and beverage makers – offering visitors and residents an opportunity to connect with the food, drinks and personalities behind each purveyor. Events in the Tastemakers Dinner Series start at $90 per person and advance reservations are required. JapengoMaui.com
• Luana is the Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui Resort’s new lobby bar offering a taste of Hawaii’s culture through cocktails and locally inspired cuisine. Luana mixologist Aaron Alcala-Mosley leads creation of the bar’s menu of craft cocktails while executive chef Tylun Pang creates a tapas menu influenced by his travel experiences. The uniforms sported by bar staff are the work of renowned Hawaii designer Sig Zane and inspired by the native aaliitrees found at the gateway to the hotel’s gardens. Luana is open daily with live music featured nightly.Fairmont.com/Kea-Lani-Maui
• Hawaii chef Ed Kenney has opened his fourth Oahu restaurant at the new Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club in Waikïkï.Mahina & Sun’s, located on the ground-floor space of the renovated boutique hotel, features a menu spotlighting local farm-fresh ingredients and inspired by garden, sea and land. Among its offerings are sweet corn soup, kimchi and pork skins; Kualoa Ranch oysters, kalamansi and ice plant; and country pork terrine, pickles, and buttered Portuguese sweet bread. In addition to dinner service, Mahina & Sun’s will be serving poolside lunch. Surfjack.com/Eat-Shop
• Acclaimed California restaurant Malibu Farm has opened a location at the Four Seasons Resort Lanai and offers brunch, lunch, and cocktails until sunset. Chef, farmer and owner Helene Henderson was born in Sweden but found her calling in the United States, first as a successful caterer, cookbook author and private chef. After moving to Malibu with her family and starting a farm in her Point Dume backyard “just for fun,” Henderson eventually took a series of popular farm dinners and cooking classes she’d created to the Malibu Pier as a pop-up restaurant. “Fresh, organic, local” is the motto of Malibu Farm, where simple ingredients sourced from local farmers and purveyors shine. FourSeasons.com/Lanai
• After 10 months of renovations, the popular Mediterranean Gourmet restaurant has reopened at the Hanalei Colony Hotel to serve both loyal and first-time guests. Along with the restaurant’s changes, the husband-and-wife team of Imad and Yarrow Beydoun are introducing a number of new menu items including pizzas, a wagyu beef burger, and an organic grass-fed rib-eye steak. All-time Mediterranean Gourmet favorites such as seafood paella, rosemary rack of lamb, and chicken marsala are also on the menu. A new beverage menu includes an expanded collection of classic cocktails and international wines. KauaiMedGourmet.com
• From the progressive and creative food and beverage team at the Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa at Waikiki Beach comes a whole year of LOLs. That would be “Love of Libations,” a monthly interactive series designed to celebrate all things beverage and entertainment. Upcoming LOL themes include “Bourbon & Bacon,” “Seasonal Sangria Sips,” “Bubbles,” and “Quick & Easy,” featuring favorite summer fruits. Advance reservations are required.
  Moana-Surfrider.com
• Executive Chef Colin Hazama of The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort is fulfilling every foodie’s dream with the resort’s new “Fanta-Sea” dining experience. The seafood-inspired “Fanta-Sea” is an offshoot of Hazama’s table dinner and farm tour series, which he founded in 2014 to showcase island farms and the collaboration between Starwood chefs and local farmers. Each dish on the “Fanta-Sea” menu showcases Hazama’s creativity and passion for using locally sourced products. Six “Fanta-Sea” dinner and farm tour experiences are scheduled throughout 2016. Advance reservations are required.
  Royal-Hawaiian.com
• Tchin Tchin! Bar, located in the heart of Honolulu’s Chinatown district, is Oahu’s newest rooftop bar and the third area eatery from Hawaii restaurateurs Jesse Cruz and Dusty Grable. The venue features exposed brick and dark leather-accented interiors, and an open-air rooftop lanai (patio) treating guests to pleasant city views. Stemming from the Chinese expression “qing qing” – meaning “please please,” as in a toast to drink – Tchin Tchin! offers a lounge food menu with a Mediterranean twist, accompanied by a full bar featuring select vermouths unique to the bar and artisan cocktails. TheTchinTchinBar.com
• Offering more than 500 craft beers and 16 rotating draft selections, Village Bottle Shop & Tasting Room, a new craft beer store and café, is set for opening at Our Kakaako’s new SALT complex in late spring 2016. Founded by Tom Golden (Beer in Hawaii) and Daryn Ogino (Pint + Jigger), the venue will offer seating for 50 along a 16-foot communal table catering to beer lovers traveling solo or with friends. Village Bottle’s tasting room will include a curated menu of international and national beers as well as libations from select local breweries. A sampling of draft wines will be offered for guests wishing to quaff something other than beer. The cafe will also serve food prepared off-site.

