Curtin said from the Four Seasons lobby, which overlooks the Pacific Ocean with a view of the West Maui mountains, Lanai and Molokai in the distance. Curtin personally knows the islands and has been visiting the state as an executive in the bridal magazine industry since the early '80s. Marsha Weinert, executive director of the Maui Visitors Bureau, said the Maui industry decided about 15 years ago to target the honeymoon market. She said the bureau is definitely continuing the campaign. Weinert added that there is potential for more growth, which the bureau has been studying.
Several factors contribute to the growth in the wedding and honeymoon markets.
Curtin said it is fashionable for a couple to say they're going away to get married. Surveys show that couples consider Hawaii and Maui to be beautiful places to visit and a couple's criteria for a wedding site includes natural scenery, warm climate and outdoor activities. A recent Maui controversy was resolved in favor of more wedding options, with the settlement between west side wedding coordinator Sandy Barker and the state over use of beaches for weddings. The state last month agreed that a wedding planner did not need a permit to hold a wedding on the beach. A beach wedding is an attractive option and causes no harm to the beach, supporters said.