Tourism Related Jobs Could Top 159,000

Minature-mob kicks off 13th Annual Keiki Hula Festival on Maui. Image grap, courtesy Lahaina Cannery Mall.

By Sonia Isotov

Expected growth in Hawaii’s visitor industry job count could reach as high as 159,542 in 2011, according to a statement released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA).

The statement issued by the HTA was a reaction to statements made by President Obama and Governor Abercrombie last night regarding the importance of job creation in order for our state and nation to fully recover from the economic downturn.

“Hawaii’s visitor industry helped to provide 152,864 jobs in the state in 2010, the largest generator of jobs among the major industry sectors. Tourism is also the largest single source of private capital into Hawaii, with visitor spending reaching $11.4 billion and contributing to $1.1 billion total tax revenue,” said Mike McCartney, president and CEO Hawaii Tourism Authority, in a written statement.

“With new airlift, marketing and destination experience-based programs, we anticipate the number of tourism related jobs to grow to 159,542 by the end of 2011. Tourism is a natural export for Hawai‘i and the US and provides a strong foundation for our economy.”