© Honolulu KHNL International travelers in 2019 account for about a third of the $17 billion in tourism revenue that evaporated over the past year and a half, executive director of the University of Hawaii Institute for Economic Research Carl Bonham said. .HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Current Governor Josh Green says he will make a deal to end a dispute over tourism marketing in Hawaii.
This is despite recent attempts by Egy's management to extend the agreement.
In October, after two competing bids, the state declared an end to a dispute over a $40 million Hawaii tourism marketing and management contract shared by the Hawaii Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Hawaii Local Development Board.
Hawaii Tourism Authority executive director John D. The discussion and negotiation process brought the two organizations closer together, said Fries, Hawaii's chief marketing officer.
"We both found value in each other along the way," de Vries told Howard Decas on Hawaii News Now Sunrise. "Not only in global marketing, but also in tourism management as we move forward."
On Monday, with just four days left in the Ige administration, state business, economic development and tourism director Mike McCartney told the senators there would be a different application process. The motion immediately moved to annul the CNHA award.
"I have preliminary documents that I will sign here today and I will move forward with implementing the recommendations," McCartney said.
He also said that mediation efforts and discussions with prosecutors concluded that awarding the contracts would avoid further difficulties, potential litigation and new uncertainties about the procurement process.
What we are achieving is better defining what is marketing and what is target marketing.”
But Republican State Sen. Kurt Favela said he opposes repealing the CNHA award despite HVCB's calls, saying opposition to the CNHA is resistance to equal opportunity for Native Hawaiians.
"Hawaiians are still biting the dust, Mike," the favela exclaimed.
"We talk about it all the time. When are we going to be in the same ballpark as everyone else? No one wants Hawaiians to have that much money, and that's the truth."
Other senators questioned why a tourism authority was needed if all marketing decisions were made by government officials. Senator Donovan DelaCruz, chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, asked why McCartney had not presented his plan to Hizb ut-Tahrir's board.
McCartney said he would "take the matter under supervision" and later agreed that he would not be able to meet with the board until he resigned next Monday. Green will open today.
Greene told Hawaii News that he will now seek a faster resolution than a new proposal.
"I think both sides are happy to come to an agreement," Green said. “I don't want to spend resources on our work. I don't want to waste time waiting for the tour operator. So let's go now.”
Green said Brock Wilson, DBEDT's new director and chief of staff, will be responsible for closing the deal and is open to splitting the contract between the two competing agencies.