Pre-Clearance Japan Initiative and Ambassador Nick Adams, Tourism Envoy / Maui Hotel & Lodging Association

Pre-Clearance Japan Initiative and Ambassador Nick Adams, Tourism Envoy

Naomi Cooper
October 2nd, 2026

Maui recently received a visit from the Ambassador Nick Adams, Special Presidential Envoy for American Tourism, U.S. Department of State. The purpose of this visit was to meet with tourism leadership of Maui and Oahu to further support our economy through a Japanese Pre-Clearance Initiative; to gain firsthand knowledge of how this opportunity would substantially support Japanese-Maui relations and pilot an example for other international markets. As the Ambassador’s position is entrusted to attract more international visitors to the United States, this visit strengthened Maui and Hawaii’s long-term opportunities and allowed us to showcase our hospitality community at new heights.

This initiative started in the Spring of 2025, when flights from Japan were diverted to OGG Kahului Airport from Honolulu International Airport due to an emergency. This brought to light the potential of how Maui’s Kahului airport could indeed accept international airlift directly from Asia, without the current connecting stop-over at Honolulu Airport. Being Maui’s economy had taken a double hit from the long-extended COVID restrictions followed by the Maui Wildfires of 2023, tourism and community leaders agreed that such an initiative would greatly strengthen Maui businesses and open economic doors across Hawaii. It was the Maui Ocean Center that organized the first meetings in Summer 2025 with tourism and community stakeholders that in turn, led to conversations with the US Embassy in Tokyo, US Embassy in Vancouver, BC, and finally, with the Special Presidential Envoy for American Tourism, Values and Exceptionalism, Nick Adams who was appointed to the position by President Trump in March 2026.

Due to the organized efforts of stakeholders, Ambassador Nick Adams arrived in Maui on September 19^thbefore traveling to Oahu, September 23^rd. In the very few days of exposure to Maui County, the group arranged experiences for the Ambassador in hopes to encompass Maui’s multifaceted tourism culture: Lomi-lomi healing massage and views of black rock in Kaanapali; a day in Lana’i; Old Lahaina Luau; Tour through Front Street Lahaina and Lahaina Harbor; an excursion with Atlantis Submarine; Meal at Aloha Mix Plate with small businesses of Lahaina; Kipuka Oluwalu with lessons of the Ahupua’a system and cultural protocols; a Meet & Greet Reception at the Maui Brewing Restaurant on Kaanapali beach with sixty prominent business leaders including two county dignitaries; a presentation from stakeholders of the Japan Pre-clearance Initiative proposition at Maui Ocean Center followed by a signing of a Memorandum, tour of the ocean exhibits, group lunch at Seascape, taste of Ululani Shave Ice; meetings with Mayor Bissen, meeting with Council Member and Budget Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura, Tour of the Maui Brewery in Kihei with lessons of local sourcing and shipping logistics; with hosted accommodations from OUTRIGGER Kaanapali Beach and the Mana Kai Resort on Keawakapu Beach.

In Oahu, Ambassador Nick Adams met with Tourism and Government Leaders including Senators, State Representatives, DBEDT, Department of Transportation, Hawaii Tourism Authority, and Governor Green. He also joined Blue Hawaiian Helicopters for a visual of the high tourist areas of Oahu, interviewed with KHON2 news, gave a speech at the Hawaii Tourism Conference, met with film leadership including SAG-Aftra and HIFA, visited Pearl Harbor National Museum; and was hosted accommodations from the Hilton Hawaiian Village and the OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber.

As Ambassador Nick Adams expressed in his interview, his thoughts on the initiative are “It’s good for Japan. It’s good for the United States, and it’s good for people everywhere.” We hope our time with him – while short, filled Ambassador Nick Adams with the utmost sense of aloha. We look forward to working with him in the months to come.

The Maui initiative and listed references (below) are a result of collective efforts, including but not limited to:

Kahului & Lanai Airport: Marvin Moniz & Ronald Han
Sheraton Resort: Spa & Nisha Pescaia
OUTRIGGER Kaanapali Beach: Edwin Torres & Meghan Lee
Lana’i Island: Pulama Lanai & Kurt Matsumoto, Sensei Four Seasons
Old Lahaina Luau & Aloha Mixed Plate: Kawika Freitas & Na Hoaloha Ekolu
Front Street Lahaina Tour: Mousa Hassan, Tambara Garrick, Theo Morrison, Kawika Freitas
Atlantic Submarine: Jim Walsh
Kipuka Oluwalu: Ekolu Lindsey
Meet & Greet Reception: Maui Hotel & Lodging, Naomi Cooper; Maui Brewing Co, Kami Lloyd, Garrett Marrero; Maui Visitors Bureau, Brent Lauster & Leanne Pletcher
Maui Ocean Center & Seascape: Tapani Vuori, Michael Takamura, James Morrison
Presentations: Representative Elle Cochran; Hawaii Farm Project, John White; Maui Ocean Center, Tapani Vuori; Kahului Airport, Marvin Moniz; Maui Visitors & Convention Bureau, Brent Lauster; Na Hoaloha Ekolu, Kawika Freitas; Hawaii International Film Association, Ai Jinguji; Maui Hotel & Lodging Association, John Pele, US Department of State, Ambassador Nick Adams
Ululanis Shave Ice: David Yamashiro
Mana Kai Resort: Kasper Rassmusen
Maui County Support: Office of Economic Development, Jade Rojas-Letisi, Cynthia Sato, Mayor Bissen
Film Relations & Japan Sister City Support: George Russell, Koki Nishitani, Ai Jinguji, Julie Okada, Mercia Elmore, Stephanie Ohigashi
Maui Filmography: Aloha Broadcasting
HTA Filmography: HIFA, George Russell
Meet & Greet Photography: Gilbert Advertising, Nicholas Gilbert
Transportation Support: Roberts Hawaii, Joann Erban, Kelisa Paleafei
Maui Brewing Educational Tour: Garrett Marrero
Blue Hawaiian Helicopters: Myra Galinato
Hawaii Tourism Authority Support: Caroline Anderson, Jimmy Tokioka