RELATING TO DESTINATION MANAGEMENT.

SB2807

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:

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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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(b)
�
Each destination management action plan shall:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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� -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.

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� -4
�
General powers.
�
The department may:

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

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

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SECTION

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

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"(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.
"

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SECTION

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

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"(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:

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(1)
�
Statewide Hawaii brand management
efforts and programs;

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(2)
�
Targeted markets;

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

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

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(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

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

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SECTION

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

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

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(1)
�
Tourism promotion, marketing,
and

development[
, and destination management
];

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(2)
�
Market development-related research;

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

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(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;

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

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(6)
�
Reduction of barriers to travel;

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(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;

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(8)
�
Tourism research and statistics to:

���������
(A)
�
Measure and analyze tourism trends;

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

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(C)
�
Provide tourism information on:

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

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

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

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

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(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

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(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.

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(b)
�
The authority shall be responsible for:

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

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

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(3)
]

(2)
�

Promoting, marketing, and developing the tourism industry in the
State;

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[
(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;

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[
(5)
]

(4)
�

Providing technical or other assistance to agencies and private
industry upon request; and

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[
(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."

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SECTION

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

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["
[
�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;

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(3)
�
Hawaii island destination management
action plan; and

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(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.
"]

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

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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;

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

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(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

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

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

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SECTION 11.
�

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

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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.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.