Tourism agency expands mission
By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer
For years the primary mission of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority has been to promote the state as a vacation destination to travelers from the Mainland and abroad.
Now the HTA is expanding its marketing effort to include a campaign aimed at increasing awareness among local residents of the contributions tourism makes to the community and the economy.
The project, which has been allocated $150,000 in financing from HTA, will promote the industry through a series of TV and newspaper ads that showcase programs supported by the industry.
A sample TV commercial, created by Stryker, Weiner & Yokota, was shown at yesterday's monthly HTA meeting.
The rough cut, titled "Working Together," showcased a project partly funded by the Hawai'i Tourism Authority to revitalize the Hawaiian lilies at the Koke'e Natural History Museum on Kaua'i.
"It's beautiful what we can do when we all work together," said a woman's soothing voice at the end. The tagline read "Hawai'i Visitor Industry."
HTA hopes to secure additional money from the business community to support TV commercials, which will be supplemented with half-page newspaper ads and radio spots touting industry-supported projects and programs.
"We've never gone down this road and we need to," said Rex Johnson, Hawai'i Tourism Authority executive director. "We need the community and the visitor industry to be part and parcel of one another, to be a team."
Increasing awareness among residents — considered stakeholders in the industry — of tourism's impact and contribution to the community is part of HTA's statewide Hawai'i Tourism Strategic Plan: 2005-2010.
The plan, which will be voted on at next month's meeting, also includes initiatives to improve access in and around the state, honor the Hawaiian culture, protect natural resources and create a safe environment for visitors.
According to the 2002 Survey of Resident Sentiments on Tourism in Hawai'i, 50 percent of residents say tourism is "mostly good" for the community, down from 58 percent in 1999.
Nearly 90 percent support at least some form of managed growth in tourism, with a majority realizing the industry is a positive contributor to jobs (80 percent), shopping choices (70 percent) and standard of living (67 percent).
Tourism, however, negatively impacts traffic for 54 percent of residents, the survey said. Forty-one percent said crime is another negative outcome of tourism and 35 percent blame the industry for higher cost of housing.
The ads will target four areas of interest to residents: culture, arts, economy and environment.
HTA has implemented a communications plan.
"This is just taking it to the next level," said Frank Haas, HTA marketing director.
Reach Catherine E. Toth at 535-8103 or ctoth@honoluluadvertiser.com.
