Many visitors question if Hawaii still offers the value it once did. Travelers accustomed to finding an affordable retreat feel squeezed. With costs of visiting having risen dramatically, they now rival or exceed other global luxury destinations like French Polynesia and Europe.
That’s where leadership from the state’s Tourism is so important. But right now, there is no president and CEO of Hawaii’s HTA to guide the agency due to uncertainty between the governor and HTA, partly over the salary of their next top executive, competing priorities, and infighting between tourism stakeholders, government agencies, and community members.
HTA has been without a permanent leader for two years when former HTA President and CEO John DeFries opted not to pursue renewing his contract…