OK, folks — hele on and 'Buy Hawaii'
By Andrew Gomes
Advertiser Staff Writer
A hui of local business associations and government agencies launched a campaign yesterday to encourage Hawai'i consumers and businesses to spend their money on goods and services sold in the state.
The "Buy Hawaii" idea was devised by the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii as a means of helping support their members after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, but grew into a broader campaign in an effort to preserve local jobs, businesses, tax revenues and nonprofit contributions.
"We can have some control over our economic situation by choosing to support ourselves first," said Jim Tollefson, the chamber's acting president and chief executive officer.
Organizers will make available 30,000 Buy Hawaii signs early next week for businesses that want to participate. A Web site is also being developed to post kama'aina specials and a list of goods and services sought or available from Hawai'i sources. The site, at www.buihawaii.info should be on line next week.
A subsequent phase of the campaign will involve asking local businesses to assess how much of their products and services are purchased out of state and encouraging them to purchase locally.
The state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism estimates that a resident planning to spend $500 on a vacation outside the state could generate roughly $2,000 in direct and indirect business revenues and household income by taking an interisland trip instead.
For instance, $100 spent at a local restaurant would generate $179 in additional revenue and $63 in added household income, the agency said. Spending $100 at a local beauty parlor would generate $220 in additional revenue and $127 in added household income.
The department said 29,569 businesses and other organizations— retailers, hotels, airlines, restaurants, attractions, farms, manufacturers and charities, for instance — stand to benefit from the campaign.
"We can have a very meaningful impact on our local economy," said Carol Pregill, president of the Retail Merchants of Hawaii trade association.
Since Sept. 11, more than 16,000 Hawai'i residents have filed for unemployment benefits. The state's two major airlines have cut flight schedules. And the only two locally based cruise ships discontinued service.
State economists have estimated that, depending on the severity of the downturn through December, Hawai'i could lose $492 million to $1.3 billion in gross state product and as many as 24,000 jobs — mainly from an expected 5 to 10 percent reduction in visitor arrivals this year.
"Support local retailers by throwing away your Mainland catalogs, and buying locally," Tollefson said. "Enjoy some of our state's beautiful hotels, resorts and attractions by taking your vacation in Hawai'i. These are very concrete actions that each of us can take that will have a positive impact on Hawai'i's economy."
Partners in the Buy Hawaii campaign are: the chamber, the retail merchants association, Hawaii Restaurant Association, Hawaii Attractions Association, Hawaii Hotel Association, state departments of Agriculture and Business, Economic Development & Tourism, and the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau.
Reach Andrew Gomes at agomes@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8065.
