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Travel Daily News
5 days ago
- Business
- Travel Daily News
$6m. Maui marketing campaign top accelerate island's tourism recovery
Hawai'i launches $6m. Maui Emergency Marketing Campaign to boost tourism recovery, support local businesses, preserve jobs, and restore visitor confidence. HONOLULU – A coordinated statewide effort to support Maui's tourism recovery is now underway, with the launch of a $6 million Maui Emergency Marketing Campaign funded by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA). Spearheaded by the Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB), this vital campaign was made possible through the leadership of Governor Josh Green, Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism Director James Kunane Tokioka, and HTA Interim President and CEO Caroline Anderson. With Maui's visitor arrivals still 21% below pre-pandemic levels, the initiative addresses critical recovery needs that impact the entire state's visitor industry ecosystem. By focusing efforts where they are needed most, the campaign will stimulate travel demand as early as this summer and through the end of 2025 – supporting local businesses, preserving jobs, and restoring visitor confidence in the state's most important economic driver. The initiative represents an alignment of public and private sector partners, including national travel wholesalers, airlines, Hawai'i hotels, and media partners. 'It is indeed a privilege to lead this effort alongside our government partners, the visitor industry, and community voices,' said Dr. Aaron J. Salā, president and CEO at HVCB. 'With urgency and clear intention, we are working to deliver meaningful results for Maui's families and local businesses. This campaign is an important initial step in addressing an immediate need. Our larger journey continues – shaping the way we welcome people into relationship with Hawai'i in ways that honor both community and place.' Under HTA's direction, the campaign features: National Wholesaler Program: An aggressive initiative selling Hawai'i vacation packages that prioritize Maui through partnerships with ALG/Apple Vacations, Classic Vacations, Costco Travel, Delta Vacations, Expedia, and Pleasant Holidays. Targeted Media Campaigns: Strategic destination marketing initiatives showcasing Maui's distinct offerings through media, social campaigns, and public relations efforts. In parallel, HVCB is also amplifying its Hawai'i Special Offers Program with conversion-focused paid and owned media, and supporting the Maui Nui Kākou Multi-Market initiative – a cross-brand collaboration with hotels, airlines, and Nexstar Media, including a high-profile 'Maui Week' campaign airing nationally across 15 key markets. The Hawai'i Special Offers Program, which includes vetted hotel, activity, and ground transportation offers, gains additional momentum through HTA's partnership with the Los Angeles Rams, extending reach into Hawai'i's priority visitor market. 'We are grateful to Governor Green for releasing funds that made the Maui Emergency Marketing Campaign possible,' said Caroline Anderson, interim president and CEO of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority. 'This campaign, together with HTA's partnership with the L.A. Rams, represents a unified effort across government leadership, tourism partners, and national brands to support Maui's recovery. It is a vital step toward restoring confidence in travel to Maui, revitalizing local businesses, and preserving jobs for Maui's communities.' Businesses statewide are encouraged to participate in the campaign through wholesaler collaborations or by contributing offers to the Hawai'i Special Offers Program.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Hawai‘i Tourism Authority official placed on leave pending investigation
A top Hawai 'i Tourism Authority official and former state legislator was placed on leave Friday at the direction of the state Department of the Attorney General and the Department of Human Resources amid allegations he made racist and sexist remarks on the job. Interim HTA President and CEO Caroline Anderson said in a statement Friday that she had placed Isaac Choy, vice president of finance and acting chief administrative officer, on leave pending the outcome of an investigation. 'We remain committed to ensuring the well-being of our dedicated staff and maintaining a safe, respectful, and transparent workplace, ' Anderson said. 'HTA will stay focused on our important work of uplifting Hawaii's communities and supporting our visitor industry.' State Sen. Kurt Fevella (R, Ewa Beach ), HTA contractors, former HTA employees and some board members alleged in a Sunday that HTA and the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism failed to respond promptly to complaints about a hostile work environment—including alleged racist and sexist comments—that they claim contributed to the recent resignations of five Native Hawaiian members of HTA's leadership team. Choy, a former state tax director and lawmaker who was elected to five terms in the House of Representatives serving the Manoa district from 2008 through 2018, joined HTA in 2023. On Monday he vehemently denied the allegations, calling them false and retaliatory. For more than a year, Choy said, he has worked with staff, the Department of the Attorney General, other public bodies and the Legislature to report and resolve violations or suspected violations of law, rules, regulations and contracts executed by HTA. 'To protect against retaliation, the Attorney General's Office has acknowledged my staff and me as whistle blowers, ' he said. 'It is unfortunate that the recent allegations appear to be in retaliation for the work done by me and the staff of the HTA Finance-Procurement Section.' When queried about the attorney general's involvement or Choy's designation as a 'whistleblower, ' Toni Schwartz, spokesperson for the Department of the Attorney General, said in an email Monday the department 'will not make statements on the existence or status of possible pending investigations.' Fevella held a sign-waving demonstration and news conference Monday at the state Capitol, where he called on Gov. Josh Green to seek resignations from Choy and DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka, who Fevella alleged had participated in 'efforts to sweep this matter under the rug.' Fevella said Monday's action was a follow-up to a request he made May 1 to state Attorney General Anne E. Lopez to investigate complaints that Choy allegedly had referred to the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, an HTA contractor, as 'dumb Hawaiians ' and also was alleged to have 'demeaned and belittled ' female HTA board members. In a written request sent to Lopez, Fevella said he was recently informed that female board members had submitted complaints to her office regarding Choy. 'If Mr. Choy's behavior, including his tone, demeaning manner, and communication style, has made female board members feel belittled and has created a hostile work environment, a thorough investigation must be conducted, ' he said. While Choy has denied all allegations against him, Tokioka told the Star-Advertiser in an email that in 2024 he had issued Choy a written warning for using derogatory language. The incident stemmed from a complaint made by Tyler Gomes, administrator of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement's Kilohana efforts, who alleged that Choy called Gomes and the rest of the CNHA team 'dumb Hawaiians ' during an August 2023 meeting and afterward embarked on a pattern of behavior that was 'race-based in its inequity.' Tokioka said he was present at the meeting and that immediately following the incident, he 'told Mr. Choy that his comments were unacceptable and that he should not use language like that in the future.' He added that Choy sent an apology to staff after the written warning, and the incident was considered resolved.
