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HCR 118

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM TO SPONSOR A MICHELIN GUIDE FOR RESTAURANTS ACROSS THE STATE.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Greggor Ilagan

Hawaii requests its economic development agency sponsor a Michelin restaurant guide to boost culinary tourism, but funding, independence, and implementation details remain unspecified.

Reported from ECD (Stand. Com. Rep. No. 1612) as amended in HD 1, recommending referral to FIN.
#departmentofbusiness #economicdevelopment #michelinguide #restaurants #tourism #andtourism
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Bill Summary · HCR 118

Legislative bill overview

HCR 118 requests that Hawaii's Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism (DBEDT) sponsor and develop a Michelin Guide for restaurants across the state. The Michelin Guide is an international restaurant rating system known for its prestigious star rankings that evaluate dining establishments on quality and culinary excellence.

Why is this important

A Michelin Guide could enhance Hawaii's culinary tourism brand, potentially attracting food-focused visitors and increasing revenue for the restaurant industry and state. The initiative reflects growing recognition that food tourism is a significant economic driver, particularly for island destinations competing in the global travel market.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost and funding unclear: The resolution doesn't specify who bears the financial burden for developing and maintaining a guide, or whether state taxpayer money should fund a private culinary rating system
  • Michelin's independence concerns: Michelin Guides are typically independently operated and maintained; state sponsorship could compromise the credibility and objectivity that makes the rating system valuable
  • Unclear selection process: No details on how restaurants would be evaluated, who would conduct inspections, or whether participation would be voluntary or mandatory for operators
  • Unproven ROI: Limited evidence that a state-sponsored guide would generate sufficient tourism revenue to justify costs, compared to existing review platforms (Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews)
  • Precedent and scope: This could establish expectations for state sponsorship of other commercial rating systems or industry initiatives

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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