'Tis the shopping season - even for group travelers on a budget.

The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau is partnering with the Retail Merchants of Hawaii and the Activities and Attractions Association of Hawaii to offer significant savings to groups meeting in Hawaii.

The retail and attraction discounts, which will be honored by hundreds of businesses throughout the islands, are designed to help business travelers get over the hurdle of Hawaii pricing and the boondoggle effect.

As the economy continues to soften, state tourism officials are turning to niche markets like the lucrative business-group segment to offset declines.

While group-market demand is expected to remain strong for the next two years, news of an official U.S. recession has made it more difficult for state marketers to convert the interest into definite bookings.

The joint effort will provide added incentive for groups to book Hawaii for meetings, while enhancing the state's standing as a dual-use destination on the benefits of mixing business with leisure, said Michael Murray, HVCB's vice president of sales and marketing for corporate meetings and incentives.

“;Groups are looking for ways to boost their return on investment and this program is an innovative way to drive attendance and increase travel savings for attendees,”; said Murray. “;We appreciate how Hawaii's retail merchants and activity providers are offering real value to groups that will stretch their budgets and make doing business in Hawaii even more rewarding.”;

Attendees of groups taking part in the program will receive a special flyer qualifying them for retail savings opportunities from Retail Merchants of Hawaii, a nonprofit trade association representing more than 2,000 stores statewide.

“;Retail shopping in Hawaii is an exciting world-class experience for visitors and we're delighted to share the strength of our membership to help motivate groups to book meetings in the islands,”; said Carol Pregill, president of Retail Merchants of Hawaii.

Many retail outlets will offer merchandise discounts up to 20 percent, while some other retailers will offer a free gift with a qualifying purchase.

A3H, an activities and attractions organization with more than 200 members statewide, is offering group attendees the option of purchasing a “;Gold Card”; for the discounted rate of $15. The card, which can be used by four people, provides savings of up to half on admissions or products purchased through its membership.

Using the card can generate hundreds of dollars in savings for group attendees and will help Hawaii's activities and attractions industry generate revenue, said A3H Executive Director Toni Marie Davis.

“;Activities make doing business in Hawaii fun and we are pleased to give groups another reason to book the islands,”; she said. “;This is the best group package that we have ever offered, and it will help attendees stretch their budgets.”;