GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARADVERTISER.COM
Hawaii Tourism Authority board Chair Mufi Hannemann is seen at the State of the City address at the Mission Auditorium on March 14.
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The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) is past its expiration date and needs to go. Changing its name to Office of Tourism and Destination Management and its focus to “regenerative tourism” — whatever that means — is akin to rearranging chairs on the deck of the Titanic.
The HTA was created in 1998. Tourists were well aware of Hawaii prior to that. In 1997, visitors to Hawaii totaled 6.7 million. If the HTA did not exist, visitors would still come here by the millions. The airlines, hotels, cruise lines, tour companies and film industries do a great job in promoting Hawaii. No more taxpayer funds are needed for this unnecessary function. Use the funds to create and operate an Office of Economic Diversification.
Bert Oshiro
Hawaii Kai
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