HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0005.000 2000-2002 TO: James Arakaki
Hawaii County Council ~ ~
FROM: Paul Dahlquist, Vice President 1 ~ ~,'<~l, f
Destination Hilo -
DATE: November 16, 2000
SUBJECT: Support for the Aloha Room and Pier Greeting
Destination Hilo has enthusiastically taken on the very important project of creating,
staffing, and maintaining the Aloha Room at the Hilo Pter Rye have also been the organizing
body. through our agent. Kate Ahta, for the Pier Greeting program
The Pter Greeting program ensures that each cruise ship visiting Hilo is met by a
wonderful group of senior cttizen performers, either on the ship or at the foot of the gangplatilc
The performers are truly great. and their presence is ahvays noted by cruise ship passengers This
kind of ereeting makes the Hilo experience a ven.• memorable one for the passengers. and not
only puts them into a good frame of mind for their one-day m Hilo, but gir•es them the kind of
good memories that translate into future visits and good PR to their friends Desnnatton Hilo
pays the Coordinator and a very reasonable fee to the performing groups
The Aloha Room is now refurbished and presenting a very attractive face to the cruise
passengers who are looking for things to do m Hilo and environs on their own Destination Hilo
is providing staff for [he Aloha Room (one paid person and a number of volunteers) and trams
this staff to be courteous. full of the aloha spirit. and knowledgeable about options m Hilo I~iaps.
phones, brochures and knowledge are dispensed freely People are shown how to get to places
using the various transportation options that are available Without the Aloha Room and its staff.
independent visitors (about one-half of each ship load) would simply be dumped on the pier By
providing the Aloha Room. w•e are giving these visitors a much better insi;ht into Hdo. a much
better experience while here, and much better memories to take home that can translate into
future visns Destination Hilo is responsible for paying the Aloha Room Coordinator. for
maintaining the room, for ocerseeme refurbishment, and for making the room look attractne m
what is otherwise, a ven' unattractive building and site This all costs money
In 2001. some 155 ship visits will be made (and the number could expand) The number
of visitors on these ships is astounding -the smallest ship has 410 passengers and 170 crew, the
largest has 2400 passengers and l OGO crew Most ships are quite full on their visits here Hilo
needs these visitors and rt needs to treat them with care and aloha unfortunately, this translates
into money Destination Hilo figures tt costs about $?00 per month to keep Aloha Room services
going, and as numbers of ships and passengers increase, so Mall that cost Pier Greeting ~tiill cost
about $1 x,000 for the coming year Funds for the Aloha Room will nin oui very early m 2001
y~'e have been granted $8000 for Pier Greeting out of the $ I x,000 we asked for yk'e are doing
even•thine we can to squeeze out more funds for these hugely important endeavors, but we need
more help than we are getting If w•e could get another $7000 for Pier Greeting, and $6000 for the
.Aloha Room, we would be assured of continwng service throughout all of 2001 We ven much
hope the County Council can find some addmonal funding for these vital programs
~mm No. ES
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