Hannemann: Tourism Focus Needed in Washington

Adrienne LaFrance/Civil Beat

WASHINGTON — Former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann says he would bring a focus on tourism to Washington if elected to represent Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District.

Hannemann was in Washington this week to attend meetings in his capacity as president of the recently renamed Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association. He also held a fundraiser for his congressional campaign, which was sponsored jointly by the American Hotel & Lodging Association and Marriott Corporation, he said.

Given his public- and private-sector experience, his interest in tourism seems natural.

"To me, that's a lost opportunity in Washington," Hannemann told Civil Beat in an interview on Thursday. "People still do not see tourism, in my opinion, as a growth industry, as a good industry for jobs. It's also a great diplomatic tool for America in the increasingly hostile environment we're operating in throughout the rest of the world."

Hannemann acknowledged that Hawaii's current congressional delegation has made important strides in supporting the tourism industry. He points to the Travel Promotion Act, which he says Sen. Daniel K. Inouye was "very instrumental" in passing. The act, signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010, established a national tourism board to encourage international travel to the United States.

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