As the global economy weakens, the Hawaii Tourism Authority is working to maintain and increase visitor numbers to Hawaii.

"We find ourselves amidst an abundance of opinions of what we should do," said David Uchiyama, vice president of tourism marketing at HTA. "We need to expose and show the world the richness we have to offer in the travel market."

HTA will launch an e-learning Web site to inform travel agents about Hawaii, promote the state's 50th anniversary and offer incentives to make Hawaii a business-meeting destination.

More than 40 people attended the 2009 Hawaii Tourism Authority's marketing update Friday afternoon at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel.

Travel to Hawaii from abroad is down from every region, presenters said. However, Michael Merner, managing director of Hawaii Tourism Asia, said the easing of travel restrictions in Korea and China should bring more visitors to Hawaii.

Korean travel to the U.S. is down just 3.4 percent, while visitors from Japan are down 7.7 percent from 2007.

"Korea is rapidly catching up to Japan," Merner said. "The visa waiver is going to drive more Koreans to Hawaii. We're expecting a doubling of the number of Korean visitors in the next three years."

Merner said the number of Chinese travelers to Hawaii will rise as government restrictions on travel agents are lifted.

In celebration of the state's 50th anniversary, Hawaii Tourism Japan and Hawaii Tourism Oceania, are marketing the "Hawaii 50 Select" campaign that promotes 50 attractions in the state, including 12 on the Big Island.

HTA is also providing incentives to increase repeat visitors to the islands, including drawings for free air travel to Hawaii and special wedding incentives to Japanese visitors, said Lea Okudara with Hawaii Tourism Japan.

Neil Mullanaphy, Hawaii Convention Center executive director of sales and marketing, said incentives such as half off convention center rentals, 50 free round-trip airline tickets and $50,000 in destination support will be offered to corporations and associations that book meetings this year.

The e-learning Web site, expected to be up by the end of the month, will provide travel agents with information to help sell packages to bring visitors to the islands, Okudara said.

The program will initially be available only to Japanese and European travel agents, she said.