The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) has released two solicitations seeking applicants to perform tourism marketing for the U.S. market and to deliver support services for destination stewardship.
The two requests for proposal "reflect HTA's pivot toward destination management in pursuit of a regenerative model of tourism," according to a news release distributed by the group on Tuesday.
Targeting 'mindful travelers'
The solicitation for brand management and U.S. marketing calls for a pre-arrival communications program to educate visitors with information about "safe, respectful and mindful travel that will be coordinated with HTA's on-island programs to provide a seamless message throughout the entire visitor journey."
The RFP emphasizes the promotion of visitor spending on local businesses and products. Marketing should target "mindful travelers" who will not only support local businesses but spend more money doing it. The goal is "increased visitor spending, increased visitor satisfaction and increased resident sentiment toward tourism."
The RFP for destination support services seeks an entity to provide post-arrival communications with visitors about "the importance of being a responsible, mindful visitor in the Hawaiian Islands." The job also calls for the creation of programs that "provide funding support toward efforts in Hawaiian culture perpetuation, natural resource stewardship and community events and initiatives."
The entity also would assist organizations and businesses developing experiences advancing agritourism and cultural tourism; develop a quality-assurance program to "set high standards for customer experience and environmental stewardship" in accommodations, activities, services and transportation; develop a tour guide certification program to educate and accredit guides in Hawaii's culture and history; and seek technology-enabled solutions to manage crowds at popular attractions.
How the HTA got here
The RFPs follow the introduction of state bills to replace the HTA with another entity.
The job of promoting Hawaii tourism to U.S. residents has been in limbo. Last June, the HTA awarded a contract to the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, replacing the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB), a longtime partner. The HVCB responded by filing a protest, and the contract was rescinded in December after a review that called for two contracts: one for marketing and one for destination management.
Interested applicants are "strongly encouraged" to register and participate in the HTA's pre-proposal conference via Zoom to be briefed on the procurement process and to ask questions. The pre-proposal conference will be held at 8 a.m. on Feb. 21. The deadline for intent to submit a proposal is March 1, and actual proposals are due March 30.
The marketing contract is scheduled to commence on June 1 and end on Dec. 31, 2025.
The contract for destination support services is slated to begin on May 22 and end on June 30, 2026, with the HTA having two one-year options to extend the agreement.