HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

229

TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007

H.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM AND THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY 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 that helps to mitigate the adverse effects of the potentially volatile tourism industry; and

 

     WHEREAS, activities should be undertaken by state government and the tourism industry to promote Hawaii as a destination for visitors from Taiwan, especially in light of the fact that the people of Taiwan and the people of 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, that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) and the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) 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 are requested to offer a visa waiver program to visitors from Taiwan; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DBEDT is requested to develop a list of local products suitable for exportation to Taiwan; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Secretary of Homeland Security, Director of USCIS, Director of DBEDT, Chairperson of the Board of HTA, and Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office.

Report Title: 

Tourism; Taiwan Visitors