HTA raises the bar on tourism grant requirements

CIRA de CASTILLOTGI Staff Writer

LIHU’E—Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) representatives on Kaua’i for a product

development workshop Friday told over 50 local festival organizers and

nonprofit representatives that the HTA has $3.3 million available for funding

niche markets projects community-based tourism development.

Muriel A.

Anderson, director of tourism programs, said in 1999 Kaua’i product development

projects received $650,000 in HTA funds to market projects like the Mokihana

and Prince Albert Festivals, Savor the Flavors, and Koloa Plantation Days

Celebration.

Gary J. Baldwin, Kaua’i’s HTA representative, said that all

project proposals have new requirements they need to meet.

“We are raising

the bar,” said Baldwin.

“There is a 2:1 matching funds requirement to the

amount of state funds requested and all applications will need to have

financial applications must be prepared with Generally Accepted Accounting

Principles (GAAP).”

Proposals will have to be qualified and quantified with

60 percent of the application review based on organization experience and

fiscal responsibility, he said.

Accountability for HTA funding of projects

is very important said Baldwin. “HTA needs for proposals to have measurable

qualifiers,” he said.

When asked if HTA should conduct environmental

impact statements on its programs, a claim in a recent Sierra Club law suit

filed against HTA, Baldwin said that he could not comment on matters in

litigation but stressed that product development projects are designed to meet

HTA’s goal of visitors expenditures— not arrivals.

Local organizers who

had questions related to grant awards were told HTA has learned from last year

and has put in place a calendar and timetable to expedite the application and

award process.

HTA will begin the product development application process

on Feb. 25 with application deadlines on March 24 and notice of awards by

May.

“It will take about four or five months for the check to get to the

organization after the award notice, so if you have a event that takes place

before October you will have to make some arrangements in your funding,” said

Baldwin.

He noted that many projects are applying for events that will

take place in 2001.

Product development is about creating community

economic development and community based tourism events that will complement

Hawaii’s traditional resort product and let the community define what and how

they want to promote Cultural, Eco, Edu, Health and Wellness, Sports and Techno

tourism that have a impact on HTA goals of growth in visitor expenditures, said

Baldwin.

A community based tourism event, according to HTA, is one that is

primarily for the local community but gives visitors who are truly interested

in learning more about Hawaii a glimpse of local island culture and lifestyle,

and can add to the overall visitor experience.