Tourist-industry projections that have been bleak have turned even more ominous, as the economy's precipitous slide signals a painful period of recession to follow.

And during these slowdowns, prospective travelers will cling to discretionary dollars even more tightly, worried as they are about their investments and retirement accounts, even their job security.

That makes the future all the more precarious for Hawai'i's tourism industry — and even more critical, the need for swift, decisive marketing and planning to attract visitors.

With the resignation of Hawai'i Tourism Authority chief executive officer Rex Johnson last week, the HTA board now faces twin challenges: damage control — putting behind it the embarrassing scandal over Johnson's inappropriate e-mail traffic — and, more importantly, charting a course for the industry through the difficulties ahead.

The best way to repair its reputation, in fact, would be a speedy transition to the second challenge by hiring a capable successor for Johnson.

It is fortunate that Hawai'i now has two agencies with a particular focus on tourism. The Hawai'i Visitors and Convention Bureau, unaffected by the upheaval, can press ahead making use of added state funds for tourism marketing. Putting out the message that Hawai'i remains an excellent bargain for vacation dollars is essential if fall and spring visitor traffic is to be salvaged.

But the HTA chief plays a key role in shaping the industry for the longer term, and the state can't afford to lose sight of that big picture.

Gov. Linda Lingle, in a meeting with The Advertiser editorial board last week, pointed out that once the global economy rights itself the state needs to be positioned with a plan to capitalize on that recovery.

She's right, which is why the HTA board needs to move quickly to begin a broad search for its new CEO.

Board leaders said a company is being hired to conduct the search, which should cast a wide net. The optimal result would be a professional with experience working in global markets, particularly shepherding companies through lean times.

Ideally, that person should have experience with Hawai'i, or at least an affinity for the qualities that are the Islands' chief assets. Besides its natural beauty, Hawai'i's cultural riches set it apart, a value the new CEO should grasp.

The uproar over the e-mails — with their triple threat of obscene, racist and sexist overtones — has cast a pall over the HTA and sapped energy that was needed for a crucial course correction. The state now expects HTA leaders to lose no more time in getting the search under way so the agency can resume its primary mission.