SEPTEMBER 2022 E-BULLETIN
“E ke hoa o ke ahe lau makani, halihali ʻala o kuʻu ʻāina.”

The chorus of Ahe Lau Makani, a composition by Queen Liliʻuokalani states: “We, fair one, together, shall enjoy such moments while murmuring wind sweeps over my fatherland.” Ahe Lau Makani was believed to be written in 1868 at Hamohamo, the Queen’s home in Waikīkī. It speaks of the breeze that brushed over the land and warmed her heart as well as the sweet fragrance that brought her joy – a connection perhaps to her principal home there, Paoakalani or “the royal perfume.” A more plainly written piece of the Queen’s complex repertoire, its simplicity seems so fitting as a reflection of the true beauty of Waikīkī at its core where royalty once enjoyed themselves on land and at sea with the simple pleasures in life. Today we honor this place by ensuring these stories continue to bring life to the names of the land and its history, and remind us to Mālama Kuʻu Home — care for our beloved home.

In honor of Queen Liliʻuokalani, whose birthday was September 2, 1838.
Get Ready! 2022 Hawai‘i Tourism Conference Set for December

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) is preparing for its 2022 Hawai‘i Tourism Conference, set for Thursday, December 8, and Friday, December 9, at the Hawai‘i Convention Center. Guided by HTA’s mission of Mālama Ku‘u Home, the two-day event’s schedule will include the Tourism Legacy Awards Luncheon, networking opportunities, and multiple educational sessions focused on topics including destination management progress, cultural tourism, sustainable tourism and research trends. Look for Hawai‘i Tourism Conference registration information and a schedule of events in the months ahead on HTA’s website and via email announcements.
NATURAL RESOURCES
Aloha ‘Āina Project: Kahalu‘u Bay Visitor Educational Video Series

Kahaluʻu Bay is an ecological treasure, providing critical habitat to more than 100 fish species, 29 resident honu and some of the last massive colonies of nearshore brown lobe coral along Hawai‘i Island’s Kona coast. As part of its visitor education and outreach programs, community-based research, conservation and educational organization The Kohala Center recently released “Aloha ‘Āina Kahalu‘u: Caring for a Cherished Place,” a 10-part video series spotlighting Kahalu‘u Bay and ways visitors can respectfully engage within this amazing wahi pana.

Topics addressed in the series include how to be pono when entering the bay and exploring it safely and respectfully, as well as ways to help safeguard the bay’s ecosystem by wearing sun-protective clothing and using only mineral-based sunscreens. You can watch the full video series here.
Aloha ‘Āina Project: Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea

Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea is committed to fostering a comprehensive set of activities with a mission of improving the health of natural and cultural resources at the Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District (MLCD) on O‘ahu’s North Shore. The volunteer nonprofit organization has created a multitude of initiatives supporting this mission, including community education, youth engagement, coastal restoration, volunteer training for the State of Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources’ Makai Watch Program, engagement in its own native plant restoration project, and working with its partners on a management plan for the Pūpūkea MLCD. Learn more about Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea’s efforts here.
HAWAIIAN CULTURE
Did You Know?

In April 1887, prior to the Bayonet Constitution, then Princess Liliʻuokalani and her husband John Dominis joined her brother King Kalākaua and his wife Queen Kapiʻolani in attending the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in London. During this trip, Princess Liliʻuokalani and Queen Kapiʻolani were greeted with much affection by Queen Victoria at Buckingham Palace. Earlier this year on June 2, Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee was celebrated at ʻIolani Palace, commemorating her 70th year on the throne. The late Queen Elizabeth II was the great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Ke aloha pumehana i nā ʻohana aliʻi — sending warm aloha to our royal families.
Aloha Festivals

Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority supports events like the Aloha Festivals because they continue to bring together Hawaiʻi’s people, place, and visitors to partake in pageantry that celebrates tradition and, at its foundation, culture. HTA has been supporting the Aloha Festivals for over 15 years – a series of celebrations that include the presentation of the Royal Court, a hoʻolauleʻa in Waikīkī and its iconic Floral Parade. This year’s parade theme, “Aloha ‘Āina: Love of the Land,” speaks to HTA’s direction of Mālama Ku‘u Home. This belief is reflected in the many community programs HTA supports, and specifically through its Aloha ʻĀina program funding, which gives back to the ʻāina that feeds us.

Mālama Loko Ea Foundation is a past recipient of HTA’s community support program and continues to engage in its Mālama Hawaiʻi program that provides visitors with volunteer opportunities. Appropriately, Mālama Loko Ea Foundation was this year’s parade honoree for providing an educational platform for students and community members to learn and practice land stewardship.

