The Hawaii Tourism Authority will be hosting its first Experience Aloha Business Exchange Meeting next month to lure more business events from China and Hong Kong.
The five-day programme will invite about 100 event planners and intermediaries from various source markets to view business event offers on its islands, as well as facilitate a one-day business exchange with 75 local industry partners.
Wailua Falls, Kauai
Hawaii Tourism Authority’s director of Hawaiian Cultural Affairs, Kalani Kaanaana, shared that the Hong Kong market thinks of Hawaii as a leisure destination and usually overlooks the destination for business events.
“In fact, we have 10 major markets and each one has a MICE representative,” said Kaanaana, adding that Hawaii offers vast ideas that can complement and enhance any business event experience, such as visiting private islands and volcanoes, or a helicopter ride.
From January to April 2017, Hawaii welcomed 7,000 Chinese delegates on business and incentive programmes, a year-on-year increase of 90 per cent. At press time, Hawaii is due to welcome another 30 groups this year, consuming a potential 11,000 room nights. The groups hail from industries such as finance, insurance, FMCG, direct sales networks, sports and education.
