Mufi's Message - June 7, 2021

Public Safety

Aloha,

For more than the past year, Hawai'i has consistently proven itself to be among the healthiest places to which tourists could travel. Due to a combination of our relatively low incidence of COVID-19 cases and the success of the Safe Travels program, prospective travelers could confidently book their trips here with the peace of mind that they were highly unlikely to be exposed to the virus. Billing ourselves as one of the healthiest destinations in the world piggybacked well with our pre-COVID-19 status as an extremely safe destination to visit.

"Waikiki crime surge risks derailing tourism recovery," Honolulu Star-Advertiser, June 6, 2021

As we grow nearer to a full restoration of the local travel industry, it is critical that we do what is necessary to maintain our reputation as one of the safest tourism destinations in the world. Recent high-profile crimes in the Waikiki area, including two stabbings in a single night, have justly renewed the community's focus on this issue. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser's Sunday edition covered the topic in great detail and quoted key stakeholders including the Honolulu Police Department, Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters, Honolulu Prosecutor Steven Alm, Visitor Aloha Society of Hawai'i President & CEO Jessica Lani Rich, tourism safety expert Peter Tarlow, and myself.

Being that we all shared similar comments and sentiments regarding the recent surge in crime, HLTA will be hosting a mini Visitor Public Safety Conference in two weeks' time to bring together policy makers, law enforcement, business owners, and community stakeholders to discuss these issues and develop action items to address them. 

We have had immense success with past iterations of this event, making a measurable difference on issues including homelessness, the late night cabarets in Waikiki, and the need for better lighting and more security cameras throughout the Waikiki district. I am confident that by bringing all of these voices and their decades of experience to the table will yield similar results.

21st Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament

We are excited to announce that we have officially opened registration for HLTA's 21st Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament!

Please join us on August 12 at Pearl Country Club. This is one of our signature events that will generate funds to support the various scholarships that our association awards each year. We have a number of sponsorship options for this year's event:

Alaka'i  -  $3,000.00
Includes: 1 Team (3 players); 1 Golf Cart with Signage (sponsor provides give away, must be pre-approved by HLTA Golf Committee); 2 hole-sponsorship tee signs; VIP Parking; Sponsor logo in collateral; Executive Swag Bag Gift.

Kōkua -  $2,500.00
Includes: 1 Team (3 players); 1 sponsored tent (sponsor provides tent and give away, must be preapproved by HLTA Golf Committee); 2 hole-sponsorship tee signs; Sponsor logo in collateral.

SINGLE TEAM -  $1,500.00
Includes: 1 Team (3 players)

TEE SPONSORSHIP - $500.00
Includes: 1 hole-sponsorship tee sign

HOLE #5: PAR 5 (TEAM) - $50
Tee off from a special tee box on the par 5.

To register for this event, please either click the image above or this link. For any questions regarding sponsorship or other involvement opportunities like prize donations and volunteering, please contact HLTA Director of Membership & Special Projects Ashley Yonamine.

I hope to see you there!

Mahalo,
​Mufi