Learn more about our support here.
COMMUNITY
HTA Talks Mālama Ku‘u Home on “Talk Story”

Earlier this month, HTA Chief Brand Officer Kalani Ka‘anā‘anā appeared on Hawai‘i News Now’s “Talk Story” program to share information with host McKenna Maduli about HTA's Mālama Ku‘u Home mission, which focuses on a new, regenerative model of tourism aiming to improve the community's quality of life. With that, it is important to involve our community in the work that HTA does. You can view Kalani’s segment and the rest of the Mālama Ku‘u Home series to learn more.
Destination Management Action Plan Video: Kīpuka Olowalu

Maui-based nonprofit Kīpuka Olowalu is continually working to preserve Olowalu Valley, one of the island’s most treasured Native Hawaiian cultural sites and a thriving ahupua‘a. The organization shares its mālama ‘āina within the Maui community through regular volunteer opportunities and workdays, which bring kama‘āina and malihini together to learn about the wahi pana’s cultural and natural resources. You can learn more about Kīpuka Olowalu’s efforts in the valley in this video.
BRAND MANAGEMENT
HTA Issues Request for Proposals for Japan Market

On September 26, HTA issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking visitor education and brand management services for Japan. Following procurement, the new contract will commence on January 1, 2023, and replace the current contract, which is scheduled to end on December 31, 2022.

The RFP is posted on HTA’s website: www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/rfps/.
Global MCI
CEMA Summit 2022

Meet Hawai‘i ensured Hawai‘i was top-of-mind at the Corporate Event Marketing Association’s annual conference, CEMA Summit 2022, which was held from July 31 to August 3 in Nashville, Tennessee. By sponsoring the daily morning and afternoon refreshment breaks and presenting the Hawai‘i Convention Center video, “Site Inspection Experience,” during the general session, Meet Hawai‘i stayed highly visible to the more than 400 senior-level event marketers and suppliers who gathered to focus on best practices and knowledge sharing.

Recognizing that the inclusion of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities is on the rise, Meet Hawai‘i seized the opportunity to share the unique and rewarding voluntourism experiences available through the Mālama Hawai‘i program during one of the breakout sessions.
American Society of Association Executives Returns in Person

After meeting virtually for the past three years, the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) welcomed more than 5,000 in-person attendees to its 2022 ASAE Annual Meeting & Exposition held from August 20 to 23 in Nashville, Tennessee. Association professionals and industry partners gathered to exchange knowledge, resources, strategies and solutions during the conference.

ASAE recently launched its “Meeting Community Needs” initiative where the organization works with the event host city to identify the most pressing needs in their community. This effort in Nashville allowed ASAE to present Hands On Nashville with a $20,000 donation to make a positive change. It is a common practice for associations to incorporate CSR experiences that give back to the community in their programming, and thus one of the reasons why Meet Hawai‘i focuses on this market segment.

Meet Hawai‘i was accompanied by hotel partners Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikīkī Beach Resort and the Outrigger Kona Resort and Spa. Fresh flower lei were given to over 100 attendees who visited the Hawai‘i booth to learn more about the destination. This event generated 17 potential meeting leads and garnered several contacts to be developed for future opportunities.
Insurance & Financial Services Forum Helps Restore Kō‘ie‘ie Fishpond

Meet Hawai‘i co-sponsored this year’s Insurance & Financial Services Forum put on by Marriott International at the Wailea Beach Resort – Marriott, Maui from August 21 to 25. The resort hosted and welcomed 38 executive-level insurance and financial services meeting professionals.

During the forum, Meet Hawai‘i sponsored a 60-person mālama-focused project to help restore Kō‘ie‘ie Fishpond. This project also aligned with Marriott’s Serve360 commitment to create a positive and sustainable impact wherever they do business. Many of the customers expressed their amazement in working alongside Kumu and Hawaiian Cultural Advisor Kimokeo Kapahulehua and Joylynn Paman, Executive Director of ‘Ao‘ao O Nā Loko I‘a O Maui (Maui Fishpond Association).

Customers had the opportunity to learn traditional methods of passing rocks from ma uka to ma kai, the concepts of an ahupua‘a, the importance of kapu, as well as the ideals of lōkahi, laulima, and mālama. Through this hands-on volunteer experience, participants were able to learn the mo‘olelo of a living cultural treasure. Many of the customers expressed how the overall experience was moving and important to carry through in their own future events in the Islands.

