LIHU‘E – Kaua‘i County will fund an additional nine local tourism initiatives this year in addition to the 20 the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority will support, county officials said Monday. The 29 events will receive funding under the state and county’s
LIHU‘E – Kaua‘i County will fund an additional nine local tourism initiatives this year in addition to the 20 the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority will support, county officials said Monday.
The 29 events will receive funding under the state and county’s County Product Enrichment Program for 2012.
The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), in partnership with the county, in January announced plans to fund 20 Kaua‘i events that range from May Day by the Bay in Hanalei to the Waimea Town Celebration in Waimea.
The amount of money distributed to each program has yet to be determined, George Costa, director of the Kaua‘i County Office of Economic Development, said in an email. Recipients will first be notified, once an amount is finalized, and then the public will be notified, he said.
Kaua‘i’s County Project Enrichment Program (CPEP) will have approximately $65,000 to distribute among the selected festivals and events, while the HTA CPEP will distribute approximately $400,000, Costa said.
The county administers both funds, Costa said.
“You can’t fund everything out of the HTA funds, so the county is helping out,” said Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau.
The Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau was among the 20 programs to receive HTA funding for its 2012 marketing program.
“The cooperative partnership we have between the county and Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau (KVB) really helps to keep the product enrichment program’s festivals and events in the forefront,” Kanoho said. “It’s a strong partnership between the county Economic Office of Development and KVB to do what we can to support and lift up the culture.”
While the tourism authority supports more established events on Kaua‘i, the county hopes to support “up-and-coming events that are beginning the process of building toward a larger annual event,” she said.
County-funded programs include Kapa‘a Slack Key Saturdays at The Children of the Land in Kapa‘a, the Lihu‘e Airport Windows Display curated by the Garden Island Arts Council, the Kaua‘i Canoe Surfing Challenge and the Kaua‘i Veterans Day Parade.
“HTA generously provides funding for these types of programs annually. This support greatly assists the county in our efforts to ensure that residents and visitors continue to enjoy the unique and diverse culture of the Garden Isle,” Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. said in a news release.
The program is the tourism authority’s initiative to support community programs and events by partnering with non-profit organizations on each island and their respective counties.
The CPEP was created in 2002, and supports projects in the areas of agritourism, cultural tourism, ecotourism, edu-tourism, health and wellness tourism, sports and techno-tourism.
Kaua‘i tourism initiatives
Events funded by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority
Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau’s 2012 CPEP Marketing Program
West Kaua‘i Business and Professional Association’s 2012 Waimea Town Celebration
YMCA’s 2012 Kaua‘i World Challenge
Ka‘imi Na‘auao O Hawai‘i Nei’s 2012 Heiva I Kaua‘i Orana Tahiti
West Kaua‘i Business and Professional Association’s 2012 Waimea Music in the Park
Po‘ipu Beach Foundation’s 2012 Prince Kuhio Celebration
Kaua‘i Rodeo Club’s 2012 Koloa Plantation Days Rodeo
Kaua‘i Concert Association’ 2012 Red Clay Jazz Festival
Kaua‘i Music Festival’ 2012 Kaua‘i Music Festival and Songwriter Conference
Hanapepe Economic Alliance’s 2012 Kaua‘i Orchid and Art Festival
Malie Foundation’s 2012 Mokihana Festival and other cultural events
Lauakea Foundation’s 2012 E Pili Kakou
Garden Island Arts Council’s 2012 E Kanikapila Kakou
Kapa‘a Business Association’s 2012 Coconut Festival
Kamanawa Foundation’s 2012 Kaua‘i Polynesian Festival
Friends of the Festival of Lights’ 2012 Festival of Lights
Hui O Laka’s 2012 Banana Poka Round-up
Hui O Laka’s 2012 Eo E Emalani Festival
Ki-ho’alu Foundation’s 2012 Slack Key Guitar Festival-Kaua‘i Style
Hanalei Hawaiian Civic Club’s 2012 May Day by the Bay
Events funded by the County of Kaua‘i
Garden Island RC&D’s Kaua‘i Canoe Surfing Challenge
Kaua‘i Agricultural Initiative/GIRFF’s 4th Annual Garden Island Range and Food Festival
The Children of the Land’s Kapa‘a Slack Key Saturdays
Po‘ipu Beach Foundation’s 2012 Na Lima Hana
Aha Hui E Kala dba Lawa‘i International Center’s 2012 Journey to Lawa‘i-Pilgrimage
Kaua‘i Pow Wow Council’s 2012 Kaua‘i Pow Wow “Rejuvenate Your Soul”
Garden Island Arts Council’s Lihu‘e Airport Windows Display Project
Kaua‘i Veterans Council’s 2012 Kaua‘i Veterans Day Parade and Service
Kaua‘i Health and Wellness Association’s 2012 Kaua‘i Inspiration Wellness Expo
• Andrea Frainier, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-3681, ext. 257 or afrainier@ thegardenisland.com.
