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June 11 is a special day in Hawaii Nei, the annual celebration of the birth of King Kamehameha I.

Tourists visiting the islands may not know exactly who Kamehameha was (hint: a very big kahuna) or how to pronounce his name, but they soon learn he’s important.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority knows it’s important to promote local culture and history through festivals and events. Many tourists, especially repeat visitors, find the experiences more rewarding than the usual sun, sand, surf and shopping

But it spent only about $3 million on those activities in fiscal year 2010, far less than the $61 million it spent to market the state. The $3 million included $42,500 for this weekend’s celebration of Hawaii’s revered first monarch.

Put another way, the HTA’s spending shows that its focus is heavy on getting tourists on a plane but less on giving them something to do once they get here.

Yet research shows visitors love festivals and events. Cultural experiences influence their desire to return.

Pat Loui, president of Honolulu-based OmniTrack Group, said visitor surveys show that satisfaction levels rise significantly when tourists interact with locals during those activities.

“It makes them happy,” she told Civil Beat.

As visitor arrivals and spending have plunged during the global recession of the past two years — and millions of dollars in hotel tax revenues along with it — the HTA has thrown even more money at marketing. But it hasn’t grown spending on festivals, events and other so-called “product development” programs.

In fact, it tried to cut such spending but public outcry forced them to retreat. HTA officials say festivals and events remain a priority. The trick, they say, is to take the funding onus off the HTA by seeking more public-private partnerships.

As officials deliberate this month over the fiscal year 2011 budget that goes into effect July 1, HTA President and CEO Mike McCartney said the authority is “looking to do more” for festivals and events.

“We are looking to enhance them, to create more opportunities, leveraging with vendors and suppliers,” said McCartney, who declined to discuss budget details that are still being worked out. “It’s part of brand management and marketing the product. But it’s just one component, just like our media blitzes.”

Delicate Balance

McCartney must strike a delicate balance.

When the HTA proposed major cuts to some festivals, events and programs last year, Hawaiian groups raised a stink over a perceived failure to honor the host culture and to support the livelihood of locals. The HTA eventually backed down and crafted a compromise budget.

The HTA’s continuing support for festivals and events was evident June 10 at an HTA-sponsored seminar called “Defining the Destination: Motivating Travel Through Festivals and Events.”

On hand were experts to give advice on travel trends, handling resources and crowds, social media, sponsorship tips and sports marketing. Listening were local visitor industry stakeholders.

Vernon Char, an HTA board member and chairman of the HTA’s budget and audit committee, reminded the seminar audience at the Hawaii Convention Center that one of the authority’s chartered goals is to provide a “diverse and quality tourism product unique to Hawaii.”

Merrie Monarch, Kona Coffee, Sunset on the Beach

The HTA’s emphasis, said Char, should be on more community involvement in the 120 or so festivals and events that are held annually in the islands.

To name just a few (and the HTA’s share of support): the Merrie Monarch ($42,500), the Pan Pacific Festival ($138,000), the Kona Coffee Cultural Festival ($63,500), the Prince Lot Hula Festival ($42,500), the Maui Film Festival ($105,000) and the Sunset on the Beach and Hula Mound performances in Waikiki ($200,000).

The biggest chunk ($1.7 million) of the HTA’s festivals and events allocation goes to a County Product Enrichment Program, which works out to $425,000 for each of the four counties. The money supports such events as farmers’ markets and Duke’s Oceanfest, named for surfing and Olympics legend Duke Kahanamoku.

The HTA is also supporting newer programs like the Na Hoku o Hawaii Music Festival ($150,000) held in Waikiki late last month. Visitors and residents alike were able to enjoy performances from an A-list of local talent including Henry Kapono, Amy Hanaialii and Jake Shimabukuro.

“All of these portray Hawaii’s people and heritage and showcase its diversity of people,” said Char. “They celebrate our way of life, respect our history and traditions, and tell our stories that set us apart from other places in the world. And they engender a mutual respect among our people.”

The $3 million spent on festivals and events, it should be noted, does not include the $2.8 million the HTA spent to support sporting events like the PGA tour in Hawaii, and the $1 million-plus spent on other Hawaiian cultural programs and the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association.

$4 Million for Pro Bowl

McCartney said the HTA is also seeking ways to “build synergy” with business for the return of the Pro Bowl to Aloha Stadium in 2011 and 2012. The HTA will pay the NFL $4 million for each game.

That means, however, that the HTA will again have to shift funds around. It has already suspended a $450,000 airport greeting and departure program — live bands and hula dancers — for 2011 that was the first thing many visitors experienced when they arrived and the last thing they saw when they left.