Posted on: Friday, August 6, 2004

Tourism office gets Chinese approval

Advertiser Staff

The Chinese government has cleared the way for Hawai'i to open a tourism office in Beijing, making the state just the second in the nation to receive such approval.

Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, received word of the approval during a recent business and tourism development trip to China that included meetings with various Chinese officials.

"We created a great deal of momentum during the trip, which should result in substantial economic development for our state in the years ahead," Aiona said in a statement.

Nevada is the only other state licensed to do business in China, receiving its approval on June 11.

Aiona was part of a delegation led by the Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism that met with government ministers and business executives last month in Shanghai, Beijing, and Tianjin.

During the trip, a group of companies, including the architectural firm of Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo. and business consultant revaComm, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Geely Holding Co., one of China's top 10 private holding companies, to develop a resort on Hainan Island in the South China Sea.

Aiona also presided over the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the University of Hawai'i Travel Industry Management School and Nankai University in Tianjin to develop exchange programs.

In addition, more than 100 Chinese companies met with representatives from 24 Hawaii firms.