Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Tourism, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 24 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to request Hawaii's hotels to provide email and Internet access facilities for guests.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Hawaii Hotel Association.

Your Committee finds that an under-exploited segment of the tourism market is business traveler. Whether visiting Hawaii for a convention or for transacting business, the businessperson needs access to electronic amenities that enable instant communication with their business and other parties. Due to our State's geographic isolation, we must strive to make trips to Hawaii for business and other purposes as convenient as possible. Providing such electronic amenities to our hotels will allay the concerns some business travelers may have over being so far away from their business. An example is the Microsoft commercial, "Business at the speed of thought". Your Committee views this measure as enhancing that objective.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 24 and recommends its adoption.