HAWAII LODGING & TOURISM ASSOCIATION
  • HOME
    • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
    • CHAPTERS >
      • OAHU
      • MAUI
      • HAWAII
      • KAUAI
    • COMMITTEES >
      • ENGINEERS ADVISORY COUNCIL
      • HOSPITALITY HOUSEKEEPING COUNCIL (HHC)
      • HAWAII WOMEN IN LODGING & TOURISM (HIWIL)
    • STAFF
  • MEMBERSHIP
    • BENEFITS
    • BECOME A MEMBER
    • Testimonials
  • EVENTS
    • CHAPTER EVENTS
    • Charity Walk
    • GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
    • NA POE PAAHANA AWARDS
  • EDUCATION
    • INDUSTRY RESOURCES
  • ADVOCACY
    • GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
  • PHILANTHROPY
    • HHIF
    • SCHOLARSHIPS
    • MENTORING PROGRAMS
  • MEDIA
    • HLTA IN THE NEWS
    • NEWS RELEASES

HLTA Blog

Mufi's Message 11.20.19

11/20/2019

1 Comment

 

HLTA Holidays In Paradise

Picture
REGISTER FOR HOLIDAYS IN PARADISE
​Please join us for our Holidays In Paradise (HIP) Christmas Party on Thursday, December 5th. We have a fun evening planned as Grammy-nominated Josh Tatofi will be performing. You can see a video of Josh performing Henehene Kou Aka in the video below.

Holidays In Paradise will be held at Duke's Waikiki in the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort on their Lower Patio. The restaurant will offer validated parking for up to three (3) hours at the Ohana East. With validation, parking will cost $6 for three hours.

Please bring a gift card with a minimum denomination of $20 for entry in our lucky draw. Gift cards will be donated to a local nonprofit to benefit those in need during this holiday season.​
REGISTER FOR HOLIDAYS IN PARADISE

Bill 55 (2019), CD2

On November 13, The Honolulu City Council Budget Committee reported out Bill 55 (2019), CD2 for passage on third reading. This bill, which relates to Real Property Taxation, carves out a specific tax class for Bed and Breakfast Home properties. This is a significant step in the right direction by the City.

As you know, HLTA has long supported the regulation of illegal transient vacation rental (TVR) units, and we advocated tirelessly for legislation to this effect. From the very get-go, we also pushed for short-term rental units to pay real property tax rates that were entirely separate from those paid by purely residential properties. Bill 55 (2019), CD2 addresses this missing link of real property tax parity and will also help the City to collect much needed revenue from legal short-term rental units.

Maui County and Kaua'i County have already enacted similar legislation that establishes separate tax classes for short-term rental units, and I am pleased to see the City & County of Honolulu following suit. Hopefully, the passage of Bill 55 (2019), CD2 will also lead Hawai'i County to consider making the same amendments to their real property tax classes.

While the agenda for the City Council’s December meeting has not yet been posted, I do expect to see this item put to a vote at the Council’s December 4 meeting.​

Hawai'i Tourism Wholesalers Association

Picture
Last week, at the request of Trade West, Inc. President Thomas Matthews, I sat down with members of the Hawai'i Tourism Wholesalers for a talk story session. Mr. Matthews told me that he had reached out to me after reading about HLTA's current initiatives in the spadea that we ran in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser during our 192nd General Membership Meeting.

The evening was filled with lively conversation as we talked about tourism management, legislative priorities that affect Hawai'i's visitor and business industries, public transportation, and the future of our state's tourism industry. We ended with a short Q&A session and had a positive and productive conversation. ​

Hawaiian Airlines 90th Anniversary

Picture
​Congratulations to longtime HLTA member Hawaiian Airlines which celebrated its 90th anniversary last week. In recognition of this milestone, the local airline replicated their historic 1929 flight by flying from Honolulu to Hilo with a short stop on Maui. The flight attendants who staffed the flight donned vintage uniforms from the 1960’s through the 1990’s.
 
Hawaiian Airlines also held the Great Hawaiian Plane Pull during which 68 teams of 12 worked together to pull a Boeing 717. The event raised $33,000 for the airline’s environmental nonprofit partner, Sustainable Coastlines Hawai'i.

Mahalo, Hawaiian Airlines, and best wishes for 90 more successful years. ​

Na Po'e Pa'ahana

Picture
​Please join us at HTLA's 30th Annual Na Po'e Pa'ahana Awards Luncheon where we will honor our industry's most outstanding front-line employees. This year's luncheon will be held on Thursday, January 9, 2020 from 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. 

