Case releases tourism agenda for Hawai‘i and country

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Ed Case
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January 19, 2012
For Immediate Release

(Honolulu) U.S Senate candidate and former Congressman Ed Case today released his Senate tourism agenda. Following his overall economic agenda last week, he highlighted the importance of tourism to Hawaii’s economy and the need to ease travel hurdles for Hawai‘i visitors.

Case also stated: “We can best help Hawai‘i tourism by growing our national economy and assuring international stability, especially within the Asia-Pacific region.”

Case emphasized that it is going to take strong and knowledgeable leadership in Washington to advocate effectively for Hawai‘i tourism amidst the current partisan gridlock.

Included in Case’s ten guiding principles were the need to focus on Chinese tourism, make travel easier for foreigners, and diversify visitor experiences and options.

Case’s 15 specific action items list various initiatives to simplify visa requirements and make it easier and more convenient for Asian visitors to travel to Hawai‘i. He also cites the need to implement and strengthen the Travel Promotion Act of 2010 that creates a public-private partnership to promote the U.S. as a travel destination abroad.

He also committed as Hawai‘i Senator to join and lead the Senate Travel and Tourism Caucus “… to provide coordinated, bipartisan advocacy in the Senate for the U.S. tourism industry.”

Case pointed out that: “A Senator matters, from forging stable foreign and national policy, to advocating for Hawai‘i tourism and in both DC and overseas, to helping individual Hawai‘i citizens and businesses with their tourism-related federal concerns.

“With strong and effective leadership on these and other initiatives, we can assure that Hawai‘i tourism remains a responsible and sustainable pillar of our economy,” he said.

Case has worked in Hawai‘i's travel and tourism industry throughout his thirty years as a Hawai‘i business and property attorney. As U. S. Congressman (2002-2007), Case served on the U. S. House Travel and Tourism Caucus and, among other tourism-related initiatives, advocated for visa waiver status for South Korea (since approved), an approved destination status agreement between China and the U. S. (since approved), and improved consular processing of visa applications for U. S. travel from Asia-Pacific countries (since implemented although still insufficient).

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Tourism Statistics:
· Tourism accounts for around 25% of Hawaii’s economy;
· Tourism is the equal of federal/defense spending as Hawaii’s largest industry;
· Tourism accounts for around 25% of Hawai‘i jobs;
· Hawai‘i visitors spend over $12 billion per year or $35 million per day during their Hawai‘i visits.

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