HONOLULU, HAWAII — The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), the state’s tourism agency, in partnership with the City and County of Honolulu, and the Counties of Hawai‘i, Maui and Kaua‘i have selected more than 100 events and programs statewide to receive funding under its County Product Enrichment Program (CPEP) for 2012.
“The wide-range of events selected this year showcase what makes Hawai‘i a special place to visit and live, while also helping to draw visitors during the slower shoulder spring and fall season,” said Mike McCartney, president and CEO of the HTA. “In working with the counties, we were also able to select programs that are unique to each of the Hawaiian Islands and highlight our diverse and rich culture and heritage.”
The CPEP program is another aspect to the HTA’s initiatives that support Hawai‘i’s community programs and events and provide visitors with unique experiences throughout the Hawaiian Islands. The HTA, together with the four counties and their visitors’ bureaus, are working with the recipients of the programs to better align themselves with the branding of their respective island. This year, the HTA funded various sporting events through CPEP, such as the Maui Marathon, providing even greater diversity to Hawai‘i’s tourism profile.
CPEP was created in 2002 as a partnership between the HTA and the counties to strengthen and diversify Hawai‘i’s tourism product and provide a quality visitor experience. Through the program, the four counties receive HTA funding and other resources for tourism product enrichment activities to support projects in the niche areas of agritourism, cultural tourism, ecotourism, edutourism, health and wellness tourism, sports, and technotourism in their respective counties.
Established in 1998, the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, the state’s tourism agency, is responsible for strategically managing tourism to optimize benefits for Hawai‘i that integrates the interest of visitors, the community and visitor industry. Tourism is our state’s leading economic driver and largest employer and the HTA continually works to ensure its sustainability well into the future. For more information on the HTA, please visit www.hawaiitourismauthority.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter (@HawaiiHTA).
Submitted by HTA