Editorial
Our potential visitors need a big push

Lawmakers are right to question the crash tourism marketing plan being promoted by the Hawai'i Tourism Authority.

It plans to move up $2 million from next year's funding and then ask the Legislature for an additional $10 million to be matched by private sources.

The authority first wants to target frequent fliers, veterans and seniors — groups known to have a greater propensity to travel — with messages communicating that Hawai'i is a safe and rejuvenating place.

But experienced travelers already know that. What they're waiting for is two things: assurance that air travel is safe, which is largely beyond the ability of the tourism authority to provide; and a good price.

Air travelers have been surprised by the lack of bargain fares. Airlines have just received billions in federal aid, have laid off thousands of workers and, in Hawai'i, have had their landing fees waived.

We can't afford to wait for the airlines to attract visitors with the fare wars and promotions that are recently emerging — as welcome as those are. And it makes little sense to spend millions to place advertising that simply reinforces a well-understood message amid the post-Sept. 11 cacophony of marketing efforts by virtually every tourism destination in the world.

Instead, the state should provide potential visitors with a strong incentive to take a deep breath, brave the heightened security in airports, and enjoy a Hawai'i vacation.

And what would such an incentive look like? Here's one example:

The State of Hawai'i could provide each visitor, in exchange for his or her cancelled airline ticket, a voucher for $100 cash value, good for any purchase in the state. That would make the net price of the trip suddenly much more attractive and, in addition, would virtually ensure that the money recirculated in the Island economy.

Indeed, The Advertiser has received a number of letters from readers suggesting similar solutions.

The tourism authority is right to believe that we must spend money to attract tourists. But let's spend the money in a way that will do some immediate good.

Marketing is important to the state over the long haul. But for the moment, the trick is to identify those who are already willing to travel here and then make sure they do so.