Tourism Security: Protecting our Industry

On Tuesday, August 16, HLTA's Oahu Chapter held an educational event on protecting our industry through tourism security with several speakers representing various government agencies. The speakers included Officer Shellen Ozaki from the Honolulu Police Department; Supervisory Special Agent Ryan Noonan from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Special Agent Marcus Ivey of the U.S. Secret Service, and Field Intelligence Officer Darrick White of TSA Homeland Security. The presentation was aimed to raise awareness and understanding of the potential threat of terrorism in our precious island state, and of how information is shared among those whose duty is to protect our homeland. It seems like every day there is a new act of terror somewhere in the world but when tragedy occurs in our homeland (i.e. Orlando), it hits home that we can never take our safety for granted. Recent tragedies and important upcoming events like the IUCN World Conservation Congress, which is to be attended by numerous heads of states and top leaders from various countries, remind us the importance of knowing how we can participate in protecting ourselves, fellow citizens, and our island’s tourism industry.