Lingle seeks nationwide
visa changesThe governor is meeting with
Tom Ridge to discuss multiple-entry
documents for visitors
Gov. Linda Lingle has changed her tone about dealing with strict visa requirements on tourism, and is pushing for a national solution rather than a Hawaii-only exemption to visa policy.
Lingle, who is meeting with Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge this week, is joining other states in asking for the creation of multiple-entry visas for visits to the United States. Lingle is also seeking more resources for processing visas, and a way to fast-track visa applications found to contain minor mistakes.
Lingle had previously advocated a Hawaii-only exemption to visa rules, but that would require monitoring of all of Hawaii's visitors once they get here, which is an unreasonable burden, said Marsha Wienert, Lingle's tourism liaison. Of the 6.4 million people who visited Hawaii last year, nine out of 10 were from the United States, Canada and Japan -- countries that don't need a visa to come here.
The concern about visa requirements relates to countries that send a small number of visitors to the state but have huge potential for growth, such as China and South Korea. China is expected to have 100 million outbound tourists by 2020, according to the World Tourism Organization.
Lingle's administration has been hearing of a phenomenal backlog in visa applications, hitting both the business and leisure markets of travel, Wienert said.
It's basically costing people more time and money to get to the United States, which is not a good image to have.
Lingle is adopting a more national view that the visitor industry impacts the economies of all states, Wienert said. Lingle will carry the message that tighter security must be weighed against economic development, Wienert said.
Hawaii faces competition for Asian tourists from other destinations such as Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, Singapore, Canada, Germany and Japan.
"All we can do is state our case," Wienert said.
Lingle will talk with Ridge about multiple-entry visas that would allow unlimited visits to the United States within a 12- to 18-month period, Wienert said.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority has said its short-term plan is to attract Asian travelers who are already able to get visas.
The bigger issue for Chinese travel to Hawaii is getting more direct flights, according to Marketing Garden Ltd., the company hired to promote the islands in Asia.
Department of Homeland Security
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