A recent University of Hawaii graduate from Guangdong, China, has launched a startup company that aims to help Hawaii businesses get their Web and media content to the emerging Chinese tourism market.

Jason “;C.J.”; Chen, 26, chief executive and founder of Baby Can Media LLC, identified an opportunity to use his expertise as a former Chinese journalist in June when an agreement went into effect that allowed Chinese visitors to begin making leisure trips to the United States.

In September, Chen introduced www.Hawaii-Day.com, geared to promoting Hawaii destinations and brands to potential travelers in China. The company, which has offices in China and Hawaii, will serve as the Internet arm for Baby Can Media and will help Hawaii businesses build their content in Chinese and distribute it throughout China's media channels.

“;We see this as the door-opener to the Chinese travel market,”; Chen said. “;China is an exploding market—we are talking billions of people.”;

Pent-up demand for Hawaii among Chinese leisure travelers, who tend to favor sun, sand and surf vacation destinations, could result in a doubling of visitor counts for the state, but more marketing is needed is lure visitors.

“;The Chinese are very interested in Hawaii, but they don't know much about it beyond the pretty pictures,”; Chen said. “;Most of them don't know about the Aloha spirit or about the volcanoes.”;

Chen and his freelance staff want to bring Hawaii's story to potential travelers in China. The company updates its site three times a week for Chinese Web surfers and once a week provides Chinese travel market news in English to Hawaii clients. The company also runs its own online retail and ticket selling channel to help Hawaii businesses to reach more potential customers in China.

Even though the company is only a few months old it has already surpassed the state's tourism site, http://www.gohawaii.com, in visitor traffic for Chinese inquires on a daily basis, Chen said.

Unlike the Hawaii Tourism Authority or the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau which has the task of branding Hawaii as a total destination, http://www.Hawaii-Day.com works with companies to take their brand to the China market on an individual basis, said Mike Eberle, director of sales for Hawaii-Day.com.

“;We are not an ad agency,”; Eberle said. “;We are a media distribution company taking what our clients have to say and putting it into the proper context.”;

There are vast differences between Chinese media and western media, and understanding those differences is crucial for success, said Chen, who majored in communications at UH and worked for Netease Inc., China's No. 6-ranked Internet portal, before relocating to Hawaii.

“;We are one of the only Chinese Web sites to focus exclusively on Hawaii's tourism business,”; he said. “;The Chinese have a very complicated media culture.”;

Through the end of the year, Chen is offering prospective clients an opportunity to get exposure in China free. Hawaii-Day.com will translate and post a 400 or fewer word manuscript to its site and guarantee its publishing within another media outlet in seven working days, Chen said.

In January, the site will add an online store for retailers to market their Hawaii products in China, he said.