The Hawaii Tourism Authority has announced funding for a variety of community events and programs for 2020.
In all, 95 events and programs were awarded funding through the Community Enrichment Program, an increase over 2019's 74 recipients. The grantees include festivals, short programs and year-round initiatives dedicated to promoting culture, culinary arts, education, health and wellness, nature, agriculture, sports, technology and voluntourism. The 2019 list includes multi-island events such as the Hawaii Food and Wine Festival, Hawaii International Film Festival and the Paddleboard World Championship from Molokai to Oahu, in addition to numerous programs on each island.
"We are proud to support these programs and events that make Hawaii so special for our residents and communities," Caroline Anderson, HTA's director of community enrichment, said in a statement. "These experiences can be enjoyed by both locals and visitors, and showcase our islands' rich heritage and multicultural communities. HTA is able to invest in these programs because of the TAT revenue generated from our visitor industry."
Funding for the program comes from tourism dollars through the TAT, or Transient Accommodations Tax, paid when people stay in Hawaiian hotels and other registered accommodations.