The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) welcomed tourism officials from the U.S. and China at the 5th annual China-U.S. Tourism Leadership Summit on Hawaii’s Big Island.
The Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows hosted the attendees, who included more than 60 regional tourism directors and members of the U.S. Travel Association (USTA) and the China National Tourism Association (CNTA).
“The China-U.S. Tourism Leadership Summit is an important event to build on the growing relationship we have with China,” said Mike McCartney, president and CEO of the HTA. “Since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in 2007, opening group and leisure travel from China to the U.S., we have seen significant growth in this market, with visitor arrivals projected to reach 91,000 in 2011, up 37 percent over last year. This meeting also offers another opportunity to position Hawaii as a global meetings destination as our state prepares to host the 2011 APEC Leaders’ Week and builds on the growing interest of our state within the Asia-Pacific regio
