SB 1522 Summary

• Dissolves the Hawaii Tourism Authority and establishes an Office of Tourism and Destination Management within the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism with a nine-member board representing counties, hospitality, airlines, retail, Hawaiian culture, and agriculture.

• Transfers all functions, duties, appropriations, and positions from the Hawaii Tourism Authority to the new office, which must implement best practice destination management and regenerative tourism principles.

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

• Establishes three branches within the office: tourism and marketing, convention center management, and destination management; creates an executive director position appointed by the board.

• Appropriates $50,000,000 for fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 to establish and operate the office, and $28,500,000 from the convention center enterprise special fund for facility operations and maintenance; takes effect January 6, 2050.