ATTRACTIONS AND ACTIVITIES

• Fairmont Kea Lani Maui has launched “Inspire Your Energy,” a new fitness and wellness program designed to motivate and challenge all athletes, from beginners to experienced. For the program, the resort’s Energy Ambassador Ty Roberts has personalized wellness experiences and an expansive schedule of daily fitness classes including yoga, Mind Body Barre, boot camp, meditation breathing, and aqua fitness. Personal training sessions with Ty and a team of professional instructors are available to provide customized experiences. Seasonal well-being excursions including floating yoga are also offered. Fairmont.com/KeaLani
• Following the completion of a series of structural repairs, the Haleakalä National Park Headquarters Visitor Center has reopened in time for the 2016 National Park Service Centennial. Situated at the 7,000-foot elevation of Haleakalä volcano, the park visitor center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., and features exhibits showcasing the park’s cultural and natural history. Naturalists are on duty to answer questions and help visitors make the most of their visit to the park. NPS.gov/HALE
• After 237 years away, a long lost treasure from the era of Kalaniöpuu, a ruling chief of Hawaii Island in the mid-1700s, was recently returned and is now on exhibit at Oahu’s Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum. Gifted to British explorer Capt. James Cook by Kalaniöpuu in 1779, the chief’s royal ahu ula (feathered cloak) and mahiole(feathered helmet) recently became a featured part of the museum’s new exhibit, “Ha Nae Äkea: Bound Together.” The treasured pieces are of great intrinsic and spiritual significance to the Hawaiian culture. The ahu ula, mahiole, and all other featherwork were reserved exclusively for use by alii (royalty), symbolizing their chiefly divinity, rank, and power. Chief Kalaniöpuu’s cloak was crafted from the feathers of an estimated 20,000 birds and is valued at more than $6 million. BishopMuseum.org
• Hawaii Forest & Trail has added two new waterfall adventures to its Hawaii Island tour line-up: “Swim Kohala Waterfalls” and “Hilo Tropical Waterfalls.” “Swim Kohala” loads guests into an open-air, six-wheel Pinzgauer all-terrain vehicle for a short off-road drive to a relaxing Kohala district trail, leading to dramatic views of verdant Pololü Valley. On the “Hilo Tropical Waterfalls” tour, guests get into customized vehicles for a road trip on Hawaii Island’s old backroads and scenic byways before enjoying exclusive access to a 1,000-acre tropical fruit farm. While on the farm, guests enjoy a locally sourced lunch while taking in views of waterfalls and lush tropical vegetation. After that, the only decision left for guests is whether to stand-up paddle, kayak or swim beneath the farm’s private 120-foot waterfall, or simply take in its beauty. Hawaii-Forest.com
• KapohoKine Adventures has entered a new and exclusive partnership with Volcano Winery aimed at bringing more attention to the importance of creating a self-sufficient and sustainable future. KapohoKine Adventures’ tour guests planning to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park will now have an opportunity to enjoy a private group vineyard tour, wine tasting, and catered dinner at Volcano Winery. The vintner produces a distinctive array of wines available only in the Hawaiian Islands. KapohoKine Adventures’ most popular tours incorporating visits to Volcano Winery include: “Kilauea Hike ‘n Glow” (which features a 4-mile crater hike), “Evening Volcano Explorer,” and “Zippin’ Volcano.” KapohoKine.com
