What should Hawaii promote?

Hawaii is debating whether to promote medical or health tourism or neither.

Making Hawaii the destination of choice for patients seeking non-emergency health care services, has long-time support from the visitor industry.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority wants to promote Hawaii as a high-end destination for tourists from China, Japan and other places in Asia.

While some locals want to promote medical tourism, there are problems of high prices and lack of availability of specialist services that are readily on offer in mainstream US states.

The tourism authority prefers to promote health tourism with the emphasis on the beautiful environment, the clean air, the sand and surf and the host culture. It is looking at health, wellness, longevity and aging services.

But organisations representing Hawaii natives is against promoting medial or health tourism, as it will not help address the health disparities of the indigenous Kanaka Maoli. They argue that data shows that the more Hawaiian you are, the sicker you are and the sooner you’re going to die. Native life span is 12 years less than the average resident.

Hawaii has a long way to go before it can sell medical tourism, or even health tourism.