Hawai‘i Tourism Authority Releases RFP for Visitor Education and Brand Management Services for Canada Market

For Immediate Release: March 14, 2023
HTA Release (23-09)

23-09 HTA Issues RFP for Canada MMA_NR.pdf

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), the state agency responsible for holistically managing tourism and The Hawaiian Islands brand, has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to procure visitor education and brand management services for the Canada major market area.
 
RFP 23-02: Hawai‘i Tourism Destination Brand Management & Marketing Services for the Canada Major Market Area places an emphasis on educating visitors about traveling mindfully and respectfully and supporting Hawai‘i’s communities.
 
The qualified contractor’s work will support HTA’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, Destination Management Action Plans, and a regenerative tourism model for Hawai‘i. Efforts will also support HTA’s commitment to advancing the state’s Aloha+ Challenge goals, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and the ‘Āina Aloha Economic Futures Declaration.
 
In alignment with HTA’s key performance indicators, the awardee will help increase average daily visitor spending and total visitor spending. In 2022, visitors from Canada spent $928.2 million, an average of $188 per person per day. Focus will also be placed on driving visitor spending into Hawai‘i based businesses as a means to support a healthy economy, including supporting local businesses and promoting Hawai‘i made products, Hawai‘i festivals and events, agritourism programs, and voluntourism activities in partnership with HTA, other state agencies, community groups, and the private sector.

Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to register and participate in HTA’s pre-proposal conference via Zoom to be briefed on the procurement process and to ask questions. The pre-proposal conference will be held at 8 a.m. HST on March 17. Registration details are in the RFP document.
 
Interested applicants should also register their intent to submit proposals by 4:30 p.m. HST on March 24. Proposals are due to HTA by 2:00 p.m. HST on April 21, 2023.
 
The new contract will commence on June 30, 2023 and replace the current contract which is scheduled to end on that day.
 
The RFP and its associated attachments are posted on the Hawaiʻi State eProcurement System (HIePRO) at hiepro.ehawaii.gov and HTA’s website at www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/rfps/. Inquiries regarding the RFPs should be directed to [email protected].