• Maui Nei Native Expeditions has introduced a new “Discover Old Hawaii” tour immersing guests in Hawaiian cultural arts. The 3 ½   hour interactive program teaches guests about Hawaiian cultural arts and skills as they listen to stories of Lahaina’s sacred sites and traditional ways of life during the town’s early years. At each site, a kumu (teacher) guides guests on the creation of a cultural item using traditional methods of old Hawaii. Guests will also hear stories of places significant to Lahaina’s history as they move from site to site. Cultural arts and traditional skills taught in the program include ohe hano ihu (bamboo nose flute making), ohe käpala (bamboo print stamping), kalo (taro) cultivation and poi pounding, läau lapaau (traditional discipline of medicinal plants and their uses), and hula kahiko (ancient dance). MauiNei.com
• MauiWine is completing its yearlong historical restoration of the structure fondly known to Upcountry Maui residents as the “Old Jail.” Originally built in the 1850s and once the office of Capt. James Makee, the origins of the structure’s nickname are found in old plantation and ranching era stories telling of its use as a holding place for wrongdoers awaiting transport to the county jail. After being closed for 20 years, the jail will be reopened for MauiWine’s new King’s Visit – an exclusive tour and tasting experience of its Ulupalakua Vineyards small production and estate-grown wines. MauiWine.com
• The Original Donkey Balls Factory and Store, Kona’s beloved chocolate factory, announces new tours of its two manufacturing locations. The 45-minute tours are offered Monday through Friday, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and begin with a walk through the store and introduction to the products crafted behind its interior glass window. Guests on the tour will see and learn about the confections each piece of machinery creates and visit a “behind-the-scenes manufacturing” location across the street from the store. Visitors will also see the store and factory’s chocolate panning, packaging and labeling systems, with samples provided throughout the tour.AlohaHawaiianStore.com
• Adjacent to the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa, the Poipu Bay Golf Course has announced a new “7-Hole Stretch” program focusing play on the course’s first seven golf holes. In contrast to the common nine-hole specials offered by most courses, the Poipu Bay Golf Course “7-Hole Stretch” program aims to satisfy golfers on a tight budgets or schedules. The “7-Hole Stretch” program includes play on course holes one through seven, warm up range balls, green and cart fees, GPS, and bottled water. With the seventh hole finishing at the Poipu Bay Clubhouse, golfers can swiftly checkout from play and be on their way. PoipuBayGolf.com
• SpaHalekulani at the Halekulani resort recently expanded its Living-Well Program with a new series of hour-long, wellness-themed lectures led by in-house lifestyle coach, Kamala Skipper. The lectures are complimentary for Halekulani guests. For non-hotel guests, the cost to participate is $25 per session and each paying guest will receive a $25 SpaHalekulani gift certificate for future spa services. The lecture series takes place on the third Thursday of every month throughout 2016. Select themes include “Being Well in a Stressful World,” “Detox 101,” and “Digestive Health.” Halekulani.com
• Nestled above Waimea Valley on the North Shore, Sunset Ranch is one of the most exclusive private estates on Oahu. The 30-acre property is home to a horse ranch, coffee and citrus farm, aquaculture site and botanical garden, and features spectacular ocean and mountain views of the northwest side of the island. Sunset Ranch is available for site tours designed to offer visitors a unique opportunity to learn about the history of the ranch, land conservation, sustainability, and Hawaiian history and culture. SunsetRanchHawaii.com

