Hawaii Tourism Officials Are Seeking ‘Mindful, Respectful And High-Value Travelers’ … The state tourism authority is asking the Legislature for funding to rebrand Hawaii and attract visitors who might volunteer to plant trees, clean beaches and care for taro patches.
Gov. David Ige’s administration has requested tens of millions of dollars in state funding to help reshape the way visitors view Hawaii, in hopes that more thoughtful tourists ultimately will boost resident sentiment about tourism in the islands.
All told the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s $60 million request for operations next fiscal year, which starts July 1, includes $34.2 million for activities related to branding, including separate programs related to Hawaiian culture, natural resources and community.
Another $14.4 million would be spent to support HTA’s global marketing team.
“To reiterate, the focus is on pre- and post-visitor education in key visitor source markets about Hawai‘i’s value proposition and their kuleana to mālama our people and place when they visit the state; attracting mindful, respectful and high-value travelers,” HTA said in a statement.
