STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1344

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 273

       S.D. 1

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2011

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committees on Tourism and Education, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 273 entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE SCHOOL OF TRAVEL INDUSTRY MANAGEMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII AT MANOA TO DEVELOP ENHANCEMENTS FOR THE TOURISM-RELATED CAPABILITIES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII ECONOMIC RESEARCH ORGANIZATION DATA PORTAL,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to request the School of Travel Industry Management at the University of Hawaii at Manoa to develop enhancements for the tourism-related capabilities of the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization Data Portal, develop an online tutorial, and provide regular in-person training seminars to visitor industry professionals on how to use the Data Portal to assist in decision-making.  The intent of this measure is to provide additional market analysis tools to assist industry professionals in making business decisions to further enhance Hawaii's tourism industry.

     Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization and the School of Travel Industry Management at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. 

     Your Committees find that the volatile nature of the travel and tourism industries requires that professionals in these fields have a clear understanding of market data and trends and how to use such data and trends in short- and long-term strategic business planning and management.  This measure will provide system enhancements to assist industry professionals in the deliverance of quality tourism services and market planning.  Your Committees also find that there is a need for greater efficiency with respect to the way travel-related data is entered and stored in order to prevent the duplication of services, streamline the data entry process, and save taxpayer money.

     Accordingly, your Committees have amended this measure by:

     (1)  Requesting the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, and the Hawaii Tourism Authority to work together to examine ways to consolidate the data portals currently used to store and monitor tourism-related data in order to:

          (A)  Prevent the duplication of services;

          (B)  Eliminate wasteful spending that occurs at the taxpayers' expense; and

          (C)  Ensure that the data is stored and monitored in the most effective and cost-efficient manner for the State of Hawaii;

     (2)  Requesting the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, and the Hawaii Tourism Authority to submit a report to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2012 Regular Session summarizing their findings and recommendations on ways to consolidate the data portals;

     (3)  Amending its title accordingly; and

     (4)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Tourism and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 273, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 273, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Tourism and Education,

____________________________ JILL TOKUDA, Chair

____________________________ DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair