President Barack Obama and Chinese government officials have announced that they will continue to encourage international cooperation and tourism by making it easier for citizens to obtain visas to the other country. This was seen as a major milestone for the Hawaii Tourism Authority, which has been working for more than a decade to have more Chinese visitors, students and businessmen come to the islands. Mike McCartney, president and CEO for HTA, stated, "China has become a market with tremendous growth potential. We look forward to working with our marketing contractor, Hawaii Tourism China, and industry partners to enhance travel opportunities and attract Chinese visitors to ensure the long-term sustainability of our tourism economy." According to McCartney, there have been 128,792 visitors from China to Hawaii during the first nine months of this year.
Mark Dunkerley, the president and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, commented, "Tourism is a vital contributor to the U.S. economy and to Hawaii in particular, and should not be underestimated. With an enormous population and a burgeoning middle class, the new visa policy will positively impact tourism and create new jobs over the long term by making our islands more easily accessible for Chinese travelers. Hawaiian Airlines offers three-times weekly service between Honolulu and Beijing, and we are well positioned to introduce this growing and steady new stream of visitors to our home."
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 11-11-2014, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Principal Broker, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Principal Broker, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com
