We left the OED meeting with a wealth of new ideas and a keener understanding of how to embrace the tremendous growth of our popular program. The enthusiasm generated has motivated us to revisit our long-term goals and create a workable three to five year business plan. The OED is making a difference at the grassroots level. The Office of Economic Development promotes Honolulu, individually and in conjunction with other city agencies, as the Pacific regional business location through conferences, familiarization tours and events.
International exchanges provide an opportunity to promote investment and commerce.
Honolulu has proudly hosted more than ten international delegations in the last year from Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan. It was refreshing to see there was no government red tape, just immediate assistance. The Office of Economic Development supports cultural tourism by funding various cultural activities, events and festivals such as the Honolulu Zoo Jungle Jam and the annual Paniola Festival. The Office of Economic Development is uniting all levels of government economic development with the private sector through the Honolulu Economic Development Summit. The primary goal of the event is to make it easy for the business community to understand what resources exist and how to access them.