About 1,500 Chinese Amway sellers are coming to Hawaii for a Jan. 28-to-Feb. 4 convention that includes a big party at the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor, which is on an active Navy base.
The museum and state tourism officials are thrilled; the Navy, not as much.
Anne Murata, marketing director for the museum, said the Chinese group was looking for something a little more exciting and historic than the Hawai‘i Convention Center.
"The Chinese are very big fans of the museum because of our emphasis on the Flying Tigers exhibit," Murata said.
Also known as the 1st American Volunteer Group, the Flying Tigers defended China against the Japanese in late 1941 and into 1942 with shark-faced P-40 fighters.
The museum happens to be on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, an active Navy and Air Force base, and that meant some extra scrutiny of the request to have the big Amway China party Feb. 1 at the Ford Island venue.
"We value our partnership with the Pacific Aviation Museum," Agnes Tauyan, a spokeswoman for Navy Region Hawaii, said in an email. "We share the same values of preserving history, promoting education and honoring military heritage."
The Ford Island event was approved, disapproved and finally approved again, officials said.
"The joint base commander reviews each request for access and activities aboard the installation on a case-by-case basis," Tauyan said. "Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam routinely hosts foreign nationals."
While the Navy does not "routinely endorse commercial fundraising, after careful evaluation and coordination with the appropriate stakeholders, we determined we are able to accommodate the event due to our unique partnership with the Pacific Aviation Museum in advancing the history of military aviation," Tauyan said.
The Pacific Aviation Museum said it is expecting 1,500 guests for an afternoon tour of the museum in Hangar 37 and dinner in the huge adjacent Hangar 79.
"It’s a business incentive party for the heavy hitters of Amway China," Murata said.
Bert Li, an Amway representative, said there will be a convention at the Sheraton Waikiki on Jan. 31, and trips to the Polynesian Cultural Center, Diamond Head and other attractions.
"We had to have some meetings with (the Navy) to figure out how they were going to work it, because we’ve never had anything that’s this big out here," Murata said. "That’s a big incentive party. … It’s all new for all of us. They (the Navy) have approved everything we want to do, and they are going to jump in and make it all happen, so we’re working together as a team."
According to business research company Hoovers, Amway China’s products include cosmetics, personal care, household and nutrition materials. The China unit generates more than a third of Amway’s global sales.
China Daily reported that Amway sales revenue in China was around $3.5 billion in 2010 and $4.3 billion in 2011.
Chinese visitors spent $83.8 million in Hawaii in 2009, $127.7 million in 2010 and $178.2 million in 2011, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
Arrivals from China increased 27.9 percent for the first 11 months of 2012 compared with the previous year, and Chinese spend more in Hawaii than anyone else — an average of $392 per person per day, HTA said.
"We look forward to welcoming the upcoming incentive group from Amway China to the Hawaiian Islands," said Mike McCartney, HTA president and CEO. "This incentive group provides an ideal opportunity to capitalize on the interest in our state as an ideal place for meetings, conventions and incentives."
EventWorks in Los Angeles is expected to build some elaborate sets for the Feb. 1 gala party. A company representative said there will be a media show that will make guests feel like they are on a launch into space, as well as a lot of performances, including dancers.
"The big incentive groups are a growth area of revenue for us. We’ve been working hard for two years to try to get these kinds of Asian incentive meeting groups out here," Murata said. "Hawaii is (China’s) favorite destination. Hawaii is a favorite destination for most places, and China has the money to do Hawaii."
