HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0852.002 2010-2012 f Corm. 6.62
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Big Island Visitors Bureau
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The Honorable Dominic Yagong
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Chairperson and Presiding Officer
Hawaii County Council
25 Aupuni Street
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Subject: Hawaii County Council Resolution 307-12 t"
Dear Chairperson Yagong,
On behalf of the Big Island Visitors Bureau (BIVB) we wholeheartedly endorse Hawaii
County Council Resolution 307-12 that encourages the United States Department of
Transportation to approve Hawaiian Airlines' application for direct air service between
Kona and Haneda airport in Japan.
The Big Island Visitors Bureau and its travel partners have followed Mayor Kenoi's lead
in supporting Hawaiian airlines application by sending strong letters of endorsement to
Secretary Ray LaHood of the Federal Department of Transportation.
Daily direct Airbus A330 service by Hawaiian from Japan will markedly increase tourism
opportunities on Hawaii Island by stimulating job growth and promoting new and
existing businesses.
As you know, our tourism industry has struggled throughout the long years of national
recession. Many workers have been laid off at hotels, attractions, in retail stores and
restaurants. The most recent casualty has been the closing of the 309-room Keauhou
Beach hotel in Kona leaving 112 workers jobless.
BIVB is aligned with the policy and initiatives of the Mayor's office and the Hawaii
Tourism Authority in recognizing that increased airlift from all major markets is
paramount to restoring prosperity to the Island.
In particular, we would benefit immensely from the restoration of service to Japan,
which for 14 years thrived under Japan Airlines (JAL) and ranked as our second largest
source of visitors. In 2009, 164,745 Japanese travelers visited Hawaii Island for an
average stay of 3.01 days, spending an average of $268 per person per day.
Unfortunately, as part of its bankruptcy reorganization in 2010, JAL ceased flying from
Tokyo to Kona. No other airline has stepped up to fill the gap until now.
The Island of Hawaii
Website:www.bigisland.org
East Hawaii•250 Keawe St.,Hilo,HI,USA 96720 ('cZ• Z
Telephone: 1 (808) 961-5797 Facsimile: 1 (808) 961-2126 Comm. tyy c2
West Hawaii•65-1158 Mamalahoa Hwy,Ste 27B,Kamuela,HI,USA 96743 Ref. To:
Facsimile: 1 2 Ref. Dote C, _ LU1L
Telephone: 1 (808) 886-1655 acsimi e. 1 (808) 886 65
Hawaiian Airlines proposed Haneda service to Kona would provide a dramatic boost to
restoring prosperity to the Hawaii Island economy. The Hawaii Tourism Authority
estimates that the new flights would generate $136.61 million a year in direct visitor
expenditures.
We have great trust in Hawaiian Airlines. Operating continuously for 83 years, the
company is a major player in Hawai'i tourism bringing more than three million visitors a
year from East and West to the shores of our state with true Hawaiian hospitality.
Hawaiian's Honolulu service to Haneda, Osaka and Fukuoka and later this year to
Sapporo, have been embraced by Japanese travelers and, importantly, have the
steadfast support of Japan's leading wholesalers.
There is a warm welcome for Japanese visitors on our island, and not just for their
economic contributions — Hawai`i Island has strong ethnic and cultural ties with Japan
with a significant part of our population being of Japanese-American ancestry.
Accordingly, we support and applaud the Council's initiative in introducing this resolution
endorsing Hawaiian's Kona-Haneda route application.
Aloha,
George Applegate
Executive Director
Big Island Visitors Bureau