Appointment signals more meetings for Hawaii

The Hawaii Tourism Authority has announced that Brian A. Lynx has been selected as the new HTA vice-president of meetings, conventions and incentives. Lynx joins the HTA team with more than 20 years of experience in Hawaii’s visitor industry and officially starts in mid-February. He is currently the director of sales and marketing at the Grand Wailea Resort on Maui, a position he has held since 2008. The HTA established this new position to address the needs and increasing importance of the meetings, conventions and incentives (MCI) market to Hawaii’s visitor economy. Lynx will oversee the HTA’s MCI efforts and its two contractors for this segment — the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) and SMG for the Hawaii Convention Center (HCC). He will also deal with the HTA’s international marketing contractors in Japan, Korea, China, Australia and New Zealand for MCI work. In 2013, the HTA will place a higher priority on its MCI efforts for both conventions at the HCC and groups at hotels, resorts and other venues throughout the islands. The stabilizing of Hawaii’s leisure business and an increase in new routes and air seats to the state from North America and the Asia-Pacific region has created new opportunities for Hawaii. The HTA will work with its industry partners to capitalize on these. (http://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org)