STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2912

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                  

 

RE:    GOV. MSG. NOS. 423, 424

 

 

 

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

 

Madam:

 

     Your Committee on Tourism and Government Operations, to which was referred Governor's Message Nos. 423 and 424, submitting for study and consideration the nominations of: 

 

Board of Directors of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority

 

G.M. No. 423

DOUGLAS KAHIKINA CHANG,

for a term to expire 6-30-2012; and

 

G.M. No. 424

LEON D. YOSHIDA,

for a term to expire 6-30-2012,

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of Douglas Kahikina Chang from the Hawaii Tourism Authority, State Tourism Liaison, Maui Visitors Bureau, Pacific Marketing Corporation, Kauai Lagoons Resort, Hawaii Hotel & Lodging Association, Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association, and Hana Coast Realty.

 

     The nominee represents the Maui County appointment to the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Tourism Authority and is presently being reappointed for a second term.  Mr. Chang is the General Manager at the Hotel Hana-Maui, a position he has held since 2001.  He has accepted a position to manage The Ritz-Carlton Club and The Residences at Kapalua Bay, starting in mid-March, 2008.  He has held hotel managerial positions at the Kauai Marriott Resort & Beach Club and Hanalei Bay Resort.  Mr. Chang currently serves as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and is a Board Member and Officer of the Hana Business Council.  He also belongs to the Hawaii Hotel Association and Maui Hotel Association.

 

     Mr. Chang has been the President, Treasurer, and Founding Member of the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association; Chairperson of the Kauai Visitors Bureau; Board Member of the Maui Visitors Bureau; Executive Board Member of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau; Treasurer and Board Member of the Hawaii Hotel Association, Kauai Chapter; Chair of the Kauai Visitor Industry Charity Walk; and President of the North Shore Business Council, Kauai. 

 

     Your Committee notes from the personal statement of the nominee that the Hawaii Tourism Authority has made progress in building partnerships and has brought funding to areas such as marketing, natural resources, preservation of the host culture, safety and security, airline access, and workforce development.  He sees the role of the Authority as finding balance between the needs and quality of life of our resident communities and the commerce of tourism which drives the State's economy.  Mr. Chang views the Strategic Tourism Plan as most important as well as accountability to the Plan in the interests of future generations.

 

     Your Committee received testimony in support of Leon D. Yoshida from the Hawaii Tourism Authority; State Tourism Liaison; 212F Pty Ltd; Bulgari Hotels & Resorts; The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.; Central Pacific Bank; eWorld Enterprise Solutions Inc.; First Hawaiian Bank; Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa; Hilton Grand Vacations Club; Ilima Tours & Transportation; Honua Kai Resort Maui; Iolani Sportswear, Ltd.; Island Movers Inc.; JALPAC International Hawaii, Inc.; Japan Airlines International; JCL International Consultants, Inc.; JTB Hawaii, Inc.; Kawakami & Wong, CPAs, LLC; Marc Resorts Hawaii; Marriott North Asia, Hawaii & South Pacific Area Office; MC&A Inc; Outrigger Enterprises Group; Pleasant Holidays; Prince Resorts Hawaii; SeaHawaii, Inc.; The Kahala Hotel & Resort; The Limtiaco Company; Hawaii 5-0 Group, Inc.; Hawaii Hotel & Lodging Association; one State House of Representatives member; and one individual.  

 

     The nominee represents the Oahu appointment (City and County of Honolulu) to the Board of Directors of the Hawaii Tourism Authority and is presently being reappointed for a second term.  Mr. Yoshida is the President of Sawayaka Hawaii Inc., a Japanese in-bound travel company.  He is the Founder of Hospitality Solutions, LLC, that develops and markets a B2B Internet-based program to enable travel wholesalers to book group business with hotels on-line.  Mr. Yoshida is also the President of Ka Gari Inc., a hospitality marketing firm that assists businesses in business development from the Asia and Pacific markets.  His other experience includes Advisor to the Honolulu Festival Foundation; Director of Sales & Marketing, Asia-Pacific, for Hyatt Resorts Hawaii; and Sales Manager for Del E. Webb's Kuilima Resort Hotel & Country Club.

 

     Mr. Yoshida's professional memberships include Japan America Society of Hawaii; Japan-Hawaii Travel Association; and Pacific Area Travel Association.  The nominee was Vice Chair from 2006 to 2007 of the Hawaii Tourism Authority Board.

 

     Your Committee notes the nominee's personal statement that he places emphasis on bringing more chartered flights from Haneda, Japan, to Hawaii; developing the local workforce to work in tourism; and addressing the decline in service quality to our visitors at all facilities in the State that service visitors, including airports, hotels, restaurants, and shops.  Mr. Yoshida believes that workforce development is an issue, on the one hand, of bilingualism, where the local populace must be trained to speak Japanese, Chinese, and Korean; on the other hand, there are pockets of very specialized language for which only natives of a particular area are able to speak authentically.  Mr. Yoshida also believes that increased outreach to Japan is necessary to address the declining tourism from Japan. 

 

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism and Government Operations that are attached to this report, your Committee, after full consideration of the background, experience, and qualifications of the nominees, has found the nominees to be qualified for the positions to which nominated and recommends that the Senate advise and consent to the nominations.


 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Tourism and Government Operations,

 

 

 

____________________________

CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair