SB 2807: Destination Management; Destination Management Action Plans; DLNR; HTA; DOE; Appropriations

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2807
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to destination management.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The Hawaii Revised Statutes is amended by adding a new chapter to title 12 to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"Chapter

DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ACTION PLANS

     §   -1  Definition.  As used in this chapter, "department" means the department of land and natural resources.

     §   -2  Destination management action plans; development and updates.  (a)  The department shall develop the following destination management action plans:

     (1)  The Oahu destination management action plan, which shall cover the city and county of Honolulu;

     (2)  The Maui Nui destination management action plan, which shall cover the county of Maui;

     (3)  The Hawaii island destination management action plan, which shall cover the county of Hawaii; and

     (4)  The Kauai destination management action plan, which shall cover the county of Kauai.

     (b)  Each destination management action plan shall:

     (1)  Be updated at least once every three years;

     (2)  Be developed and updated collaboratively in a coordinated process with public, private, and community stakeholders; and

     (3)  Address the management of the various elements of a visitor destination to:

          (A)  Create, implement, and monitor strategies that attract targeted visitor markets and improve visitor experiences;

          (B)  Improve natural and cultural resources valued by Hawaii residents and visitors;

          (C)  Develop and maintain tourism-related infrastructure to prevent overcrowding and overtaxing sites and resources; and

          (D)  Ensure that the provision of services enhances the visitor experience.

     §   -3  Destination management action plans; counties; objectives; execution.  To meet the destination management objectives for each county, the department shall perform the actions specified in each of the destination management action plans described in section    -1(a), during the phases specified in each plan; provided that applicable state and county agencies shall cooperate and participate in the execution of each destination management action plan.

     §   -4  General powers.  The department may:

     (1)  Enter into contracts and agreements to develop and implement destination management action plans; and

     (2)  Perform any other activities necessary to carry out the intent of this chapter."

     SECTION 2.  Section 26-15, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

     "(b)  The department shall manage and administer the public lands of the State and minerals thereon and all water and coastal areas of the State except the commercial harbor areas of the State, including the soil conservation function, the forests and forest reserves, aquatic life, wildlife resources, state parks, including historic sites, and all activities thereon and therein including[, but not limited to,] boating, ocean recreation, [and] coastal areas programs[.], and activities relating to destination management action plans."

     SECTION 3.  Section 201B-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  The authority shall be responsible for developing a strategic tourism management plan that advances tourism marketing, complies with destination management best practices, and promotes regenerative tourism.  The plan shall be a single, comprehensive document that shall be updated every year and include the following:

     (1)  Statewide Hawaii brand management efforts and programs;

     (2)  Targeted markets;

     (3)  Efforts to enter into Hawaii brand management projects that make effective use of cooperative programs;

     (4)  Program performance goals and targets that can be monitored as market gauges and used as attributes to evaluate the authority's programs;

     (5)  The authority's guidance and direction for the development and coordination of promotional and marketing programs that build and promote the Hawaii brand, which are implemented through contracts and agreements with destination marketing organizations or other qualified organizations, including:

          (A)  Target markets and the results being sought;

          (B)  Key performance indicators; and

          (C)  Private sector collaborative or cooperative efforts that may be required; and

     (6)  Statewide [destination management and] regenerative tourism efforts and programs."

     SECTION 4.  Section 201B-7, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:

     "(a)  The authority may enter into contracts and agreements that include the following:

     (1)  Tourism promotion, marketing, and development[, and destination management];

     (2)  Market development-related research;

     (3)  Product development and diversification issues focused on visitors;

     (4)  Promotion, development, and coordination of festivals, community events, cultural activities, environmental stewardship activities, sports-related activities, and events that strengthen the relationships between the place and people for Hawaii's residents and visitors alike;

     (5)  Promotion of Hawaii, through a coordinated statewide effort, as a place to do business, including high technology business, and as a business destination;

     (6)  Reduction of barriers to travel;

     (7)  Marketing, management, use, operation, or maintenance of the convention center facility, including the purchase or sale of goods or services, logo items, concessions, sponsorships, and license agreements, or any use of the convention center facility as a commercial enterprise; provided that effective January 1, 2020, and thereafter, contracts issued pursuant to this paragraph for the marketing of all uses of the convention center facility may be issued separately from the management, use, operation, or maintenance of the facility;

     (8)  Tourism research and statistics to:

          (A)  Measure and analyze tourism trends;

          (B)  Provide information and research to assist in the development and implementation of state tourism policy; and

          (C)  Provide tourism information on:

               (i)  Visitor arrivals, visitor characteristics, and expenditures;

              (ii)  The number of transient accommodation units available, occupancy rates, and room rates;

             (iii)  Airline-related data including seat capacity and number of flights;

              (iv)  The economic, social, and physical impacts of tourism on the State; and

               (v)  The effects of the strategic tourism management programs of the authority on the measures of effectiveness developed pursuant to section 201B-6(b); and

     (9)  Any and all other activities necessary to carry out the intent of this chapter;

provided that the authority shall periodically submit a report of the contracts and agreements entered into by the authority to the governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and president of the senate.

