A DBEDT paper, “Native Hawaiians in Hawaii’s Tourism Sector – 2021 Update,” reported that at about 20% they are represented at parity in “tourism intensive industries” compared to their proportion of the state population.

Source: https://www.civilbeat.org/2023/12/jonathan-okamura-hawaii-will-be-a-state-of-inequality-for-at-least-the-next-decade/

In the meantime, I have instructed DBEDT to begin work on a plan to keep scaled-down basic operations and marketing at HTA going through the end of the year.

Source: https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/04/29/hawaii-news/deferral-of-hta-bill-could-leave-agency-without-funding/

Is it DBEDT or is it HTA?” he said.

Source: https://www.staradvertiser.com/2023/02/19/editorial/our-view/editorial-no-good-reason-to-eliminate-hta/

McCartney, who headed DBEDT until December, raised concerns over the potential for cost overruns during a stadium board meeting in September, shortly after then-Gov.

Source: https://www.civilbeat.org/2023/03/aloha-stadium-has-already-cost-taxpayers-20m-wheres-all-the-money-gone/