HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0396.006 2014-2016Murashige, Laura
From: MARGARET WILLE <margaretwille@mac.com>
Sent: Monday, August 03, 2015 10:17 AM .
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Testimony for Comm. 396 (general plan)
Attachments: TESTIMONY FROM KANA NOZAWA ON TOURISM FOR GENERAL PLAN INPUT.docx;
ATT00001.htm
Comm. No.
Ref. To:' �G
Ref. , Date' G 04 W
FROM: Kana Nozawa, Waikoloa Village. I, Kana Nozawa, have been
working at Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows as
Japanese Guest Services Manager for two and half years and
before that worked at Fairmont Japanese Guest Services.
I would like to share with you what tourists
are thinking about this our island and their expectation.
1. Most tourists who came to our island are happy because they
like its relaxing atmosphere and abundant nature.
2. For many tourists Mauna Kea Summit Tour and Kilauea visit
is a great attraction to make once in a life -time memory.
3. Many golfers love the golf courses on this island.
4. Many tourists are expecting more variety of
restaurants all over the island.
5. For many tourists Big Island is not a fun
shopping place. They want fine and cute products unique
to this island or Hawaii. They love shopping. They will spend
more money if we make efforts because our low sales tax is
attractive for them.
6. Many tourists are not happy with Kona Airport that is
too boring to sit for over an hour.
They want large selection of tasty food and
locally made fine souvenirs at the Airport. Again, they love
shopping more than Westerners.
7. There is great amount of potential revenue which this island
will be able to obtain if we strive to meet tourists' needs.
8. Cleanliness. Japanese find our tourist venues very dirty.
Hapuna has a shower one of two that has been broken for three
years. The same guests who have come three years in a row have
said this. And still there is graffiti in ,toilets, often no
toilet paper, etc. and zero landscaping, and big holes in the
Main path. It makes Hapuna Beach like a Third World public
beach. There are even big rocks on the beach that kids carry
there to build castles and leave them and the lifeguards never
Try to remove them or care for the beach visitors. Only sit in
their hut. Hapuna should have little shops and food venues for
Tourists, East and West, like most countries.... Hapuna seems sort
of like it is abandoned beach guests say. Oh, and there is zero
landscaping. The asphalt walk down and holes in it and nothing
to try to make the entrance beautiful.
I think we need to establish our own Big Island Tourism Bureau
and vigorously promote advertise this island. No one except
hotels do any international advertising. It needs County money
and a department. My guests say they are tired of Oahu but Big
Island is unique but still needs more unique crafts souvenirs to
buy, not just mac nuts. Big Island
is independent from Oahu. Oahu can't and does not help promoting
Big Island's tourism because they have no motivation. We have to
have solid belief that "People on Big Island makes our own
decision on Big Island matters, including tourism."