Local Industry News & Notes for Sunday, December 28, 2008

• KIUC and PacWest renewable energy

• New: Hawai‘i Tourism Association

• Spreading holiday joy to Hawai‘i children and seniors in need

KIUC and PacWest renewable energy

Kaua`i Island Utility Cooperative (KIUC) Board of Directors agreed in their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday to enter into a collaborative agreement with Pacific West Energy, LLC (PacWest) to achieve established and necessary renewable energy goals and greenhouse gas reductions.

PacWest plans to develop an approximately 20-Megawatt Biomass–to–Energy Project on Kauai to provide electrical capacity and energy to KIUC.

The agreement is a good faith effort between both parties to negotiate and enter into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for the project on terms mutually acceptable to PacWest and the Co-op. This innovative agreement helps pave the way for KIUC to build on our current renewable energy needs to help us meet our strategic plan goal of becoming more than 50 percent renewable within the next 15 years. Our strategic plan allows us to meet the goal of transforming Hawai`i’s energy portfolio into a renewable energy mix in support of the Hawai`i Clean Energy Initiative’s commitment to moving away from reliance on fossil fuels.

New: Hawai‘i Tourism Association

Hawai‘i-based travel trade publication eTurboNews (eTN) has announced that because of an overwhelming response to its recently conducted survey on Hawai‘i tourism, it has decided to establish an organization called Hawai‘i Tourism Association.

Quick to identify the immediate need to promote Hawai‘i because of the ongoing tourism slump, Hawai‘i Tourism Association has found key markets interested in doing business with Hawai‘i tourism.

Responses reached us from almost every European country.

 Potential responses also came from Russia, India, South Africa, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia.”

eTN is undoubtedly one of most sought after trade publications in the world at the moment. As such, every major tourism organizations partners with eTN , including UNWTO, World Travel and Tourism Council, European Tour Operators Association, Pacific Asia Travel Association, to name a few. In addition, eTN is a designated media partner for some the biggest travel exhibitions, including the World Travel Market in London, the ITB in Berlin, FITUR in Madrid, the ASEAN Travel Forum and more than 40 additional events around the globe.

With eTN’s partnerships with various events and organizations, Hawai‘i Tourism Association will gain further exposure at more than 40 events around the globe, including six adventure expos in the United States.

Details on the specifics of this will be made available in the coming weeks.

To learn more about Hawai‘i Tourism Association, visit www.hawaiitourismassociation.com

Spreading holiday joy to Hawai‘i children and seniors in need

In the spirit of giving and sharing, associates of Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa adopted 96 Angels through The Salvation Army, donating gifts valued at $2,817 for Hawai‘i’s children and senior citizens this holiday season.

For the past four years, Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa has partnered with The Salvation Army, organizing a Christmas tree decorated with Angel tags in the resort’s associate dining room. Each holiday season, associates choose an Angel tag and donate a desired gift for a child or senior citizen.

Contributions like this are all part of Marriott’s Spirit to Serve, a program designed to foster goodwill in communities where Marriott International does business. Along with The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree, Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa lends its support to various nonprofit organizations, including the Waikiki Community Center through the annual Ala Wai Challenge, a fun, cultural event that showcases how the Ancient Hawaiians competed in unique sport games such as Outrigger canoe paddling and Makahiki land games.

For more information, visit www.marriottwaikiki.com