To reserve your seats or to purchase tables, please click here.

We look forward to seeing you.
1 Comment

Mufi's Message 11.5.2019

11/5/2019

0 Comments

 

Campaign for a Safer Community

Picture
Mufi is pictured speaking at the close of the Campaign for a Safer Community symposium at the Royal Hawaiian. This free event is also being held on Maui, Hawai'i Island, and Kaua'i over the next few days. For more information, you can visit https://hoolanapua.org/event/safer/.
​Yesterday, Ho‘ōla Nā Pua, in partnership with HLTA and Hawai'i Tourism Authority, hosted a free symposium called “Campaign for a Safer Community: Taking a Stand Against Trafficking” to better equip local tourism industry professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to recognize and report suspected instances of human trafficking. It included three sessions that covered topics including how to recognize trafficking and exploitation, how to efficiently report suspected human trafficking, and how our tourism industry can be a key partner in making our communities safer places to live. HTA’s funding is also making it possible for the symposium to be held on Maui, Hawaii Island and Kauai in the next few days. 

As I said in my closing remarks at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, sex trafficking is a problem that affects entire communities, not just our industry. That being said, our hoteliers are on the front lines and, it is important that we be proactive about addressing this crime. It is illegal. It is indecent. And, it is immoral.

If you suspect that someone is being victimized by human traffickers, in addition to notifying local enforcement authorities, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888.

Kuleana Campaign

Picture
HTA and the Hawai'i Visitors Convention Bureau (HVCB) recently launched their Kuleana Campaign, a video campaign that shares the unwritten rules and etiquettes of Hawai'i with those visiting our state. The videos were filmed on O‘ahu, Maui, Kaua'i, and Hawai'i Island and cover topics that range from ocean and hiking safety, to cultural awareness.

In addition to posting the entire set of videos online, the Kuleana Campaign has partnered with Alaska Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Hawaiian Airlines, and Southwest Airlines, all of whom are airing these videos during flights that are en route to Hawai'i.

To see the entire playlist, please click here.
Picture

Na Po'e Pa'ahana - DEADLINE EXTENDED

Picture
​It is the final week to submit entries for the 30th Annual Na Po'e Pa'ahana Awards. The cutoff date has been pushed to midnight of November 8. Don't miss this opportunity to recognize and honor the front-line employees who truly are the heart and soul of our Hawai'i's tourism industry. 

To submit an entry, please click here.

Halepuna Waikiki

Picture
Congratulations to the new Halepuna Waikiki by Halekulani and their General Manager Julie Arigo! Julie is a former HLTA Chairperson and the current Chair of our Women In Lodging Committee. 

Residence Inn Kapolei

Picture
Congratulations also to the new Residence Inn by Marriott which opened in Kapolei last week. Pictured from left are HLTA Senior Director of Government and Community Affairs Jared Higashi, General Manager Brian Hunnings, Mufi, and Director of Sales Kelly Kitashima.
0 Comments

    Stay in the know

    Keep up with HLTA through our blog! Let us know what you think in the comment box below each post.

    Archives

    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

CONTACT US
Hawaiʻi​ Lodging & Tourism Association.  All rights reserved.
2270 Kalākaua Ave, Suite 1702  |  Honolulu, HI 96815
Phone: (808) 923-0407 | [email protected]
MemberClicks
  • HOME
    • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
    • CHAPTERS >
      • OAHU
      • MAUI
      • HAWAII
      • KAUAI
    • COMMITTEES >
      • ENGINEERS ADVISORY COUNCIL
      • HOSPITALITY HOUSEKEEPING COUNCIL (HHC)
      • HAWAII WOMEN IN LODGING & TOURISM (HIWIL)
    • STAFF
  • MEMBERSHIP
    • BENEFITS
    • BECOME A MEMBER
    • Testimonials
  • EVENTS
    • CHAPTER EVENTS
    • Charity Walk
    • GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
    • NA POE PAAHANA AWARDS
  • EDUCATION
    • INDUSTRY RESOURCES
  • ADVOCACY
    • GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
  • PHILANTHROPY
    • HHIF
    • SCHOLARSHIPS
    • MENTORING PROGRAMS
  • MEDIA
    • HLTA IN THE NEWS
    • NEWS RELEASES