• $100,000 to help start a statewide National Heritage Corridor program to designate areas such as Hanalei, the Hamakua Coast and Waikiki as heritage corridors.

The designation would link tourist areas through a common system of signs and marketing. The goal is to get money from the federal government or other sources to help with the system's refurbishment and interpretive programs.

• Other money for county project grants, sports programs, golf research and marketing, a health and wellness program, a trip to Hawai'i by the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, and fulfilling recommendations from the state's sustainable tourism study.

The $200,000 approved for a Japan visit by the Hokule'a voyaging canoe in 2006 would go toward trip preparations. The voyage would mark the 125th anniversary of King Kalakaua's visit to Japan.

The $1.24 million to be used for the authority's projects is money left over from last year. It includes money returned by one of the authority's marketing firms, the Hawai'i Visitors & Convention Bureau, to correct accounting irregularities raised in a state audit last year.

Also yesterday, the authority elected John Toner, Ko Olina Resort Association executive vice president, as chairman. Nadine Nakamura, principal at NKN Project Planning on Kaua'i, was elected vice chairwoman.

The tourism authority also named board members Marsha Wienert, Gail Haraguchi and Vernon Char to a sports investigative committee that will discuss how the authority can use sporting events in its tourism marketing. Ideas include establishing a sports commission or group or hiring a sports marketing specialist.

PBR Hawai'i presented an assessment of the state's natural resources, commissioned by the authority, pointing to needed improvements at popular visitor spots. According to the assessment, areas on O'ahu most in need of upgrading are the Diamond Head Lighthouse Overlook, Diamond Head State Monument, La'ie Point State Wayside, Makapu'u State Wayside, Manoa Falls and Pupukea Beach Park. The estimated cost of those improvements is nearly $1.5 million.

On Maui, the spots most in need of improvement are 'Ahihi-Kina'u Natural Area Reserve, Honolua Bay and Mokule'ia Bay, Kama'ole III Beach Park, Kaumahina State Wayside and Wai'anapanapa State Park — at cost about $1.6 million.

Problem areas targeted on the Big Island are Akaka Falls State Park, Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area, Kealakekua Bay State Cultural Park, Punalu'u Beach Park and Waipi'o Lookout — at an estimated cost of $2.5 million.

Other locations in need of fixing up include the Luahiwa Petroglyphs on Lana'i and Pala'au State Park Lookout on Moloka'i.