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Hawaii eyes Chinese MICE business
Hawaii tourism chiefs have been urged to target the Chinese meetings and convention market as the state lowers its forecast for tourists arrivals in 2014.
In February, the tourism authority released figures showing visitors spending down by 5% in January compared to last year.
This was the fifth consecutive month of declines.
Officials say the tourism economy is starting to slow after record levels for two years however the Chinese market remains strong.
Hawaii Tourism China Managing Director Brenda He said the Chinese segment is predominantly leisure and that will not change unless the industry actively targets MICE business.
She said it was a segment with "huge potential," with a market value of $150 billion.
"We plan to switch the product offered in China and we should not only be one state of a 14-day package. Hawaii deserves to be a standalone product in China’s market," she said.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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