HB 1376 Summary

• Establishes an Office of Tourism and Destination Management within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism to manage tourism marketing and implement regenerative tourism and best practice destination management practices.

• Transfers all functions, duties, appropriations, and positions from the Hawaii Tourism Authority to the new office, including management of the Hawaii Convention Center.

• Dissolves the Hawaii Tourism Authority and its Board of Directors, citing mismanagement including a $34,000,000 marketing contract for the U.S. major market area that has been in limbo since 2021.

• Requires the office to implement county-specific destination management action plans for Oahu, Maui Nui, Hawaii Island, and Kauai over three-year phases.

• Appropriates $50,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 for office operations, plus $28,500,000 annually for the convention center enterprise special fund.