STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2777

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 3364

S.D. 2

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred S.B. No. 3364, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO DESTINATION MANAGEMENT,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to clarify the Hawaii Tourism Authority's powers and duties.

More specifically, this measure:

(1) Requires the Hawaii Tourism Authority to develop and execute destination management action plans;

(2) Authorizes the Hawaii Tourism Authority to:

(A) Engage the services of qualified persons to implement the State's strategic tourism management plan;

(B) Coordinate the development of certain tourism programs;

(C) Undertake initiatives to enhance the State's tourism industry; and

(D) Enter into certain additional contracts and agreements; and

(3) Renames the Hawaii Tourism Authority's tourism marketing plan as the strategic tourism management plan and amends the required components of the plan.

Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Hawaii Tourism Authority, Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association, Maui Chamber of Commerce, Maui Hotel and Lodging Association, and one individual.

Your Committee finds that requiring the Hawaii Tourism Authority to develop and execute destination management action plans will help to ensure a more coordinated and proactive approach to managing tourism in the State.

Your Committee has amended this measure by changing the effective date to July 1, 2024.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3364, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3364, S.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

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DONOVAN M. DELA CRUZ, Chair