STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2259

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    S.B. No. 2642

Honorable Shan S. Tsutsui

President of the Senate

Twenty-Sixth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2012

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Tourism, to which was referred S.B. No. 2642 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to appropriate $2,000,000 for the Hawaii Tourism Authority for fiscal year 2012-2013 for initiatives to take advantage of expanded visa programs and increased travel opportunities for international visitors to Hawaii.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Tourism Authority; Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association; Outrigger Hotels; AQUA Hotels and Resorts; Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa; Airlines Committee of Hawaii; Airport Concessionaires Committee; Hawaiian Airlines; ILWU Local 142; Retail Merchants of Hawaii; Enterprise Honolulu; Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc.; Oceanic Time Warner Cable; Atlantis Adventures; PHT, Inc.; Makani Kai Helicopter; Maui Classic Charters; Smith's Motor Boat Service, Inc.; Attractions Association of Hawaii; Polynesia Cultural Center; True Blue Inc.; Dragon Tours and Travel; and three individuals.  Your Committee received comments on this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee finds that the Travel Promotion Act of 2009 was enacted to encourage public-private partnerships to promote international travel to the United States.  The recent announcement by President Obama, and the initiatives of the federal government to make it easier for international travelers to Hawaii through improved visa processing and visa waivers, will be highly beneficial to Hawaii's tourism economy and advance efforts to provide up to an estimated 154,000 jobs.

     Your Committee further finds that the $2,000,000 appropriation in this measure would fund the development and implementation of programs to take advantage of the expanded visa programs and international travel opportunities.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2642 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Tourism,

____________________________

DONNA MERCADO KIM, Chair