The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, which markets the convention center for the state, said yesterday that Housing On-Line was chosen over one other finalist on the advice of a task force drawn from the Hawaii hotel industry. Under a two-year agreement, the HVCB will recommend Housing On-Line to any convention organizers who request such a service.
"It really is a middle man between people who are intending to go to conventions and the hotels," said Paul Casey, HVCB president.
The housing contractor will get a flat fee from the hotels for each booking. Casey said the selection committee opted for a flat fee rather than a percentage structure offered by some applicants.
He said the agreement requires that Housing On-Line only makes accommodation reservations for convention-goers and will not book ground transportation, tours, rental cars and other non-accommodations services in competition with local companies.
One of the unsuccessful bidders, Honolulu-based MC&A, has made arrangements for ground tours, transportation and other services for convention goers for 13 years. In July, it formed a joint venture with San Francisco-based Convention Management Resources so it could also offer room reservations.
Gregg Yamanaka, MC&A president, said the partnership will continue to do that despite missing out on the HVCB contract.
"The contract is not an exclusive contract. We will continue in our own sales and marketing effort both to bring conventions to Hawaii and to book accommodations for them," he said.
"While we're sorry we weren't selected, the choice will not affect our business. The selection of a convention housing services source only provides the name of a preferred agency to an organization planning a convention," Yamanaka said.