MEDIA RELEASE

The Hawaiian Islands are on display to visiting meeting planners responsible for booking millions of dollars in group business and incentive events at the 14th Annual Pacific Rim Incentives & Meetings Exchange (PRIME).

The meeting runs through June 13.

Headquartered at the Hawaii Convention Center, PRIME is the state’s premier conference for generating new business opportunities and promoting Hawaii’s diversity to the meetings, conventions, and incentives market. An estimated 300 industry professionals are taking part in PRIME, including meeting planners from North America and Asia.

“The conventions, meetings and incentives market continues to be an area of growth in our tourism economy,” said Mike McCartney president and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority. “This week’s PRIME conference will showcase Hawaii as an ideal meetings destination with our strategic location in the Pacific, linking Asia with the U.S. In addition, with attendees from North America and Asia, PRIME will complement Hawaii’s efforts to capitalize on the interest in our state as we prepare for the upcoming APEC Leaders’ meeting in November.”

PRIME began with a business meetings tradeshow with pre-scheduled appointments between planners and Hawaii meetings industry representatives at the Hawaii Convention Center and a series of networking events and site inspections on Oahu, before concluding with three days of Neighbor Island site inspections and FAM tours, June 11-13.

The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB) is PRIME’s major sponsor, providing funding, marketing, and logistical support to increase industry awareness and encourage new business opportunities for local companies. Providing assistance with these efforts are its Island Chapters for Kauai, Oahu, Maui Nui, and the Big Island, and the Hawaii Convention Center.

HVCB secured the support of Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the world’s largest meetings trade organization, in collaboration with MPI Aloha Chapter for PRIME. MPI President and CEO Bruce MacMillan is delivering the conference’s keynote presentation, and MPI Aloha Chapter is sponsoring accredited educational seminars for attendees.

HVCB has also introduced a new Corporate Social Responsibility program for PRIME, in which more than 50 visiting planners and suppliers will volunteer their time to clean the Next Step Shelter in Kakaako, a transitional housing facility for Hawaii’s homeless.

Michael Murray, CMP, CMM, CASE, HVCB vice president of sales and marketing, commented, “We see great value in supporting a Hawaii-based conference like PRIME because it lets planners see and experience Hawaii’s diversity as a meetings destination and network with local industry professionals who are experts at creating successful programs.”

Priscilla Texeira, PRIME’s founder and managing director, added that the conference schedule is designed to expose planners to Hawaii’s range of assets for hosting meetings and incentive events. “We have a wonderful conference planned, and I’m confident that PRIME will lead to many new program bookings for resort properties and other tourism businesses throughout the state,” said Texeira.

HVCB is contracted by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), the state of Hawaii’s tourism agency, to provide marketing management services for the conventions, meetings and incentives market segment. HTA was established in 1998 to ensure a successful visitor industry well into the future. Its mission is to strategically manage Hawaii tourism in a sustainable manner consistent with the state of Hawaii’s economic goals, cultural values, preservation of natural resources, community desires, and visitor industry needs.