The Chinese culture looks upon the number eight as a symbol of good fortune; but will ’08 prove to be a prosperous year for Hawai‘i’s visitor industry, or will the state find itself “behind the 8 ball?" With a slowing U.S. economy, rising fuel prices, ever increasing competition, the Summer Olympics in Beijing, and a weakened U.S. dollar on traveler’s minds, will 2008 prove to be a year for Hawai‘i’s visitor industry to Acceler'08 , Moder'08, or Stagn'08?

Join the members of the Hawai‘i Chapters of PATA and TTRA as they host two panels of
economic and visitor industry experts who will look into their “Magic-’08 Balls” and share their predictions for the state’s visitor industry in the year ahead. Program highlights include:

Panel I: "Economic Trends & Forecasts" Moderated by: Chris Kam, HVCB.
10:00am - 11:30am

• Carl Bonham, Ph.D., Executive Director, University of Hawai’i Economic Research
  Organization (UHERO), and Associate Professor, Economics Department.  Click here for more information
• Khem Sharma Ph.D., Economic Research Branch Chief, State of Hawai‘i, DBEDT. Click here to download presentation
• Joseph Toy, President, Hospitality Advisors LLC.  Click here for more information