Several tourism officials, including Mike McCartney, president and CEO of Hawaiii Tourism Authority and Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, recently issued statement regarding the death of longtime Hawaii senator, Daniel Inouye.
Various media outlets have reported that Inouye, who served 50 years as a U.S. senator from Hawaii, died Monday of respiratory complications at a Washington-area hospital.
“Senator Inouye was a one-of-a-kind man that served Hawaii well,” said McCartney in a written statement. “He was a leader that comes once-in-a-lifetime and he will be truly missed. He was a true advocate for Hawaii, and a strong supporter of Hawaii’s largest economic industry, tourism. Senator by definition was an ambassador of peace who embodied and shared the aloha spirit, introducing the world to Hawaii, its people, place and culture.”
As a senator, Inouye became one of the most influential politicians in the country, playing key roles in congressional investigations of the Watergate and Iran-Contra scandals. He was the longest serving current senator and by far the most important for his home state of Hawaii.
"Today, the U.S. travel community lost a close friend and ardent supporter,” said Dow, also in a written statement. “Sen. Daniel Inouye was a tireless champion for travelers. He understood the important role that travel plays not only in driving Hawaii's economy, but also America's economy. He was a key proponent for travel promotion, working to gain bipartisan support for many travel initiatives in Congress. Additionally, he understood the diplomatic tool that is travel – there is no better way to experience firsthand our rich culture than to travel to the United States. We will miss Sen. Inouye, and we express our condolences."
According to a TIME report, Inouye became a senator in January 1963. As president pro tempore of the Senate, he was third in the line of presidential succession. He broke racial barriers on Capitol Hill as the first Japanese-American to serve in Congress. He was elected to the House in 1959, the year Hawaii became a state. He won election to the Senate three years later and served there longer than anyone in American history except Robert Byrd of West Virginia, who died in 2010 after 51 years in the Senate.
“For all that he accomplished in his tenure for Hawaii, he remained a humble man, that did not take credit for all of his efforts,” said McCartney. “On behalf of the HTA board and staff, we bid a warm mahalo and aloha to Senator Inouye for all that he has done for Hawaii.”
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