‘Year of action’

LIHUE — The mood of the Kauai Chamber of Commerce’s annual general membership meeting was festive and celebratory, and for good reason.

About 500 people filled the Kauai Marriott Resort’s ballroom Thursday night and enjoyed dinner, drinks, Christmas cheer and fellowship, while also hearing success stories of 2015 and hearing of even higher expectations for the New Year.

“2016 is really going to be a year of action for the chamber,” said Mark Perriello, chamber president and CEO.

Perriello, who came on board earlier this year to lead the chamber, promised the organization would do “what is necessary to help your businesses grow and succeed.”

“We will get there when we do it together,” he said.

He cited many events in the past year as reason to celebrate. The chamber led Hawaii Fashion Month on Kauai, held its annual Employment Law Seminar, hosted an economic forecast luncheon, and hosted several Business After Hours networking events. Kauai’s first Military Affairs Council was unanimously voted in as a Kauai Chamber of Commerce Committee.

While tourism, the island’s number one economic driver, saw a solid year with rising visitor spending and the state’s economy is strong, Perriello said involvement of chamber members to maintain its course “will be more important than ever.”

Now, he said, is the time to look for opportunities to expand and spur more growth. He spoke of a renewed sense of urgency and importance for local businesses.

The chamber will work closely with community partners to address challenges facing businesses including finding qualified workers and ensuring sustainable and quality growth.

Its strength, Perriello said, can be found in its many active members committed not just to the success of their own business, but the success of businesses throughout the island.

“Your participation will enable the chamber to continue as a strong voice for the Kauai business community at the local, state and federal level,” he said.

Mufi Hannemann, president and CEO of the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association, was one of the keynote speakers.

In a 20-minute speech that covered a range of topics, he said that in these days when some people are afraid to fly, Hawaii has an edge.

“It continues to be one of the safest places to visit,” he said. “And that’s what we want to continue to maintain.”

HLTA is the state’s largest private sector tourism organization representing hotels, timeshares, condominiums transportation companies, activities, attractions and industry suppliers.

Hannemann said it is important government and private sector continue to work together to encourage growth. He also spoke of how critical the spirit of aloha is to the state’s success in tourism. Visitors, he said, need to feel welcome when they’re in hotels, restaurants, on beaches and golf courses.

Total visitor arrivals to the Hawaiian Islands through October totaled nearly 7.2 million, an increase of 4.2 percent over the first 10 months of 2014. Visitor spending through October increased 2.2 percent to $12.5 billion.

Guests need to feel “people like the fact that they’re here and we can co-exist” so they will continue to return to Hawaii, Hannemann said.

HLTA does not want to outlaw Transient Vacation Rentals, which compete with hotels which employ thousands, pay significant taxes and are key to a successful tourism campaigns.

But they should face the same codes and regulations as hotels, he said.

“All we ask for is a level playing field,” he said.

Hannemann also briefly addressed the sudden cancellation of the game that was set to feature the U.S. women’s soccer team last weekend at Aloha Stadium. The game was scheduled Sunday, but the U.S. Soccer Federation canceled the game Saturday night, saying the stadium’s field was unsafe and unplayable. Stadium officials countered that the turf is only four years old, still under warranty and hasn’t had any issues.

“If we were in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, they never would have pulled the plug in less than 24 hours,” he said. “But they did it here for a variety of reasons.”

He also while the majority of Transient Accommodation Taxes go to the state’s general fund and are used by counties for public services, HLTA sees another use for them.

“We want to see more of that money go for marketing purposes of tourism,” he said.

Hannemann said one aspect that’s “near and dear” to his heart is promoting the state’s Native Hawaiian activities and festivals, which draw many to Hawaii.

The state, he said, has built a world-class tourism industry that is thriving. HLTA believes the best is yet to come.

“This is what we know how to do,” Hannemann said.