Photo credit: Pacific Dream Photography and Blinnk Photography
Hawai‘i Tourism USA
HTUSA Partners with Hawai‘i TV Broadcasters to Increase Resident Awareness of Regenerative Tourism Efforts

Hawai‘i Tourism USA (HTUSA) partnered with Hawai‘i broadcast TV outlets KHON2 and Hawai‘i News Now, on behalf of HTA, to produce paid media programming segments to reach its communities where they are and share with them HTA’s Mālama Ku‘u Home shift toward regenerative tourism and ways in which tourism-generated dollars directly impact and benefit Hawai‘i’s communities. The segments also share examples of destination management efforts currently being championed by HTA and its partners.

Segments aired throughout September on local programs “Talk Story,” “HI Now,” “Take2,” and “Living808,” and featured statewide community leaders and nonprofits doing the amazing work that they do daily. In addition, HTA’s digital and social media outlets are sharing with residents Mālama Hawai‘i and Kuleana Hawai‘i Travel Tips messaging already being targeted to and viewed by visitors while in Hawai‘i.

In this video, Miki‘ala Lidstone of Ulu A‘e Learning Center shares the importance of cultural stewardship with HI Now host Lacy Deniz.
HTUSA Named ASTA 2022 North American Destination Partner of the Year

The Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau, representing HTUSA, was honored as 2022 North American Destination Partner of the Year by the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) at its annual ASTA Global Convention, held in August in San Francisco.

Voted by ASTA’s membership, the convention’s supplier awards recognize frontline travel advisors and agency owners excelling in caring for their customers, and suppliers exceptionally supportive of the travel industry and agency community. The convention’s attendees — totaling nearly 1,000 this year — include travel advisors, suppliers and industry professionals.

"As travel trade’s premier organization, ASTA strives to promote excellence within the industry,” said ASTA President and CEO Zane Kerby. “We’re pleased to use the occasion of our annual convention to lift up those professionals and companies who make lasting and meaningful contributions to the travel industry."
Hawai‘i Tourism Japan
HTJ Hosts Instagram Live with Popular Mālama Hawaiʻi Ambassador and Influencer

On July 24, Hawai‘i Tourism Japan (HTJ) conducted an Instagram Live livestream with Mālama Hawaiʻi ambassador Rola (@rolaofficial), who has 8.2 million worldwide followers, and social media influencer Maki Konikson (@makikonikson), who has 450,000 followers. Rola typically shies away from Instagram livestreams. However, her engagement with HTJ resulted in more than 7,300 people watching the live HTJ broadcast. During the livestream, Rola discussed her sustainable eating habits, dedication to animal welfare, and Mālama Hawaiʻi-related experiences she hopes to engage in on her next Hawai‘i visit.
HTJ Attends Hawai‘i-Hiroshima Sister-City and Friendship Alliance Events

HTJ attended the Hawaiʻi-Hiroshima 25th Anniversary Sister-City celebration on August 31 and Hiroshima City and Prefecture Friendship Alliance Event at the city’s Hiroshima Station on September 1, both alongside a delegation from Hawai‘i. HTJ brought Hawai‘i ‘ukulele virtuosos Jake Shimabukuro and Herb Ohta Jr. to showcase and perform Hawai‘i music at the two events, which audiences thoroughly enjoyed. The Sister-City celebration was attended by 150 Hiroshima government officials while the Friendship Alliance event drew more than 300 attendees and was featured on the morning and evening programs of three local television networks.
Hawaiʻi Global Education Seminar

On September 1, HTJ joined the State of Hawai‘i Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) in attending the Hawai‘i Global Education Seminar alongside First Lady of Hawai‘i Dawn Amano-Ige. Nearly 90 educational institutes and organizations participated in the event, during which HTJ screened a Mālama Hawaiʻi video and hosted a presentation with a theme of Hawai‘i as a destination for learning. Following their presentation, members of the HTJ team chatted with several event attendees, including students from Yasuda Women’s University and Hiroshima Prefectural Aki Fuchu High School.
Hōkūleʻa Documentary Screenings Continue in Fukuoka

The sixth screening event for the Hōkūleʻa documentary “Moananuiākea” was held in Fukuoka on August 27. A screening of the documentary "Aloha! Mirai," spotlighting the long-distance voyaging canoe’s 2007 arrival in Japan, opened the event and was followed a presentation on star-compass navigation by Hōkūleʻa crew members. The screening of “Moananuiākea” ended with a talk-story session with crew members. The event offered a terrific opportunity for the 127 in attendance to learn about traditional navigation techniques and connections between Japan and Hawai‘i fostered by Hōkūleʻa while interacting with crew members in a workshop format.
Hawai‘i Tourism Canada
HTCAN Joins NaHHA for Hawai‘i Native Species Webinar

