LAURA RUMINSKI/WEST HAWAII TODAY
Signs warning of strong current and dangerous surf break are posted at Hapuna Beach.
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It’s not a lighthearted welcome-to-Hawaii viewing for visitors, but it’s must-see TV. Search for Real Hawaii TV on YouTube to find them.
The city partnered with Visitor Video Inc. to produce the public-service announcement videos that capture some of the hazards tourists might not be expecting. They depict brief enactments of a resuscitation, someone frantically looking for a snorkeler, a pair of surfers wisely making an about-face when confronted with a strong-current warning sign, and a couple getting washed out by the waves. Being scared straight is fine if it saves lives.
Hawaiian Airlines girds for more visitors
Hawaiian Airlines — one the state’s largest private-sector employers — is seeking some 300 more employees — pilots, mechanics and flight attendants — as it transitions to a new fleet of aircraft and competes with other carriers for increasing numbers of Hawaii-bound passengers.
This year, the industry’s total seat count is expected to bump up by 1.7 percent to 12.2 million. If the tourism’s five-year streak of record arrivals and spending holds, we’ll see some 9.2 million visitors and $16 billion in spending by the year’s end. That’s a lot of aloha.