STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1651

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.C.R. No. 59

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Donna Mercado Kim

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committee on Tourism and International Affairs, to which was referred H.C.R. No. 59, H.D. 1, entitled:

"HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE HAWAII TOURISM AUTHORITY TO COORDINATE WITH THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY TO CREATE A MORE WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR CHINESE VISITORS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to urge the Hawaii Tourism Authority to coordinate with trade organizations, including the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association, Hawaii Restaurant Association, Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, Hawaii Transportation Association, and others in the hospitality industry to create a more welcoming environment for Chinese visitors.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Tourism Authority and one individual.

     Your Committee finds that it is important for the State to diversify its visitor markets to offset weakness in one market by strength in another.  Your Committee further finds that China is not the only market with increased visitor rates and that Other Asia tourism markets include China as well as Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.  The ability for these international visitors to communicate with hospitality industry employees during their visit to Hawaii is key in ensuring their initial visit is a welcoming experience.  Your Committee therefore finds that it is necessary to allow the hospitality industry to employ persons with cultural and communication skills that will enable the employees to interact with international visitors in order to promote and encourage tourism from Other Asia tourism markets and elsewhere.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Amending various findings to reflect a broader emphasis on international visitors, rather than only on visitors from China and other Asian countries;

     (2)  Inserting provisions referencing the Corporation for Travel Promotion and H-1B visa law, including the need for an amendment to the definition of "specialized occupation";

     (3)  Amending its title and purpose to urge the Hawaii Tourism Authority to coordinate with the hospitality industry, Corporation for Travel Promotion, and Hawaii's congressional delegation to amend the H-1B visa law to allow for employment of persons with cultural and language skills that will help create a more welcoming environment for international visitors;

     (4)  Clarifying language to request Hawaii's congressional delegation to seek amendments to the H-1B non-immigrant visa law to amend the definition of "specialized occupation" to include foreign workers who have a high degree of specialized knowledge of reading, writing, and speaking at an honorific level to international visitors; and

     (5)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Tourism and International Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.C.R. No. 59, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, in the form attached hereto as H.C.R. No. 59, H.D. 1, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Tourism and International Affairs,

________________________________

GILBERT KAHELE, Chair