Special to KPUA.net by H.I.E.D.B
Hawaii Island Economic Development Board is a private non-profit organization whose mission is, "To provide and promote private-sector support and expertise for balanced economic growth in Hawaii County, in partnership with federal, state, county and private resources."

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If you were standing in the lobby of King Kamehameha's Kona Beach Hotel recently, you would have been most amazed at the conversations going on around you. The languages being spoken could have come from any one of 33 countries represented at the American Nuclear Society (ANS) meeting. There were over 300 scientists and their families in attendance at the weeklong conference. Conference planners had anticipated a drop in attendance but found the opposite to be true; attendance was even stronger than when these world scientists last met at the hotel on five previous occasions. A secondary meeting of the Austrian Atomic Engineering Society was held in conjunction with the ANS meeting. For conference organizers, Hawaii Island represents the most central place in the world to meet to insure strong conference attendance. They find Hawaii's geographic location and multi-cultural society particularly appealing.

It is interesting as well that the ANS meeting is in line with our island vision to become known as the "Knowledge Island," with a center for natural science studies, agricultural resources, biotech, healing and health.

Adding to the positive news that the meetings and convention market is healthy, Hilton Waikoloa Village recently announced that a large incentive group, totaling over 5,000 room nights, will be relocating from Rome to the resort this August. Hilton's director of sales Debbie Hogan was quoted as saying," Hawaii is the perfect destination choice in an uncertain world and we are encouraged by the number of calls we are fielding from meeting and incentive planners looking to relocate 2003 programs." Hogan indicates there are other groups shopping the island as an alternative destination to meetings planned in Europe and elsewhere.

Big Island Visitor Bureau (BIVB) seized the opportunity to assist members in capturing new meetings business for 2003 by establishing a Big Island Meetings Hotline. Meeting planners considering relocations on 2003 business are being encouraged to call 888-333-6603 to speak with BIVB¹s Convention Meeting and Incentive sales representative to field destination questions and obtain quick referrals to hotel and resort sales departments to close the sale. In the first quarter of 2003, several major groups have already convened on Hawaii Island. Among them were Chrysler, Siemens, IBM, Sherwin Williams, Verizon, American Association of Cancer Research, Prudential, the International College of Psychosomatic Medicine and the aforementioned American Nuclear Society.

What these groups offer is optimism. There is much being written, analyzed and debated about the impact of the war in Iraq on tourism. Economists are debating what long-term impact the continued decline of Japanese tourism will have on the state. Strategists offer up varying scenarios for recovery. And there is the newest threat, Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS. Within the meetings market however, it is often critical that planned meetings take place in spite of obstacles. Months or even years of planning and organization cannot be disregarded and often important company announcements or product debuts are scheduled. So, meeting location alternatives must be found. And Hawaii Island is a perfect alternative, the "crossroads of the Pacific."