Hawai‘i Tourism Canada (HTCAN) hosted a special training webinar for travel advisors on August 30, conducted by HTCAN Account Director Lorenzo Campos and Sabrina Filatow, vice president of sales and marketing for Spoiled Agent. Invited guest speakers from the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association (NaHHA), Executive Director Malia Sanders and Lead Cultural Trainer Hiʻilani Shibata, shared their knowledge of Hawaiʻi’s native marine species at the session, which drew 54 advisors. The full presentation was recorded and posted on Spoiled Agent’s Hawai‘i-dedicated website for travel advisors and professionals who couldn’t attend the live webinar.
An Update on the Canadian Market

Due to a rise of COVID-19 cases in Canada, the Canadian federal government recently restarted random COVID-19 testing for arriving passengers. With the busy fall and winter travel season fast approaching, travel agents are calling for long-lasting solutions to Canada’s air travel woes, urging the federal government to find long-term fixes and implement smart solutions for the travel peaks to come. Travel advisors are receiving negative feedback from their clients on core travel process failures at many domestic airports, which have caused delays and disruptions. Canada’s domestic travel industry and the U.S. government are pressuring government officials in Ottawa to end use of the ArriveCAN app for incoming travelers, arguing the app is negatively affecting the industry and preventing some travelers from flying due to confusion.
Hawai‘i Tourism Oceania
Visit USA Roadshow

In early August, Hawai‘i Tourism Oceania (HTO) participated in the Visit USA Roadshow held in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney where more than 120 agents attended events in each city. HTO conducted presentations on the Mālama Hawai‘i initiative and educated travel trade agents about new products in the Hawaiian Islands.

The roadshow generated media coverage in nearly 40 articles, leading up to and following the events. Due to its success, HTO will be participating in the Visit USA Roadshow again in 2023 to ensure the Hawaiian Islands and Mālama Hawai‘i messaging remain top-of-mind among travel agents in the Oceania market.
Aloha Down Under

For the first time since 2019, HTO hosted the Aloha Down Under roadshow with events in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, Australia, as well as Auckland, New Zealand. Over the duration of six days from August 22 to 29, HTO hosted nine events including travel agent workshops, B2B product manager events, media gatherings and sales calls connecting with more than 600 travel agents, clients and media representatives.

The roadshow was supported by 16 Hawai‘i partners: Marriott Hawai‘i, Prince Waikīkī, Highgate Hawai‘i, Courtyard by Marriott O‘ahu North Shore, Surfjack Swim Club & Hotel, Waikīkī Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Castle Hospitality, Aqua-Aston Hospitality, Kailani Tours, Go City O‘ahu, The Kāhala Hotel & Resort, Outrigger Hotels & Resorts, Kā‘anapali Beach Hotel, Disney Destinations, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Hawaiian Airlines. HTO also partnered with the Kumuola Foundation to share its mission to perpetuate Hawaiian arts and culture, and provide Hawaiian entertainment during the roadshow.

The Hawai‘i delegation also visited key clients such as Flight Centre, Helloworld and House of Travel to maximize the islands’ presence in the market.

HTO conducted a post-event survey and received positive feedback with 94% of Oceania attendees sharing that the roadshow met their objective of learning more about Hawai‘i’s products and experiences.
Sharing Mālama Beyond Hawai‘i’s Shores

As part of Aloha Down Under, the Hawai‘i delegation extended the concept of mālama in Auckland. Through a partnership between HTO and nonprofit environmental company Sea Cleaners, the group spent a morning at Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour where they helped to collect plastic waste and debris from the shores of Rangitoto Island.

The Sea Cleaners group included four youth ambassadors who were selected to travel to Hawai‘i during September as part of HTO’s initiative which focused on the impact plastics have throughout the Pacific Ocean.
Educating Media about Hawai‘i During Aloha Down Under 

On August 22, HTO hosted a media luncheon at the beautiful Botanic House in Sydney’s Botanical Garden. Nearly 30 renowned trade and consumer media representatives along with select travel writers attended the event, as the team shared an update on the Hawaiian Islands and participating Aloha Down Under partners.

In total, Aloha Down Under generated substantial media coverage, including one radio interview and 22 trade articles reaching a total audience of more than 400,000 listeners and readers.

