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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.C.R. NO. |
288 |
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TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM, THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY, AND THE HAWAII VISITORS AND CONVENTION BUREAU TO CONDUCT ACTIVITIES TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF VISITORS FROM TAIWAN.
WHEREAS, in 2006, 593,000 visitors from Taiwan arrived in the United States (U.S.); and
WHEREAS, Taiwan travelers to the U.S. represented only 6.8 percent of the total outbound travelers from Taiwan; and
WHEREAS, the U.S.'s 6.8 percent share of all outbound Taiwan travelers was less than the U.S.'s 10.0 percent share of outbound Taiwan travelers in previous years; and
WHEREAS, the number of Taiwanese visitors to Hawaii in 2006 was not a significant percentage of all visitors, approximately 15,450 visitors; and
WHEREAS, data indicates that the Taiwan market may be a potential source of new visitors to Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, diversification of the tourism markets from which Hawaii draws visitors is a logical and important public policy goal necessary to provide some protection for the State's economy; and
WHEREAS, activities should be undertaken by the State and tourism industry to promote Hawaii as a destination for visitors from Taiwan; activities to promote travel from Taiwan to Hawaii would be especially appropriate since the peoples of Taiwan and Hawaii have much in common; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT), Hawaii Tourism Authority, and Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau are requested to undertake activities to increase the number of visitors from Taiwan who travel to the State to the maximum extent possible; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DBEDT is requested to work with the appropriate U.S. government agencies to ease the travel requirements for visitors from Taiwan; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security is requested to offer a visa waiver program to visitors from Taiwan; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DBEDT is requested to find local products suitable for exportation to Taiwan; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Director of USCIS, Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, Chairperson of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, President of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, and Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office.
Tourism; Taiwan Visitors