STAND. COM. REP. NO. 135-04

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2004

RE: H.B. No. 2863

H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2004

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Tourism and Culture, to which was referred H.B. No. 2863 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to clarify the responsibilities of the Hawaii Tourism Authority (Authority) by:

(1) Correcting discrepancies in the law relating to:

(a) Whether or not the Authority is mandated or has the discretion to develop a tourism strategic marketing plan; and

(b) Whether the plan is the "tourism marketing plan," "state tourism strategic marketing plan," "long-range plan for tourism in Hawaii," or "strategic tourism marketing plan";

(2) Making the statutory responsibilities of the Authority consistent with ongoing activity under its long range strategic plan, called Ke Kumu; and

(3) Including techno-tourism in the Authority's marketing plan and removing language that is not integrated with the Authority's listed marketing plan duties.

The Authority submitted testimony in support of this measure with amendments. The Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism offered comments on this measure.

Your Committee has amended this bill by:

(1) Clarifying that the Authority has a duty to create a vision and develop a long-range strategic plan for tourism in Hawaii;

(2) Requiring the Authority to update their annual Tourism

Marketing Plan every year;

(3) Specifying other niche markets such as wellness, agriculture, and nature tourism, that are included with technology tourism in the group of new products whose development by the counties and the public and private sectors is to be coordinated by the Authority; and

(5) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism and Culture that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2863, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2863, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

 

____________________________

JERRY L. CHANG, Chair