Honorable Governor David Y. Ige
Office of the Governor
Executive Chambers
State Capitol
Honolulu, HI 96813
Aloha Governor Ige,
On behalf of the National Association of Catering and Events (NACE) Hawaii Chapter and the Hawaii events industry, we bring to your attention the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the events industry.
The event industry relies on group gatherings which are currently prohibited, to protect the public from the transmission of Covid-19. The Hawaii events industry supports and complies with these public health measures. These measures do, however, have a significant economic impact on our local economy.
According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, visitors to the Hawaiian Islands spent $17.75 billion in 2019, a majority of this is attributed to the Wedding & Events Industry. As you are aware, Hawaii’s event and visitor industries are a large part of our economy and affect a majority of our residents and their income as 216,000 jobs statewide were supported by Hawaii’s tourism industry in 2019.
Due to the nature of the events industry, this industry is based primarily on planning and is unable to produce events without advanced notice or structured timelines. In order to prepare to provide business events and social occasions, event businesses will need clear advance guidance on reopening. We ask your attention to provide reopening plans that will provide clear and detailed guidelines along with structured timelines that help us plan for future events so that we may provide proper communication to our employees, clients and vendors.
We believe that our expertise and experience will be a valuable resource and asset to restore Hawaii’s event planning industry. We have already begun exploring safety protocols, guidelines and best practices with the protection and safety of guests, employees and the public as our number one objective. Our group has been exploring safety issues and developing new practices including:
-Safety Practices for Event Venues and Attendees
-Food & Beverage Protocols (on-premise and off-premise)
-Wedding and Event Ceremonies and Setup (indoor and outdoor)
-Safety Guidelines for Entertainmentsubcontractors and vendors
We are grateful for you and your administrations support in managing the Covid-19 pandemic in Hawaii. We fully support reopening plans that put public safety at the forefront. We ask for the opportunity to work with your office and the government of the State of Hawaii to plan towards a safe reopening of Hawaii’s event industry. A certified letter and an email will be sent with the list of safety guidelines and protocols.
Mahalo,
National Association for Catering & Events (NACE), Hawaii Chapter
Board Members:
Jez Feria (Jez Events)
Jayson Buccat (Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa)
Elise Yap (Hilton Waikiki Beach)
Julie Nakano (From Above Entertainment)
Josette Murai (Hawaii Visitors & Conventions Bureau
