John De Fries, present President & CEO of Hawaii Tourism Authority introduced he didn’t settle for an extension of his present contract.
His contract, subsequently, concludes on September 15, 2023. De Fries made the announcement to the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) Board of Directors throughout a particular board assembly at the moment.
The board invited De Fries to think about an extension of his contract in a March 30, 2023, assembly. Following the conclusion of the legislative session, De Fries knowledgeable the board on May 9 that he would decline that extension.
“It has been an honor to serve the communities and people of our islands these past three years and I will support the board and staff during this transition in leadership of HTA,” mentioned De Fries. “I am incredibly proud of our passionate, unwavering team of professionals at HTA and all that is being accomplished in our communities to improve the well-being of Hawaii. I extend my gratitude to the HTA Board for their support of our critical work in accelerating HTA’s focus on improved destination management and increased visitor education and changing our collective outlook toward tourism for the long-term benefit of our kama‘āina, our native culture, and the places we hold dear throughout Hawaii. I’d also like to thank the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Legislature for working together and making it possible for HTA to continue its work in the coming fiscal year.”
De Fries took the helm of HTA to steer Hawaii’s customer business in September 2020 amidst the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and state’s self-quarantine requirement for vacationers at a time when customer spending and arrivals have been practically at a standstill. In September 2020, customer arrivals have been down 97.4 p.c with solely 18,868 guests as in comparison with September 2019.
Building on HTA’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan which articulated the necessity for vacation spot administration, below De Fries’ management, HTA developed three-year Destination Management Action Plans for every island. This community-first, community-led strategy to rebuilding, redefining, and resetting tourism is making optimistic strides as HTA works in collaboration with fellow authorities businesses, customer business companions, and group members towards a regenerative mannequin of tourism for all of Hawaii.
De Fries additionally led an operational restructuring starting in June 2021, persevering with HTA’s pivot from an company that was primarily centered on advertising and marketing via Hawaii Revised Statute 201B to a more practical vacation spot administration group.
HTA Board Chair George Kam credited De Fries for placing tourism on a brand new course and doing so at a time when the business was going through its biggest financial problem in many years.
“John has done an admirable job fulfilling his three-year contract during the most challenging period in recent Hawaii history. At a time when we needed a strong, visionary leader to calmly guide us forward out of troubling circumstances, John was there for HTA.”
Together with quite a few group and business companions all through the state, HTA continues to mindfully information and help the implementation of vacation spot administration to advance a regenerative mannequin of tourism, serving to to resuscitate Hawaii’s economic system effectively forward of projections. In the primary 4 months of 2023, complete customer spending elevated considerably by 21.7 p.c to $7.09 billion regardless of fewer arrivals in comparison with the pre-pandemic first 4 months of 2019, persevering with the development of upper customer spending with fewer guests to Hawaii.