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FILIPINO-American businessmen and officials from Hawaii yesterday offered their expertise to help boost the tourism industry in Cebu.
The offer came from the delegates of the 21st Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii Trade Mission to the Philippines, who visited Cebu on Wednesday to meet with Cebuano businessmen especially members of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI).
Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who came with the delegates of the trade mission, said that Cebu can learn from them and they can learn from Cebu as well, especially as the two chambers, the CCCI and the FCCH, will be signing a sisterhood chamber agreement.
Hannemann identified their success in the tourism industry as one of their areas of expertise that they can willingly share with Cebu.
Nelson Bascones, who heads the CCCI's Trade Missions Committee, said that Cebu could learn from Hawaii experts on how to improve the tourism industry, based on US state's success as a top tourist destination.
?I think they can share with us their experience on how they were able to successfully promote Hawaii as a haven for relaxation that people would think of first when it comes to the best place to go on vacation,? Bascones said.
Hannemann, who agreed with Bascones, said that they could not only share their success in tourism industry but also their failures.
?You see, we have had many failures, too, in the past; like we have been trying to put up theme parks but repeatedly failed over the years. These things you should look into and perhaps give us your inputs to help us,? Hannemann said.
Aside from tourism, Hannemann also said that there are ongoing projects in Hawaii for which they will be needing expert help.
?We have major infrastructure developments right now. We are in the process of building our Light Railway Transit which will finally break ground after 30 years of battle and discussions with other government officials in the U.S. We need all the help we can get and in fact we have already some Filipino on board the team of consultants for the first phase. This is a 10-year project and will definitely create jobs,? he said.
Hannemann described Hawaii as a state whose income and economic stability is very dependent on the tourism industry.
The US state earns $12.5 billion every year from tourist visitors alone.
But he said that with the global economic meltdown, Hawaii's economy has been shaky.
FCCH president Rosemarie Mendoza discussed the ?Green Visa? program of the US government, which could be availed by any foreign investor who invests at least $500,000 in projects based in the US..
With a ?Green Visa,? a person is allowed entry to the U.S. for a longer period.
?I'm not sure of the definite number of years because this program will be launched in April of 2010,? Mendoza said.
She also pointed out the opportunities that Cebuano exporters should develop in Hawaii such as in the furniture, food and jewelry sectors.
Of the 50 delegates that make up the Hawaii trade mission to the Philippines, 37 are businessmen.
After Cebu, the delegates will visit Olongapo, Zambales and Tarlac.
