The clock is ticking away toward a fall tourism season that, without a meeting of the minds among industry executives and state officials, could become a tropical depression.

Already airlines face challenges in delivering the tourists to our door, given the shuttering of two major carriers serving the Islands and fuel costs propelling ticket prices skyward.

More recently, the state's hoteliers are looking fairly ashen-faced when reviewing the projections for fall bookings: They may be down by as much as 30 percent compared to last year.

That will, of course, have repercussions on restaurants, retailers, attractions and all the businesses that depend on visitor trade. Some collaborative strategies — inventive travel packages and other incentives — are needed to make sure Hawai'i rises to the top of vacation options for Mainlanders and others fleeing colder climates.

Some industry leaders are beating the drum for the Hawai'i Tourism Authority to keep up the momentum in marketing Hawai'i as autumn approaches, and the state agency seems a logical convener: Its monthly meeting on Tuesday will draw a gathering of hotel representatives and others with ideas to share.

HTA officials cite anecdotal reports that its $3 million supplemental advertising drive helped to firm up summer bookings.

Now it's time to find ways to continue that work to offset the fall slowdown.

HTA chief Rex Johnson has suggested that the private companies need to come up with solutions before additional taxpayer dollars can be directed toward marketing, and he's right.

Some ideas already have been floated within individual companies and at a recent state House-Senate informational briefing on tourism held last month. Among those ideas: value-added promotions such as book-three-get-four-nights hotel deals.

Any campaign should entail a pooling of public and private funds and be coordinated to achieve the maximum bang for the buck.

The strategy has to include a pitch to kama'aina who have less money themselves to head overseas. Maui Land & Pine's announced layoffs last week were the latest evidence that Isle residents have good reason to worry about the local economy and may be rethinking vacations.

They might be lured by a "stay-cation" promotion instead, picking up some of the slack during tough times.

The state needs to look beyond the immediate future and intensify its wooing of new markets, such as Korean and Chinese tourists. That foundation needs to be solidified if Hawai'i is to reap the benefits of this new visitor sector in the next year.

However, the immediate push should focus principally on prime upper-income markets, particularly the U.S. Mainland and Canada. There, Hawai'i sells well as a destination that's price-competitive with other options arrayed before those who still have disposable income.

Fortunately, the industry already has been hard at work transitioning toward a more upscale product; this progress needs to be showcased.

Everyone's been given the heads-up that travelers are going to be far more discriminating with their travel dollars in the months ahead.

The state needs to be out in front ensuring that Hawai'i gets its share.