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

• Mele Mei is an annual celebration of Hawaii’s music, hula, and culture. This year’s 6^th annual Mele Mei Celebration will span the months of April, May, and June, and will again feature some of Hawaii’s best musicians. Performers will include Nä Hökü Hanohano award-winning artists and Lifetime Achievement Award honorees such as John Keawe, Henry Kapono, and Raiatea Helm. MeleMei.com
• The Waikiki Spam^® Jam is an annual street festival celebrating Hawaii’s ongoing love affair with the famous pink canned meat from Austin, Minnesota. Frequently rated one of the top annual food festivals in Hawaii, the free and open to the public event happens in the heart of Waikïkï on April 30, with local restaurants offering creative Spam^® dishes, live entertainment, and various arts and crafts by local artisans. Spam^® Jam is a great event for all ages. SpamJamHawaii.com
• The humble lei is one of Hawaii’s most emblematic symbols. Lei Day, a full 24 hours set aside each year on May 1 to celebrate the wearing and giving of lei, has been a part of island life since 1927. On Oahu, Lei Day events are held at Kapiolani Park in Waikïkï honoring lei and the traditions surrounding it. Festivities include pageants and competitions for lei queen, and, of course, the creation of colorful and fragrant flower lei. On May 6, the Kauai Museum hosts its May Day Lei Contest, one of the largest lei-making competitions in the state, showcasing several interpretations of lei. All participants are encouraged by the museum to preserve the äina (land) and use cultivated lei materials.
• More than a quarter of a million LEGO^® bricks are coming to Kauai for the record-breaking Nature Connects: Art with LEGO^® Bricks exhibit. The traveling exhibit, created by artist Sean Kenney, will feature 14 nature-themed sculptures created with more than 378,000 individual LEGO^® bricks. The exhibit’s first showing in Hawaii will be hosted by the National Tropical Botanical Garden’s flagship McBryde Garden in Köloa, from May 6 through July 10. NTBG.org
• Skill will again take center stage at the Polynesian Cultural Center this spring as competitors from around the world showcase the art of Samoan fireknife dancing at the annual World Fireknife Dance Competition on Oahu. From May 12 through 14, the most exciting and daring dancers will spin and toss their flame-lit knives – and avoid being singed – while competing for the honor and title of World Fireknife Champion. Polynesia.com
• The 5^th annual Big Island Chocolate Festival is set for May 13 and 14, with the theme, “Lavalicious: A Chocolate Salute to the 100^th Birthday of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.” Events will be headquartered at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel on the island’s Kohala Coast. Chocolate fun will include a cacao plantation tour at the Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory, a collegiate culinary competition, and foodie and agriculture-themed seminars. Festival activities will culminate with an indoor-outdoor gala featuring sweet and savory tastes from top island chefs, chocolatiers, and confectioners. Other activities and features of the festival are chocolate body painting, a large volcano made from fine chocolate, and culinary booths decorated to celebrate the festival’s centennial theme. BigIslandChocolateFestival.com
• One of the most prestigious festivals of its kind in Hawaii, the Kapalua Wine & Food Festival celebrates the art of wine and fine food with a four-day culinary extravaganza. The festival, happening June 9 through 12 on Maui, is inspired by innovation and excellence, exploring some of the most exciting trends in the wine and gastronomic world. The festival brings together world-renowned winemakers, top master sommeliers, celebrated chefs, and industry insiders in fun seminars, themed tastings, and evening gala events. KapaluaWineAndFoodFestival.com
• The first Honolulu Biennial, set for spring 2017, will bring in a wide range of international artists to engage with the rich cultural diversity of the Hawaiian Islands, and exhibit their art alongside works by local artists. Curated by Fumio Nanjo, director of Tokyo’s Mori Art Museum, the Honolulu Biennial will include indoor works and outdoor installations presented across a range of community, historic, public, and unconventional spaces. The Biennial is also kicking off a special preview program with the installation of Yayoi Kusama’s multi-piece sculpture, “Footprints of Life,” presented in partnership with The Howard Hughes Corporation and Ward Village.HonoluluBiennial.org

