Mufi's Message - January 15, 2021

Government Affairs

Aloha,

This afternoon, HLTA held the first meeting of our Government Affairs Committee. This is a standing committee that traditionally first meets before the opening of the Legislative Session. During our first meeting, we reviewed our 2021 Position Statement which details our current position on a number of issues including, but not limited to, tourism management, tax rates, public safety, and COVID-19-related concerns. The final draft of this document will be posted on our website under the "Advocacy" tab next week Thursday.

We were then joined by Speaker Saiki, House Tourism Chair Onishi, Senator Donovan Dela Cruz, and Senate Tourism Chair Wakai, each of whom discussed their legislative priorities for the year and fielded questions from committee members. It was an extremely productive first meeting, and we are looking looking forward to future sessions.

AHLA Insights Webinar

The American Hotel & Lodging Association has announced an upcoming webinar that may be of interest to you. The event will feature AHLA's first-ever State of the Industry Report and is scheduled for Thursday, January 21 at 3 p.m. EST. Scheduled to speak are the following individuals:

• Mark Hoplamazian
  President & CEO
  Hyatt Hotels Corporation
  AHLA Chair of the Board
• Robert Isom
  President
  American Airlines
• Chip Rogers
  President & CEO
  AHLA

The webinar will focus on AHLA's legislative priorities for the coming year and also provide key insights as part of the association's State of the Industry Report. It will also cover the variety of changes that have occurred within our industry as we adapt to the post-COVID-19 landscape.

This is a great opportunity to get better acquainted with the national level issues facing our industry. AHLA’s Chip Rogers and I have been discussing various ways for our two organizations to collaborate in this toughest of years for our industry nationally and locally. To learn more about the event and to register, please please click here.

EAT THINK DRINK

This past Tuesday evening, HLTA partnered with the Hawai'i Agricultural Foundation to host a riveting episode of HAF's popular EAT THINK DRINK series. My deepest mahalo to all of you who were able to join us for this wonderfully informative event.

After short remarks from TZ Economics' Paul Brewbaker and yours truly, viewers were treated to an in-depth discussion led by Senate Tourism Chair Glenn Wakai. The panelists, which included Central Pacific Bank Executive Chairman Paul Yonamine, Kualoa Ranch President John Morgan, Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club General Manager Lynette Eastman, and Alaska Airlines Director of Sales, Community & Public Relations Daniel Chun, each brought a wealth of diverse experience and insights to the table and really shined a light on a variety of issues facing our industry.

In the video above, you will find a complete replay of the event that has been provided courtesy of the Hawai'i Agricultural Foundation. Below, you will find the recent promotional segment that aired on Living 808.

Have a great weekend,
​Mufi