Hawaiian Airlines, in partnership with Visit California and Hawaii Tourism Oceania, recently took 10 lucky travel agents on a shopping familiarisation trip to Hawaii and California.

Taking advantage of the strong Aussie dollar and Hawaiian’s generous checked luggage allowance of two bags weighing up to 32 kilograms each, the excited Aussies shopped ‘til they dropped in Hawaii and California.

During the trip the group experienced every shopaholic’s dream, spending two nights each in Sacramento, Sonoma and San Francisco, California, followed by two nights on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, where they were spoilt for choice with more than 290 stores at the Ala Moana Center and bombarded with bargains at the Royal Hawaiian Center.

Pictured at Waikele Premium Outlets in Oahu, Hawaii, from left to right, top to bottom, are: Tania Bevan, Travelscene; Ryan Pedrotti, Travelaction; Stephanie Myers, Byron Cruise and Travel; Joslyn Erickson, My Holiday Centre; Juanita Swigelaar, Specialist Holidays; Lisa Baker, Collins Cruise and Travel; Jo Vella, Hawaiian Airlines; Narelle Cook, Jetset, and Kylie Hibbit, Harvey World Travel.

Hawaiian Airlines operates daily flights from Sydney to Honolulu and from 28 November will operate three weekly flights from Brisbane, with onward connections to the neighbour islands of Maui, Kauai and Hawaii Island, plus 11 US mainland destinations.