HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	194
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

requesting the establishment of a task force to study language accessibility within the tourism industry in hawaii.

     WHEREAS, tourism is a major source of economic activity in Hawaii; and

     WHEREAS, tourism continues to decline due to the weakened economy; and

     WHEREAS, the development of a broader foundation for the tourism industry will deflect recession in any one major market; and

     WHEREAS, on November 17, 2008, the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) was expanded to include the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Republic of Korea, and Slovak Republic; and

     WHEREAS, various sources predict that the VWP expansion will result in an increase in the number of travelers from Korea to Hawaii by as much as 200 percent within the next few years; and

     WHEREAS, diversifying Hawaii's tourism industry to accommodate a substantial Korean market-base will develop a broader foundation for the tourism industry in Hawaii as a whole; and

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's tourism industry may also benefit from an emerging Chinese visitor market; and

     WHEREAS, visitor arrivals from China to Hawaii grew 105 percent between 1997 and 2007; and

     WHEREAS, in 2008, 55,000 arrivals from China were reported and tourism officials have expressed hope that Chinese arrivals reach 250,000 annually by 2014; and

     WHEREAS, an influx of Korean and Chinese visitors will require broader language access infrastructure in Hawaii; and

     WHEREAS, specific requirements to accommodate the anticipated increase in the number of Korean and Chinese visitors needs to be determined; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, the Senate concurring, that the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President of the Senate are requested to establish a task force to study language accessibility within the tourism industry in Hawaii, particularly with regard to the anticipated increase in visitors from Korea and China; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force include members of the Legislature, representatives of Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), the Department of Transportation, Office of Language Access (OLA), and tourism-related private sector industries such as the hotel industry, car rental industry, and restaurant industry; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to select a chairperson from among its members; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to:

     (1)  Evaluate current language accessibility in the visitor industry, including airports and private sector tourism-related industries;

     (2)  Report on current practice and the anticipated needs to accommodate the anticipated influx of tourists from Korea and China; and

     (3)  Study the cost of implementing services related to providing increased Korean and Chinese language access;

and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit its findings and recommendations, including cost estimates and any necessary legislation, to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2010; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President and Chief Executive Officer of HTA, Director of Transportation, and Executive Director of OLA.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Task Force; Language Access; Tourism Industry