The Hawaii Tourism Authority inaugurated a 40-second Hawaiian language greeting at the Honolulu Airport on Feb. 18. Spoken first in Hawaiian and then English, the message will be broadcast throughout the airport every 30 minutes.
“Through our Hawaiian Culture Initiative, the HTA is honored to be able to support the perpetuation of the Hawaiian language and its integration into the visitor experience,” Mike McCartney, president and CEO of the HTA, said in a statement. “Hawaii’s host culture is what makes our islands unique and sets us apart from any other destination in the world. For visitors and residents, hearing the Hawaiian language at the airport is a special way to celebrate our host culture.”
The HTA also released a Hawaiian language video designed for use in-flight as a welcome to visitors. Copies of the video will be distributed to all of the major airlines serving the state.
McCartney said he hopes the Hawaiian greeting will be unveiled at each of the state’s airports by the end of 2011.