Posted on: Tuesday, February 25, 2003

EDITORIAL
With war near, we must have tourism plan

While it important that local tourism officials have a contingency plan in place in the event war breaks out, our best efforts cannot wait until that day arrives.

It is important that proactive messages and the right kind of marketing take place now, not on the day after the war begins.

Staff writer Kelly Yamanouchi reports that officials of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority have begun planning for the post-war market. Plans include canceling or postponing events, shifting some marketing to the West Coast, which was the most responsive market after the Gulf War and 9/11, and tempering our message in the important Japan market.

All of that makes sense. It is clear that some important lessons were learned from the Gulf War and 9/11 experiences.

The Japanese market is particularly sensitive. Many Japanese travelers canceled or put off trips to Hawai'i during the war, not because they were afraid or because they could not afford it, but because they felt it would be unethical to vacation in the Islands while Americans were fighting abroad.

Unless we do some fairly sophisticated advance work, that scenario is likely to repeat.

Those who know the Japanese market say it is possible, and even important, to get the message across that it is both ethical and appreciated to continue travel to Hawai'i during a war. The point to make is that visiting the Islands can be a way of showing support and solidarity with Americans during a difficult time.

But the message — which should include statements from top officials such as the governor, the mayor or even our congressional delegation — should be going out now, not after war begins.

Most Japanese travelers book their trips long in advance. Decisions about trips to be made months hence are being made today. In the absence of any strong message to the contrary, it is likely that some potential visitors are even now reconsidering their trip to Hawai'i.

That means they need to hear, now, that their visit will be welcomed even if the United States is at war.

Granted, this is a delicate message to convey. Hawai'i does not want to come across as more concerned about its own well-being than the security of the nation and the world. But communicated properly, the right message today may help our visitor industry weather the difficult storm just ahead.