Registration Now Open for Annual Hawaii Tourism Conference

The Hawaii Convention Center

The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) will hold its annual Hawaii Tourism Conference from Aug. 28-29 at the Hawaii Convention Center. The two-day conference is Hawaii’s premier tourism stakeholder event featuring local, national and international leading experts in their fields sharing insight on tourism issues and trends unique to Hawaii’s visitor industry. 
 
“Last year we achieved another record-breaking year in both visitor spending and arrivals,” said Mike McCartney, president and CEO of the HTA, in a written release. “And while our tourism economy is stable, it is important for us to remain a competitive destination in an unpredictable world economy. This year’s conference will provide Hawaii’s visitor industry with the knowledge and information to help maintain the momentum of one of the state’s lead economic drivers.” 

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The 2014 conference offers highly-informative sessions to engage and learn from presenters on key topics in Hawaii's ever-evolving tourism industry.

Attendees can look forward to hearing from experts on a range of topics that will provide insight into current issues that Hawaii’s visitor industry faces, such as the changing trends in accommodations, servicing new international markets and guiding Hawaii’s tourism economy through the peaks and valleys. 

This year’s conference will feature industry experts including: Brad DiFiore of Ailevon Air Service Consulting; Douglas Quinby of PhoCusWright; Todd Skelton from TripAdvisor; Vish Bhatia of Hotelsoft Inc. and Kiersten Faulkner from Historic Hawaii Foundation.
 
The HTA's global marketing partners – the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, Hawaii Tourism Japan, Hawaii Tourism Oceania, Hawaii Tourism Korea, Hawaii Tourism China, Hawaii Tourism Europe, Hawaii Tourism Taiwan, Hawaii Tourism Latin America and Meet Hawaii – will also reveal their 2015 marketing plan activities.
 

In addition, the HTA will recognize businesses and/or individuals in the industry and community who have helped to perpetuate the Hawaiian culture during the Tourism Legacy Awards Luncheon. Last year's honorees were celebrating their 50th anniversaries in the state: Merrie Monarch, Polynesian Cultural Center and Hilo Hattie.

Registration fees include educational sessions, breakfasts, Tourism Legacy Awards luncheon and pau hana reception. Early bird rates are available through Aug. 1 at $190 per person or $180 per person for groups of five or more employees of the same company. From Aug. 2, the individual rate will increase to $205 per person and the group rate will be $195 per person. 

Visit www.hawaiitourismauthority.org.