Singers join state effort to promote goods in China
By Sean Hao
Advertiser Staff Write
State officials have recruited entertainers Willie K, Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom and Na Leo Pilimehana to help open China's doors to Hawai'i products.
The singers, along with state and business officials, are among those scheduled to travel to Shanghai, China, July 24 to 31 as part of a business and products promotional tour.
LIU
The tab for the trip is expected to amount to around $80,000, with Chinese interests putting up about $45,000, said Ted Liu, director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Liu said his plan is to sell sponsorships to offset the remaining cost to the state.
The entertainers traveling with the state will perform for less than their regular rates. Businesses interested in joining the trip to promote their products will pay their own way, Liu said.
As Liu describes it, local entertainers will be used as the tip of the wedge to generate interest among the Chinese for Hawai'i goods.
"We're leading with our music. Behind the music, we're trying to push these products," he said. "Either you buy the buzz or you have the assets to create it. We have the assets."
Events International, hired to coordinate the trip, will offer a travel package that includes round-trip airfare from Honolulu, accommodations, visa and immigration fees, and airport-to-hotel transportation. The cost of the package has yet to be determined.
For more information, call DBEDT at 586-2364.
