New Faces, New Vision: Hawai’i Tourism Authority Appoints Fresh Advisory Board For 2025 To Promote Sustainability

Published on August 18, 2025

Governor Josh Green, M.D., has named twelve caller appointees to nan Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) Advisory Board, marking a caller section successful nan travel to boost sustainable tourism and re-establish nan public’s religion successful nan state’s tourism policies. These selections travel nan summertime resignation of nan outgoing board, a alteration nan Governor framed arsenic nan chance to build a activity team.

Hawai‘i consistently ranks arsenic 1 of nan globe’s apical tourer spots, making tourism a captious portion of nan state’s economy. Still, nan Governor cautioned that maturation must spell manus successful manus pinch protecting nan situation and caring for residents. The caller committee members will thief steer HTA’s choices truthful that nan needs of nan tourism manufacture and nan wellbeing of Hawai‘i’s group are some afloat honored.

Hawai‘i is 1 of nan world’s astir desirable visitant destinations and tourism is simply a main economical driver for our islands. Members of this caller HTA advisory committee will beryllium captious stewards successful guiding it forward.

The 12 caller members bring a divers scope of expertise successful various sectors, including hospitality, law, tourism operations, taste advocacy, and nonprofit work. They were selected to guarantee that nan advisory committee reflects nan divers needs of Hawai’i’s residents, businesses, and visitors.

New Members of nan Hawai’i Tourism Authority Advisory Board

Among nan caller members appointed by Governor Green, respective acquainted faces were reappointed to guarantee continuity successful leadership. These reappointed members, who served connected nan erstwhile HTA board, will bring their wealthiness of acquisition to nan array to guideline early tourism policy.

1. Kimberly Agas – General Manager astatine Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa. A seasoned hospitality master pinch extended edifice and depository assembly experience, Agas is committed to promoting sustainable tourism practices.
2. Leah Belmonte – Director of Human Resources astatine Mahi Pono LLC. Previously holding activity roles astatine Ritz-Carlton Kapalua and Diamond Resorts, Belmonte brings expertise successful quality resources guidance and tourism operations.
3. Mericia Elmore – Executive Director of SAG-AFTRA Hawai‘i. A ineligible master and media communications lecturer, Elmore has a beardown inheritance successful rule and nan media, basal for steering HTA towards responsible tourism practices.
4. Terry Fischer – President and Owner of Polynesian Adventure Tours. With astir 40 years of acquisition successful circuit operations crossed nan U.S. and Canada, Fischer will bring invaluable knowledge of circuit operations and visitant services.
5. Joel Guy – Executive Director of The Hanalei Initiative. Guy is simply a long-standing leader successful nan nonprofit and organization sectors, offering penetration into sustainable tourism development.
6. Troy Lazaro – Kumu hula and taste steward. Lazaro’s heavy ties to Hawai’ian civilization and traditions will thief guarantee that nan HTA board’s decisions respect nan taste practice of nan islands.
7. James McCully – Orchid breeder astatine Mauna Kea Orchids. McCully is simply a erstwhile HTA committee personnel and will connection guidance connected economical improvement while maintaining Hawai’i’s biology integrity.
8. Danny Ojiri – Vice President of Outrigger Hospitality Group. Ojiri brings a wealthiness of acquisition successful trading and nan tourism industry, helping to create strategical outreach initiatives for sustainable tourism.
9. Lisa Paulson – Chief Executive Officer astatine Maui Food Bank. A reappointed member, Paulson has worked pinch nan Maui Hotel & Lodging Association and is committed to balancing economical maturation pinch organization outreach.
10. Lanai Tabura – Emmy-winning TV big and power personality. Tabura is simply a well-known taste advocator and organization organizer, providing a sound for section communities successful tourism decisions.
11. Christian West – President of ILWU Local 142. A seasoned labour advocator pinch anterior HTA service, West will guarantee that nan tourism industry’s maturation benefits Hawai’i’s moving families.
12. Linda Wong – President and Chief Operating Officer of World of Aloha. Wong, a erstwhile Chief of Staff to Honolulu’s mayor, brings acquisition successful nationalist work and tourism activity to nan HTA board.

A Collaborative Effort for Hawai’i’s Future

As HTA useful to equilibrium economical maturation pinch taste preservation and biology stewardship, these caller appointments people a captious measurement successful rebuilding spot pinch nan community. In a statement, Speaker Nadine K. Nakamura emphasized nan value of having a divers group of experts pinch acquisition successful destination management, biology stewardship, and economical development.

Senator Lynn DeCoite, chair of nan Senate Committee connected Economic Development and Tourism, commented that nan creation of nan caller HTA Advisory Board is simply a measurement successful nan correct guidance toward ensuring that Hawai‘i’s tourism decisions bespeak nan voices of our communities, businesses, and taste leaders.

Senator DeCoite, on pinch Senate President Ron Kouchi and Speaker Nakamura, has expressed gratitude for nan Governor’s activity successful bringing a much collaborative and community-driven approach. The caller advisory committee represents an opportunity to reconstruct assurance successful HTA and guarantee that tourism decisions bespeak not only economical benefits but besides societal and taste considerations.

Rebuilding Trust for Hawai’i’s Future

The Hawaii Tourism Authority’s reorganization and nan caller advisory committee springiness nan authorities a chance to rethink and refresh really tourism useful for everyone. By focusing connected organization voices and caring for nan islands’ resources, nan committee hopes to build a tourism manufacture that serves residents while still welcoming visitors.

Governor Green wants nan HTA to beryllium open, respectful, and fresh to activity pinch section groups. The extremity is for tourism to adhd to Hawaii’s system while protecting nan land, water, and water that residents dangle on. The caller committee will partner pinch authorities lawmakers, circuit operators, and nan organization to trade a tourism scheme that is some forward-looking and fair.

After nan caller advisory committee members are named, they still request nan authorities Senate’s thumbs-up to start. With these adjacent steps, Hawaii’s tourism early will beryllium shaped by group who genuinely understand and perceive to nan islands’ varied voices and interests.