E-Bulletin: NFL Pro Bowl to Return to Hawaii in 2016

The Pro Bowl has been played in Hawaii for more than three decades and draws both visitors and residents to the game. In 2014, the Pro Bowl attracted 47,270 attendees and reached an audience of 11.4 million viewers across the U.S., resulting in more than $200 million in media value. It also contributed an estimated $71.9 million in direct visitor spending in the state, not inclusive of the production costs of the game and events surrounding Pro Bowl week, which is estimated at an additional $15.7 million. Read more

Asia Key to Growing Hawaii's Tourism Economy

Hawaii's core U.S. market has been slowing since the second half of 2013 and is anticipated to continue to soften through 2014. In order to compensate for the declines in the U.S. market, the HTA is focusing on expanding its efforts in Japan, China, Korea and Taiwan to help diversify and sustain Hawaii's tourism economy. Read more

Meet Our Team: Tourism Brand Manager Grace Lee

As the HTA focuses on pivoting its marketing efforts to Asia, HTA brand manager Grace Lee is working with Hawaii Tourism Korea (HTK) to build Hawaii's Korean visitor market.

Prior to working at the HTA, Grace was a flight attendant with Aloha Airlines for 15 years and served as the Association of Flight Attendants' secretary-treasurer from 2001-2008, managing the budget and administering the collective bargaining agreement, negotiations and concessionary agreements. Born and raised in Hawaii, Grace graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa with a degree in business administration and management. Read more

Mele Mei: The Best of Hawaiian Music

The best of Hawaiian music will be honored throughout the month

of May during the

4th Annual Mele Mei Celebration. Residents

of Hawaii and visitors to the islands are invited

to enjoy Mele Mei festivities that take place every week throughout the month, showcasing a range of artists from the Hawaii Youth Symphony

to the seasoned Na Hoku Hanohano award winners.

"Mele Mei is a celebration of Hawaiian music, language and culture," said Laci Goshi, HTA tourism brand manager. "The month-long festivities provide both visitors and residents with ample opportunity to experience what makes the Hawaiian Islands so unique, and we are pleased to continue to support this great event." Read more

36th Annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk

Save the date: May 3, 10 & 17

The 36th Annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk is happening statewide this month. Walk alongside those involved in the visitor industry as well as friends and family to support this year's charitable organization. For more information and dates for each island, visit www.charitywalkhawaii.org.

HTA recognizes the use of the 'okina ['] or glottal stop, one of the eight consonants of the (modern) Hawaiian language; and the kahakō[ā] or macron (e.g., in place names of Hawai'i such as Lāna'i). However, HTA respects the individual use of these markings for names of organizations and businesses. Due to technological limitations, this current communication may not include all Hawaiian diacritical markings.