Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Tourism, to which was referred Governor's Message No. 550, submitting for study and consideration the nomination of:

begs leave to report as follows:

Your Committee received testimony in support of the nominee from the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA); Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Japan Airlines; JTB Hawaii, Inc.; JALPAK International Hawaii, Inc.; Pleasant Holidays; Aston Hotels & Resorts; The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.; Hyatt Resorts; Outrigger Hotels & Resorts; Ala Moana Hotel; Hospitality Solutions; Japan-America Society of Hawaii; Kobayashi Travel Service and Polynesian Hospitality; 21st Century Group, Inc.; JTB Hawaii, Inc.; and Ko Olina Resort & Marina.

LEON D. YOSHIDA is President of Sawayaka Hawaii, Inc., a Japanese in-bound travel company located in Waikiki. He is also currently the Executive Director of the Honolulu Festival Foundation and President of Kagari Inc. Mr. Yoshida is founder of Hospitality Solutions, L.L.C., which provides an Internet-based program to allow travel wholesalers to book group business. His previous employment was with Hyatt Resorts Hawaii as Director of Sales and Marketing for Asia-Pacific, and Del E. Webb's Kuilima Resort Hotel & Country Club as Sales Manager. His professional affiliations include the Japan-America Society of Hawaii, Japan-Hawaii Travel Association, and Request for Proposals Review Committee and Advisor for the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

To ensure that nominees to the HTA are sincere and dedicated to the purpose and goals of the HTA, your Committee has consistently asked all nominees to submit to the Committee a written vision statement. The purpose of the vision statement is for nominees to take the time to reflect and determine if they are willing to provide the time and effort that is required for the position. Furthermore, the vision statement is a tool for the Committee to assess the nominee's dedication and determination, which are indicative of whether the nominee would be an asset to the board of directors of the HTA.

Your Committee notes the vision statement of the nominee that he sees his role as being able to contribute his thirty-three years' experience in the visitor industry, particularly in regard to hotels and the Japan market, to the improvement of the operations of the HTA. He cites some of the challenges facing the HTA, including improving the tourism product to ensure repeat visitors, safety and security for all visitors, appearance of our international airports, and access to neighbor island travel for visitors from Japan. His written statement indicated he believes there is a need to address the competition for visitors from Japan from such places as China and Korea, which have growing tourism markets.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominee, has found the nominee to be qualified for the position to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nomination.