The success of Marriott Resorts Hawai'i's Spirit of Aloha promotional bus tour of the West Coast, Mid-West and East Coast has the hotel company scheduling new promotional road trips in Japan and the Southwest U.S. states in partnership with Japan Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and the Polynesian Cultural Center.

The plan is for a bus to hit the road Oct. 4-13, 2009 in Japan and Jan. 18- Feb. 12, 2010 in the Southwest.

"Japan and the Southwest U.S. are important markets for Hawai'i that have cooled in the current economy and need stimulating," said Ed Hubennette, Marriott International Vice President for North Asia, Hawai'i and the South Pacific.

Marriott will team up with Japan Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Polynesian Cultural Center on the Japan tour that will launch in September with stops in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, and Niigata. The continuation of the U.S. tour will set off in January 2010 in Phoenix and end in Salt Lake City a month later with stops in Tucson, Albuquerque, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, St. Louis, Omaha, and Denver. Hawaiian Airlines and the Polynesian Cultural Center will partner with Marriott for the tour.

Marriott's first road show traveled 6,775 miles in a 45-foot bus with wrap-around Hawai'i beauty images and included dancers and musicians.

Meanwhile, Hawai'i Tourism Asia is working on Korea contacts. The Fifth Hawaii Travel Mission to Korea took place with 24 Hawaii partners last month — April 14~16.

The first Hawaii Asia Mission is planned in April 2010 combining a full week in Seoul, Shanghai and Beijing in April 2010.