Beautiful Kauai Starred in Four Major Movies in 2011

LIHUE, Kauai, Dec. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With the recent release of The Descendants, starring George Clooney, in theaters nationwide, the beautiful Garden Island of Kauai has now had a starring role in four major movies in 2011.

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Earlier this year, Kauai's sunny weather, spectacular natural beauty, and pristine beaches were also prominently featured in the summer blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, starring Johnny Depp, Just Go With It, starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, and Soul Surfer, the inspiring story of surfer Bethany Hamilton.

"We're truly honored the producers of these four movies found Kauai's abundant tropical beauty and scenic vistas to be essential in telling their stories," said Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kauai Visitors Bureau. "Movie fans are seeing again and again why a visit to Kauai is such an enjoyable and rejuvenating experience." 

As with the other three movies filmed on Kauai this year, The Descendants is expected to be released in theaters internationally, shown on pay-per-view TV, and released on DVD and Blu-ray, furthering the exposure of Kauai's allure to audiences worldwide.

Kauai is a veteran "performer" for Hollywood having served as a location site for more than 60 major movies and TV shows, including favorites like South Pacific; Blue Hawaii; Raiders of the Lost Ark; Jurassic Park; The Thorn Birds; Six Days, Seven Nights; Tropic Thunder; and Avatar.

"Film production crews always enjoy working on Kauai and we love having them come to our island home for location shoots," said Kanoho. "Our people are great about making the crews feel welcome, respecting their privacy, and letting Kauai be a wonderful experience while they are working away from home."

Kauai's nickname as the Garden Island helps explain its appeal to filmmakers – and travelers. The island is green and flourishing with lush flora running from its mountains to the sea, yet Kauai also offers more than 50 miles of white-sand beaches – more beach per mile than any other island in Hawaii.

Kauai offers visitors one natural wonder after another to admire. Two of the most well known are the Napali Coast, with its towering cliffs overlooking the northwest shoreline, and majestic Waimea Canyon, known as "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific."

For more information about Kauai – Hawaii's Island of Discovery – please visit www.kauaidiscovery.com or call the Kauai Visitors Bureau toll-free at (800) 262-1400. Follow Kauai via Twitter (@kauaidiscovery) and as a fan on Facebook (Kauai Visitors Bureau).

The Kauai Visitors Bureau is a division of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, which is contracted by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), the State of Hawaii's tourism agency, for marketing management services in North America. The HTA was established in 1998 to ensure a successful visitor industry well into the future. Its mission is to strategically manage Hawaii tourism in a sustainable manner consistent with the state of Hawaii's economic goals, cultural values, preservation of natural resources, community desires, and visitor industry needs.

SOURCE Kauai Visitors Bureau