HONOLULU–The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), the state’s tourism agency, is pleased to announce its sponsorship of the 19th International Airline Symposium being held at the Hawai‘i Convention Center from Oct. 16 to 19. Approximately 50 senior executives from airlines and related industries are gathering in Hawai‘i for this annual meeting to address challenges and opportunities facing the airline industry worldwide.
The HTA will also be co-hosting the 2013 International Airline Symposium dinner reception at historic Washington Place for conference attendees on Friday, Oct. 18.
The last time Hawai‘i hosted the symposium was in 2005.
“As an island state, airline access is the lifeline that supports our tourism industry. It is critical that Hawai‘i has adequate airlift to meet and grow demand for travel to our state as well as support commerce,” said Mike McCartney, president and CEO of the HTA. “The HTA looks forward to welcoming the conference attendees and continuing our efforts to build our relationships within the industry with the possibility of establishing new routes and flights to the Hawaiian Islands.”
In 2013, new direct routes to Honolulu, Kahului and Līhu‘e have been added from major cities including Auckland, Calgary, Taipei and Tokyo. Scheduled nonstop air seats into Hawai‘i are expected to rise 1.4 percent in the fourth quarter with an overall increase of 5.4 percent by year end. The HTA anticipates continued growth in 2014 that will include the launch of new direct flights from Beijing to Honolulu by Air China and Hawaiian Airlines. The HTA continues to monitor how the new generation of aircrafts entering the market will affect Hawai‘i for all industries, especially tourism.
“We look forward to welcoming the symposium attendees and having meaningful discussions on the future of the airline industry,” said David Uchiyama, vice president, brand management, of the HTA. “Hawai‘i is the fourth largest international port of entry in the United States. In order to keep the Hawaiian Islands competitive among major destinations, we must continue to strengthen our relationships within the airline industry.”
The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority is a state agency established by law in 1998 to ensure a successful visitor industry and tourism economy in the state of Hawai‘i. As the state’s tourism authority, its mission is to strategically manage tourism to optimize benefits for Hawai‘i, integrating the interests of visitors, the community and visitor industry. Through the implementation of the statewide Hawai‘i Tourism Strategic Plan and HTA’s own strategic plan, the authority works to direct Hawai‘i tourism in a sustainable manner consistent with our economic goals, cultural values, preservation of natural resources, community desires, and visitor industry needs. For more information on the HTA, please visit www.hawaiitourismauthority.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.