132           
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES             H.C.R. NO.            
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                     HOUSE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION
  STRONGLY SUPPORTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CENTER FOR
    ENVIRONMENTAL AND CULTURAL TOURISM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
    HAWAII AT HILO.



 1        WHEREAS, environmental and cultural tourism is growing
 2   faster than world and regional tourism growth trends; and
 3   
 4        WHEREAS, United States, Asian, and European travelers,
 5   reflecting an increasing environmental consciousness, seek to
 6   expand their experience with unique environmental and cultural
 7   tourism situations; and
 8   
 9        WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii is positioned to benefit from
10   this trend in travel, given the State's unique environmental
11   and cultural tourism resources, its well-developed travel and
12   tourism infrastructure, and its politically stable environment;
13   and
14   
15        WHEREAS, a Center for Environmental and Cultural Tourism
16   at the University of Hawaii at Hilo would:
17   
18        (1)  Provide for high-quality tourism products through
19             development of necessary skills in the principles of
20             environmental and cultural tourism resource
21             management in the labor force;
22   
23        (2)  Provide for long-term economic development, resource
24             stewardship, cultural sensitivity, maximal local
25             participation in decision making, and economic
26             benefits;
27   
28        (3)  Provide high-quality marketing and product
29             development research for use by enterprises engaged
30             in environmental and cultural tourism;
31   
32        (4)  Provide hands-on application of theory using the Big
33             Island as an environmental and cultural laboratory
34             and establishing partnerships with tourism
35             enterprises; and
36   

 
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 1        (5)  Increase the contribution of the University of Hawaii
 2             at Hilo to the overall state economy by increasing
 3             enrollment and elevating the University's profile as
 4             a center for tourism and the environment;
 5   
 6   and
 7   
 8        WHEREAS, while growth in the State's traditional tourism
 9   flows have been slowed by maturation of Hawaii's tourism
10   product, Hawaii can still develop a competitive advantage in
11   environmental and cultural tourism; now, therefore,
12   
13        BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the
14   Twentieth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session
15   of 1999, the Senate concurring, that the Legislature strongly
16   supports the establishment of a Center for Environmental and
17   Cultural Tourism at the University of Hawaii at Hilo; and
18   
19        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this
20   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President and the
21   Chairperson of the Board of Regents of the University of
22   Hawaii, the Chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, and
23   the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
24   
25   
26   
27                         OFFERED BY:  ____________________________