Here are a couple of story highlights resulting from the event in LatteLuxuryNews.com and Karryon.com.au.
Escape Magazine Feature

As a result of HTO’s media familiarization (FAM) in March, the team secured earned story placements in Escape Magazine and on its website. The articles feature reporter Amanda Woods’ experience at Turtle Bay Resort on O‘ahu and have a publicity value of $100,000 USD.
Hawai‘i Tourism Korea
HTK Partners with SSG for Made-in-Hawai‘i-Focused Consumer Event

Hawai‘i Tourism Korea (HTK) conducted an integrated culinary brand co-op consumer event in August, partnering with SSG, a leading integrated online shopping mall owned by retail conglomerate Shinsegae Group. HTK developed the three-stage consumer event, “‘Ono Hawai‘i,” with a goal of generating digital buzz and brand exposure for made-in-Hawai‘i products such Kona-grown coffee and other food and beverage products. In the event’s first stage, SSG conducted a Hawai‘i Culinary Festival digital promotion event, inviting the public to visit the event’s official website from August 15 to 21 for chances to win an SSG coupon, a celebrity chef-led cooking class, or a ticket for travel to Hawai‘i.

A total of 246,134 page views and 111,160 unique page views were generated by the promotion, with more than 73,000 individuals participating, well exceeding expected outcomes. The digital reach and engagement value of the promotion was $200,000. Hawai‘i’s unique food culture and farm-to-table experiences were also introduced to promotion participants.
Magazine B Visits O‘ahu for Special Issue on Mālama Hawai‘i

HTK invited four editors and photographers from Magazine B, a renowned brand-book magazine distributed in nearly 20 countries, who visited O‘ahu from August 10 to 18 and was introduced to the Mālama Hawai’i initiative. The Magazine B group conducted interviews and research for a special September issue on Hawai‘i focused on sustainable travel and culture.

The Magazine B team met with interviewees during their visit including HTA Chief Brand Officer Kalani Ka‘anā‘anā, who spoke about Mālama Hawai‘i and HTA’s mission and industry role, as well as Peter Merriman, owner chef of Merriman’s, John Reyno, owner of Hawai‘i Modern, and Akiko Slayton, Moana Surfrider Resort and Spa’s public relations manager, for stories of Mālama Hawai‘i in our local tourism industry. The group’s itinerary included visits to hotels, resorts and attractions, and talk story with cultural advisors and producers of made-in-Hawai‘i products. The Hawai‘i issue of Magazine B will be available for purchase at Bās Bookshop on O‘ahu.
HTK Helps Travel Agency Develop Regenerative Tour Product for Travelers

HTK is helping Yellow Balloon Tour develop a regenerative tour product, introducing Kuleana Travel Tips on the travel agency’s website to assist customers in making sustainable travel choices and selecting hotels implementing sustainable practices and packages. The agency’s travel product now includes a Mālama experience program as an option and provides eco-conscious bags and tumblers as customer benefits.
Upcoming HTK Projects and Activities

HTK is planning a Honeymoon Travel Agents familiarization (FAM) tour in October with Asiana Airlines. It also plans to host individual influencer FAM tours in November and December spotlighting Hawai‘i food and dining options and the Honolulu Marathon.
Hawai‘i Tourism China
HTC Particpates in U.S. Embassy Independence Day Celebration in Beijing

HTC participated in the U.S. Embassy’s Independence Day celebration in Beijing on September 15, alongside other U.S. destination organizations, including Arizona Office of Tourism, Visit California, Destination DC, Los Angeles Tourism, Louisiana Office of Tourism, Philadelphia Tourism and Utah Tourism. The embassy framed its 2022 celebration around the theme of “Equality: Toward a More Perfect Union,” celebrating major achievements in America’s push for equality and highlighting the road ahead. More than 1,000 attendees were expected at the event, including diplomats from multiple countries, representatives from U.S. corporations and Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs representatives.
HTC Showcases Hawai‘i at ITB China Industry Meetup in Shanghai

HTC participated in the 2022 ITB China Industry Meetup in Shanghai on September 21 alongside representatives from more than 20 global destinations. HTC staffed a branded booth and tables at the event for direct onsite meetings and networking connecting with key market players. Also at the event, HTC and its industry partners showcased recent Hawai‘i social-marketing content, information on the Mālama Hawai‘i campaign, Kuleana Travel Tips, and product offerings with industry professionals. The team also discussed challenges, changes and trends in the Chinese and global travel business, and included both onsite and online audiences in livestream sessions.
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HTA recognizes the use of the 'okina ['] or glottal stop, one of the eight consonants of the (modern) Hawaiian language; and the kahakō [ō] or macron (e.g., in place names of Hawai'i such as Lāna'i). However, HTA respects the individual use of these markings for names of organizations and businesses. Due to technological limitations, this current communication
may not include all Hawaiian diacritical markings.