     (b)  The authority shall be responsible for:

     (1)  Creating a vision and developing a long-range strategic plan for tourism in Hawaii;

    [(2)  Developing destination management action plans for each county;

     (3)] (2)  Promoting, marketing, and developing the tourism industry in the State;

    [(4)] (3)  Arranging for the conduct of research through contractual services with the University of Hawaii or any agency or other qualified persons concerning social, economic, and environmental aspects of tourism development in the State;

    [(5)] (4)  Providing technical or other assistance to agencies and private industry upon request; and

    [(6)] (5)  Reviewing annually the expenditure of public funds by any visitor industry organization that contracts with the authority to perform tourism promotion, marketing, and development and making recommendations necessary to ensure the effective use of the funds for the development of tourism."

     SECTION 5.  Section 201B-6.4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is repealed.

     ["[§201B-6.4]  Destination management action plans; counties; objectives; execution.  To meet the destination management objectives for each county, the authority shall perform the actions specified in each of the following plans:

     (1)  Oahu destination management action plan;

     (2)  Maui nui destination management action plan;

     (3)  Hawaii island destination management action plan; and

     (4)  Kauai destination management action plan,

during the specified phases; provided that the execution of each destination management action plan shall be dependent on the cooperation and participation of the applicable state or county agency or an advisory group established pursuant to section 201B-13."]

     SECTION 6.  All rights, powers, functions, and duties of the Hawaii tourism authority relating to the development and implementation of destination management action plans are transferred to the department of land and natural resources.

     All employees who occupy civil service positions and whose functions are transferred to the department of land and natural resources by this Act shall retain their civil service status, whether permanent or temporary.  Employees shall be transferred without loss of salary, seniority (except as prescribed by applicable collective bargaining agreements), retention points, prior service credit, any vacation and sick leave credits previously earned, and other rights, benefits, and privileges, in accordance with state personnel laws and this Act; provided that the employees possess the minimum qualifications and public employment requirements for the class or position to which transferred or appointed, as applicable; provided further that subsequent changes in status may be made pursuant to applicable civil service and compensation laws.

     Any employee who, prior to this Act, is exempt from civil service and is transferred as a consequence of this Act may retain the employee's exempt status, but shall not be appointed to a civil service position as a consequence of this Act.  An exempt employee who is transferred by this Act shall not suffer any loss of prior service credit, vacation or sick leave credits previously earned, or other employee benefits or privileges as a consequence of this Act; provided that the employees possess legal and public employment requirements for the position to which transferred or appointed, as applicable; provided further that subsequent changes in status may be made pursuant to applicable employment and compensation laws.  The chairperson of the board of land and natural resources may prescribe the duties and qualifications of these employees and fix their salaries without regard to chapter 76, Hawaii Revised Statutes.

     SECTION 7.  All appropriations, records, equipment, machines, files, supplies, contracts, books, papers, documents, maps, and other personal property heretofore made, used, acquired, or held by the Hawaii tourism authority relating to the functions transferred to the department of land and natural resources shall be transferred with the functions to which they relate.

     SECTION 8.  All deeds, leases, contracts, loans, agreements, permits, or other documents executed or entered into by or on behalf of the Hawaii tourism authority, pursuant to the provisions of the Hawaii Revised Statutes, that are reenacted or made applicable to the department of land and natural resources by this Act shall remain in full force and effect.  Upon the effective date of this Act, every reference to the Hawaii tourism authority or the president and chief executive officer of the Hawaii tourism authority therein shall be construed as a reference to the department of land and natural resources or the chairperson of the board of land and natural resources, as appropriate.

     SECTION 9.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $7,923,883 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for developing, updating, and executing destination management action plans.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of land and natural resources for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 10.  There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $1,050,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2026-2027 for destination management-related workforce development activities, including:

     (1)  Costs associated with dual credit or early college for tourism and hospitality workforce pathways;

     (2)  Scholarships for students entering the university of Hawaii system for tourism and hospitality;

     (3)  $223,868 for the establishment of two full-time equivalent (2.0 FTE) positions within the McKinley community school for adults; provided that $111,934 shall be expended for each position; and

     (4)  $250,000 for the McKinley community school for adults for other current expenses.

     The sum appropriated shall be expended by the workforce development branch of the department of education for the purposes of this Act.

     SECTION 11.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 12.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2026.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

 

Report Title:

Destination Management; Destination Management Action Plans; DLNR; HTA; DOE; Appropriations

 

Description:

Transfers functions relating to the preparation and implementation of destination management action plans from the Hawaii Tourism Authority to the Department of Land and Natural Resources.  Appropriates moneys to the Department of Land and Natural Resources to develop and implement destination management action plans.  Appropriates moneys to the Department of Education's Workforce Development Branch for various destination management-related workforce development activities.

 

 

 

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