Posted on: Tuesday, October 9, 2001

Editorial
Have a spare buck or two? Spend it in Waikiki

By now, we have all heard the message: During these tough times, do your bit for the economy by spending your money at home.

Visit struggling Waikiki for a dinner or a show, take a sunset cruise, pop over to a Neighbor Island for a long weekend. You get the picture.

It's good advice.

Far too many of us have taken our hometown attractions for granted. We save up for those Mainland trips — the Las Vegas jaunt — rather than spending at home.

And now a group of business people have added an interesting twist. The group — Honolulu Executives Association — has come up with something they call "Business Helping Business: The $100 Plan."

It's simplicity itself. They give their employees a crisp $100 bill with instructions to spend it shopping or playing in Waikiki.

Now clearly we can't build a long-term economy around the internal circulation of hundred-dollar bills from one business to another. But as a short-term lifeline to Waikiki, this could help.

And some businesses, obviously, can't afford the hundred-dollar pop right now. But the idea works just as well even if the gift is less, or if it comes in the form of converting ongoing programs into a help-Waikiki operation.

Perhaps the money being planned for a company picnic might instead be used on an officewide visit to Waikiki for lunch or even afternoon tea at a beachfront hotel.

If there is a little bonus program under way for top performance, why not offer the bonus in the form of a coupon for dinner or a show in Waikiki?

The point is that Waikiki is the engine of our tourism industry, which is the centerpiece of our economy. It is vital that we keep it healthy.

In the short run, we can help by giving its attractions a bit of extra attention.

And by the way: tip generously.