Rex Johnson, HTA's president and CEO, made the announcement this week at Travel Weekly's Leadership Forum in Honolulu.

The comprehensive effort includes cooperative marketing programs and online efforts with airline, hotel and wholesaler partners.

The money is needed for programs to head off visitor misperceptions about Hawaii's airline seat availability and rising costs in light of the recent shutdowns of Aloha Airlines and ATA.

Under the terms of the settlement, Mesa did not admit wrongdoing but will pay Hawaiian $52.5 million from a bond it previously posted. Mesa said the agreement does not prevent its go! subsidiary from flying in the interisland market.

Phoenix-based Mesa launched go! in June 2006. Honolulu-based Hawaiian sued Mesa that same year, alleging the company misused company secrets — including figures on route profitability, passenger profiles, and expansion plans — Hawaiian gave Mesa when the former was going through bankruptcy reorganization and seeking investors.

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VOLCANO, Hawai'i — Hawaii Volcanoes National Park will reopen this morning after being closed for two days due to elevated sulfur dioxide levels from Kilauea Volcano.

Park officials say trade winds that push the noxious gas away from visitor areas have returned.

They say the visitor center will open at 10 a.m., a little later than usual.

Officials Tuesday evacuated 2,000 people from the park, including the 42-room Volcano House hotel and the Kilauea Military Camp, a vacation destination for military families. The evacuees were taken to hotels in Hilo.

Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, began erupting Jan. 3, 1983.

Elevated levels of sulfur dioxide have been pouring from Kilauea's Halema'uma'u Crater and Pu'u 'O'o vent.

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The voyage is raising concerns about whale strikes, invasive species and traffic, but Hawaii Superferry officials expect smooth sailing.

The voyage came two weeks earlier than expected. This after Aloha Airlines abruptly shut down its passenger service last week. Superferry officials say while the timing is just coincidence, they're looking to fill at least some of the void left by the inter-island service.

The closure will result in the laying off of 120 staff over the next two months.

CEO Peter Nicholas said the decision was "purely a business one" related to delays in approving a master plan for the 60,000-acre ranch.

Nicholas said Molokai Properties Ltd. would "mothball" the company's assets on the ranch and close access to the property indefinitely.

Operations being closed include the Molokai Lodge, Kaluakoi Golf Course, Kaupoa Beach Village, Maunaloa Tri-Plex theater and gas station, and cattle-rearing and maintenance.

It was unclear whether Molokai Ranch's proposed plans to build 200 luxury homes around Laau Point, opposed by many residents, will be affected by the ranch's closure. The master plan stipulates that Laau Point would be the last development on ranch lands outside the resort area.

The airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Thursday, a little more than two years after emerging from bankruptcy.

Aloha's attorneys said on Friday the firm's passenger services, air cargo and contract services, which include US mail shipments, were for sale.

The carrier said it would continue to fly as long as the court accepts the airline's financial plan to keep operating. The company told the court it had US$3.5 million remaining in cash, but expenses over the next 10 days would take US$2.3 million of that. Judge Lloyd King granted Aloha permission to pay its daily operating costs, such as wages, fuel and utilities.

Yucaipa Cos, led by billionaire investor Ron Burkle, has invested more than US$110 million in Aloha since it emerged from bankruptcy.

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It was the first explosion in Kilauea's main Halemaumau Crater since 1924, scattering debris over about 75 acres, said Jim Kauahikaua, scientist-in-charge at Hawaiian Volcano Observatory on the Big Island.

The 4,190-foot volcano has been erupting from fissures along its side steadily for more than a quarter-century. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park draws thousands of people daily, with a visitors center and lodge near the crater rim.

Scientists monitoring the summit say that there's a "remote possibility" of an eruption inside the half-mile-wide crater, but that it's unlikely because other indicators of an eruption aren't present.

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The report, which looked at economic indicators from the visitor industry, concluded there are 212 more people working in the industry after the law went into effect compared to the year before the law.

Visitor spending in all visitor markets, including Japan, was comparable before and after the law, according to the report.

The interisland ferry Alakai was taken out of service Feb. 13. The ship was originally set to be put back in service March 3, but was extended to March 25. The dry dock has now been extended to April 22.

The company said Saturday the extension is needed to repair damage to the ship that occurred during the dry-docking process.

The Superferry said it is accepting reservations for sailings between Oahu and Maui after April 22 and that it would issue further updates as they become available.

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When the second segment of the bike path, the 2.5-mile stretch from Lihi Park to Kealia Beach Park, opened on Feb. 15, county officials announced that they would be enforcing a county ordinance that dogs, regardless of whether they are on leashes, are not allowed in any county parks.

This week, members of the Kauai Police Department and the county parks department began enforcing the ban, first with a warning and then, starting next week, with a ticket and a trip to court.

Fines can range from $15 to $500, according to the ordinance.

Dog owners say discussion of the ban started months ago. But with the 30-plus person shortage at the Kauai Police Department and a limited number of park rangers, few thought that the county would actually enforce the ban.

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Hawaiian, owned by Hawaiian Holdings, had the highest arrival rate at 94.1 percent. Privately owned Aloha ranked second at 93.1 percent.

The air travel consumer report was released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Phoenix-based Mesa Air Group, which operates go! in Hawaii, ranked 16th out of the 20 U.S. carriers surveyed by the D.O.T. Mesa's on-time arrival rate was 68.7 percent.

Hawaiian also ranked first for the fewest number of mishandled baggage reports in January. Aloha was fourth, after Airtran Airways and JetBlue Airways. Mesa finished 17th.

Aloha placed second behind Frontier Airlines for the lowest percentage of flight cancellations. Hawaiian was fourth, just behind Continental Airlines, while Mesa had the highest percent of flight cancellations.

Aloha also reported the fewest passenger complaints of any U.S. airline in January, followed by Southwest Airlines, ExpressJet Airlines, Hawaiian, Alaska Airlines and Mesa.

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TripAdvisor, a travel Web site that reviews vacation spots, hotels and attractions, ranked Kailua Beach Park No. 3.

Tunnels Beach on Kauai took the No. 6 spot for its snorkeling. Waimea Bay Beach Park on Oahu was ranked No. 10.

Fort De Soto Park's North Beach in Tierra Verde, Fla., was No. 1.

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