Kailua-Kona » China’s outbound travel market to the U.S. could grow to 5 million visitors in 2015 from less than 1 million last year if visa restrictions are loosened and more direct flights are added.

That was the message from China’s highest tourism official, speaking to the Hawaii Tourism Authority and members of the U.S. Travel Association on Monday, the closing day of the fifth annual China-U.S. Tourism Leadership Summit.

“We hope that the U.S. can bring more convenient visa procedure, and we exchanged opinions on that,” said Qiwei Shao, chairman of the China National Tourism Association, who was in Kailua-Kona for the event along with Roger Dow, president and chief executive of the U.S. Travel Association (USTA), and more than 60 regional tourism directors from the U.S. and China.

The three-day summit, which took place on Oahu and Hawaii island, was expected to generate media attention in China. Hawaii leaders said they view the event, which is considered a top opportunity for relationship building and economic development by the two countries, as a precursor to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting.

“This meeting also offers another opportunity to position Hawaii as a global meetings destination as our state prepares to host the 2011 APEC Leaders’ Week, and builds on the growing interest of our state within the Asia-Pacific region,” said Mike McCartney, president and chief executive of the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

The APEC meeting will bring heads of state from the 21 largest economies in the Asia-Pacific region to Hawaii on Nov. 12-13.

Dow, from the U.S. Travel Association, said the Kona meeting deepened friendships among visitor industry officials and laid the groundwork for the U.S. to capitalize on tourism demand from China.

“Today’s friendships will really show in tomorrow’s prosperity. We have a joint understanding along with Chairman Shao that (visa reform) is the premier issue,” Dow said. “Still, the industry can agree all they want — until we get positive momentum in D.C., it’s still rhetoric.”

Getting a visa to enter the U.S. can take Chinese citizens more than three months and cost a minimum of $140. Chinese visa applicants must appear in person at a U.S. consulate for an interview.

The USTA said that the U.S. welcomed 801,738 Chinese visitors in 2010. Of those, 62,032 visited Hawaii.

Shao said through an interpreter that both countries should work to expand bilateral tourism. Increased tourism would boost commerce and grow other industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, construction, medicine and education, he said.

“The goal in 2015 is for tourist flows between China and the U.S. to reach 5 million,” Shao said. “If we can reach this goal, on the basis of that we can even work more, and the energy that we bring will be dramatic.”

The summit comes about a week after the U.S. Senate advanced legislation that would add 20 new consular officers and other measures that would speed visa processing in China. However, the USTA and Hawaii leaders — who see the isles as a natural choice for vacationing Chinese — are lobbying for greater interim relief.

“The easing of visitation between China and Hawaii is a very important part of growing our relationship,” said Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz. “We are working hard to alleviate the difficulty that we are experiencing with respect to visa challenges. It’s going to take time, but I want you to know that you have our commitment.”

Schatz said U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye is working on making it easier for Chinese travelers to visit his home state.

“The senator is a hard-working supporter of Hawaii’s visitor industry and understands the economic importance of opening Hawaii and the nation to visitors from China,” said Peter Boylan, Inouye’s spokesman. “Legislative efforts are ongoing, but it would be premature to discuss those measures while they are pending before the Congress.”

In the meantime the USTA has asked the State Department to increase staffing at its consular offices where mandatory visa interviews are conducted and to reduce visa interview wait times. While China does not currently qualify for the U.S. visa waiver program entry, the USTA said other reforms such as lengthening the visa from one to five years could bring relief.

“The U.S. is in a race with other countries for China’s tourism business,” Dow said. “Two months ago Canada just granted China a 10-year visa.”

The U.S. also is losing Chinese visitors to European countries, especially France, where the visa process for Chinese travelers is more efficient. Although the U.S. is the most frequently cited dream destination for Chinese citizens, the USTA said that France captured 18 percent more visitors last year.

“We are just leaving money on the table,” Dow said, adding that improved visa processing could lead to more flights and tours since Chinese providers have been reluctant to take a chance on lengthy visa wait times or rejections.

Hawaii has seen significant growth in Chinese tourism since an agreement in 2007 between the two countries made it possible for the U.S. to market group and leisure travel in China, McCartney said. Despite visa and flight challenges, some 91,000 Chinese visitors are expected to travel to Hawaii by year’s end, he said.

“We regard China as a very important segment. It’s not huge right now but they show great promise,” said John Morgan, president of Kualoa Ranch, one of the venues visited by summit participants and the accompanying Chinese media.

The ranch, which now has six Chinese-speaking employees, has booked more than 20 groups since China Eastern began direct charters between Shanghai and Honolulu in September, he said.

“We were honored to host these China tourism leaders. The buzz is that visa requirements will get easier, so we are just trying to prepare to be ready so that we can take part in the market when it comes in,” Morgan said.

While the launch of China Eastern’s direct service has brought more than 150 Chinese visitors to Hawaii island each month, Big Island Visitors Bureau Executive Director George Applegate said relationships forged at the summit could yield further returns.

Tourism officials had productive discussions with members of China’s visitor industry about bringing direct charters to Hawaii island, Applegate said. Officials there want to fill the void left last year when Japan Airlines cut its 14-year-long Narita-to-Kona direct route, he said.

“We are looking for another airline to come in, and we realize that the China market is really accelerating by leaps and bonds,” he said. “They like this island. This was Chairman Shao’s second time here. We hosted him a few years back, and we hope that he’ll come again.”