They don't like to think about it, but Hawaii tourism promoters are looking for ways to keep the state's most critical industry alive if there is another terrorist attack on the U.S. mainland. Visitors Bureau learned
from Sept. 11 falloutThe marketing agency has plans
in case of a new catastropheBy David Briscoe
Associated PressTony Vericella, president of the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau, said yesterday that marketers of Hawaii tourism learned some tough lessons from the Sept. 11 attacks that had a heavy impact on the state even though they occurred thousands of miles away.
"We have a better emergency communication and marketing framework, with better coordination," Vericella said at a briefing on the bureau's new global marketing plans.
Hawaii's tourism and convention industry has shown it can recover, with convention bookings now ahead of last year's pace, and should be able to bounce back even more quickly if there is another catastrophe, he said.
"If something happens -- hopefully it will not be similar to September 11th -- we have a very flexible plan," Vericella said.
The state could continue to benefit from the fact that some mainland tourists planning to go to Europe or elsewhere in the world have shifted their travel plans to Hawaii after Sept. 11, he said. The challenge is to build on that momentum, Vericella said.
While the competition for tourists and conventions remains keen among U.S. destinations, Hawaii has advantages that can be stressed in troubled times, he said.
Marketing such as the promotions tied to the Disney movie "Lilo and Stitch" give a message that Hawaii is a safe and beautiful place with a good spirit, he said, adding, "We're aloha now more than ever."
Some other tourist destinations are looking at the way Hawaii rebuilt its tourism industry as a model for future response to national emergencies, Vericella said.
The marketing plan covers the U.S. mainland, Canada, Japan, other Asian and Pacific countries, Europe and Latin America.
The bureau announced that its bookings at the Hawaii Convention Center through the first five months of the year have already exceeded its 2001 pace by 44 percent.
The bookings include 23 conventions with the potential of bringing in $221 million to the state, including $19 million in tax revenue and 125,000 hotel room nights, the bureau said.
"We're pleased with the increase in bookings and expect this trend to continue as we use our global resources," said Sandra Moreno, a bureau vice president.
Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau
