HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

72

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

URGING THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY TO DEVELOP AN OVERALL STRATEGY, POLICY, AND PLAN TO AWARD TOURISM PRODUCT ENRICHMENT AND DIVERSIFICATION GRANTS.

 

 

WHEREAS, tourism product enrichment and diversification grants are awarded by the Hawaii Tourism Authority to promote local tourism related programs, events, activities, and attractions; and

WHEREAS, these programs, events, activities, and attractions focus on agriculture, culture, education, health and wellness, ecology and technology; and

WHEREAS, the grants provide island and community organizations with funds to grow and enrich Hawaii's inventory of tourism product offerings; and

WHEREAS, while the grant program has been successful in some areas, it has also had its difficulties, including failure to pay grant awards on a timely basis resulting in some grant winners foregoing their awards causing them needless embarrassment and wasting their time and resources; and

WHEREAS, the grant program appears to be lacking an overall strategy, policy, and plan, as well as the execution of that plan, to ensure the equitable and expeditious distribution of grants to deserving island organizations; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2002, the Senate concurring, that the Hawaii Tourism Authority is urged to develop an overall strategy, policy and plan to award tourism product enrichment and diversification grants; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Tourism Authority in developing an overall strategy:

(1) Consider distributing grants to each county based on need rather than a predetermined percentage formula;

(2) Consider taking steps to ensure that payments for grant awards are issued in a timely manner to enable the projects to meet their financial obligations; and

(3) Consider increasing the total amount allocated for product development funding to reflect the new strategy, policy and plan for tourism product enrichment and diversification;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Tourism Authority consider utilizing a county, private, or nonprofit agency in each county, selected by the respective mayors of each county, to administer the grant program and work under the direction, management review, and oversight of the Hawaii Tourism Authority; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Hawaii Tourism Authority, is requested to report on its progress to the Legislature twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2003; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Executive Director of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, the mayors of each county, and any other interested party identified by the Executive Director of the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

HTA; Tourism Enrichment and Diversification Grants