The End Of The Hawaii Tourism Authority? Lawmakers May Pull The Plug 0 The 25-year-old agency has been under growing scrutiny in recent months.

Citing public concerns over a botched attempt to award the state’s most important tourism marketing contract and ever-increasing numbers of visitors crowding beaches, streets and hiking trails, lawmakers are moving to dramatically reshape the agency in charge of marketing Hawaii as a tourist destination.

Measures proposed in the House and Senate differ in several ways but share a common goal: to essentially eliminate the Hawaii Tourism Authority and replace it with an agency focused on destination management.

Rep. Sean Quinlan, who authored a House bill, said the tourism authority succeeded in its mission to promote Hawaii.

“They did so well that the public feels we have a few too many tourists and that residents are being crowded out of public resources,” said Quinlan, who also chairs the House Committee on Tourism, which has scheduled a joint hearing on the bill with the House Committee on Economic Development for Thursday.

The End Of The Hawaii Tourism Authority? Lawmakers May Pull The Plug