THe Chamber and Business Banking Council announce tourism survey results
By: Bryna Stankiewicz
4/23/2009
Chamber President Jim Tollefson's presentation:
• First I want to start by thanking Al Hoffmann and Hawaiian Airlines for helping the Chamber sponsor this important survey.
• Our role as the largest business organization in the State, that represents not only its members but the entire business community, every industry and size of company, is to provide the support and a voice on the issues that negatively impact business.
• We are the bridge between business and other organizations, our government officials and the community.
• Just as we have done for over 24 years as the State’s liaison to the military, bringing together business leaders, community leaders, and our government officials to support our military partners, we must join together and do the same thing for the visitor industry.
• Cooperation is essential in revitalizing tourism, and seeking solutions that will not undermine some of the efforts that are being made within the industry, is critical.
• We are here today to encourage a broad base of understanding of the importance of support for the Tourism and to ask legislators for their support.
• I don’t think any of us are surprised by some of the information found in this survey, such as the low levels of optimism regarding the economy.
• And I know we all also recognize that tourism is our number one economic driver and that the industry is facing major challenges with the decline in visitors due to the our economic crisis worldwide.
• But what this survey shows that is so important is that 85% of the residence of Hawaii believe the State should do everything they can to focus on tourism and find ways to bring tourists back.
• Unfortunately, with the industry being exponentially impacted by the current economic situation it has resulted in a trickling effect-affecting businesses, consumers, and households.
• The decline of the visitor industry impacts all of us, either directly or indirectly.
• This was supported by a few weeks ago by the First Hawaiian Bank Economic Forecast Special Report, which stated that 74% of the total jobs in the State in 2007 were somehow touched by tourism directly or indirectly.
• You can be a hotel or restaurant in Waikiki impacted directly or a dentist who takes care of the workers at the hotel or restaurants that will be impacted by the layoffs of those workers.
• Tourism job loss affects our local businesses.
• And that is why it is so important for all of us to be here today….It’s all about jobs…keeping them and creating them.
• An interesting note that was mentioned by the Special Report is that most tourism related jobs cannot be outsourced, such an important aspect of the industry and to insuring its success.
• It was also mentioned that for every direct tourism job there are likely to be about 1.6 other jobs that are created indirectly.
• The benefits to our state by focusing our efforts on supporting the tourism industry are apparent.
• The BBC’s Hawaii Resident Views on Tourism reinforces that the priority right now is addressing the decline in tourism to find solutions that support the visitor industry and to come together… business, legislators, community leaders and residents…
• Although we are unable to focus on every issue today
• As an example the Chamber representing the business community opposes a measure that increases the rate of the transient accommodations tax.
• We agree with State and private tourism industry officials that the higher taxes would be counterproductive given the state's slumping visitor numbers.
• We are asking legislators to recognize that now is the time not to raise taxes, but the time to find ways to encourage visitors to come to Hawaii.
• We must recognize that our immediate future depends on supporting our visitor industry.
• And although we recognize that we need to Diversify, as was expressed in survey, to continue to create stable job and economic growth, and pro-investment climate, our immediate focus right now needs to be the growth of tourism.
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