Hawaii program for tourists in need may close due to cuts April 16, 2021 FacebookTwitterEmail HONOLULU (AP) — A 24-year-old Hawaii program that has helped tourists following traumatic events has said it may have to close. The Visitor Aloha Society of Hawaii said it would not survive beyond this summer if proposed legislative budget cuts take effect, Hawaii News Now reported Wednesday. The organization was founded in 1997 by the Honolulu Rotary Club because there was no aid organization for visitors. The group had received $370,000 from the Hawaii Tourism Authority in 2020, but that was cut to about $277,000 this year. Now, the Legislature is considering cuts to the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s Safety and Security Programs that would eliminate most funding for Visitor Aloha Society.