TRANSPORTATION

• Hawaiian Airlines has increased service between Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Lïhue Airport (LIH), recognizing Kauai’s steadily rising visitor statistics. Hawaiian Airlines will begin service with three weekly flights between LAX and LIH airports, marking the first time the carrier has offered direct service to the island of Kauai outside of its seasonal schedule. Flights will increase to four-times daily for a short period in May, becoming daily in summer 2016. HawaiianAirlines.com.
• Ohana by Hawaiian, Hawaiian Airlines’ interisland subsidiary carrier, plans to add daily flights between Oahu and Länai beginning May 16. Ohana by Hawaiian will operate five flights per day between Honolulu International Airport (HNL) and Länai Airport (LNY) utilizing its 48-seat ATR-42 aircraft. Hawaii Island father and son artists, Sig Zane and Kuhao Zane, designed the aircraft’s colorful livery. HawaiianAirlines.com
• Island Air now offers 224 convenient flights each week between Oahu, Maui, Länai, and Kauai on its 64-seat ATR-72 aircraft, giving passengers captivating, up-close views of Hawaii’s remarkable landscapes. The carrier also recently restored its interisland service between Honolulu International Airport (HNL) and Lïhue Airport (LIH), offering six daily round-trip flights with connections to Kahului, Maui. IslandAir.com
• Celebrating its 20^th anniversary in 2016, WestJet recently launched service from Alberta, Canada, to Hawaii, flying two of its Boeing 767-300 extended-range aircraft from Calgary and Edmonton, to Honolulu, Oahu, and Kahului, Maui. Each aircraft seats 262 passengers and includes a Plus cabin with 24 premium seats in a two-by-two configuration. The main cabin has 238 seats, with two seats on either side of the aircraft and three in the middle. One of the carrier’s 767-300s flying to Hawaii will be equipped with WestJet Connect, the airline’s new inflight entertainment and wireless connectivity system; the other will feature tablets loaded with movies and popular television shows. Both aircraft will be equipped with WestJet Connect in spring 2016. WestJet.com

ACCOLADES

• Forbes Travel Guide announces its Global Star Ratings annually, awarding Five Star, Four Star, or Recommended ratings only to properties meeting Forbes’ hospitality standards. The travel guide’s professional inspectors visit every property rated, evaluating each on more than 500 criteria to determine Star Ratings. The ratings take the guesswork out of travel planning and establish a global benchmark for luxury travel. The Hawaii establishments below were awarded star ratings from Forbes Travel Guide:
  • Five Star Properties:
    • Montage Kapalua Bay (Maui)
    • Four Seasons Maui at Wailea (Maui)
  • Five Star Restaurants:
    • La Mer at Halekulani (Oahu)
  • Four Star Properties:
    • The St. Regis Princeville Resort (Kauai)
    • Halekulani (Oahu)
    • The Kahala Hotel & Resort (Oahu)
    • The Modern Honolulu (Oahu)
    • The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua (Maui)
  • Four Star Restaurants:
    • Chef Mavro (Oahu)
    • Orchid’s (Oahu)
    • Cane & Canoe (Maui)
    • Spago (Maui)
    • Ulu Ocean Grill and Sushi Lounge (Hawaii Island)
  • Four Star Spas:
    • Halelea Spa (Kauai)
    • The Kahala Spa (Oahu)
    • SpaHalekulani (Oahu)
    • The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea (Maui)
    • Spa Grande (Maui)
    • Spa Montage Kapalua Bay (Maui)

For more information, visit Forbes.com/Travel.

• Kona on Hawaii Island has been selected one of the Top 10 Trending Destinations by the KAYAK 2016 Travel Hacker Guide. The guide is curated by a team of data scientists at KAYAK, the world’s leading travel search engine, who analyzed the site’s 1 billion-plus annual searches to identify 2016 travel trends and insights. Kayak.com