Millions of tourists come to Hawai‘i and venture beyond the resort areas – crowding our parks, beaches, hiking trails, roads and more. But in 2019, total inflation-adjusted visitor spending actually declined, which means there was no extra money to fix this worn infrastructure. Here are three ways to turn that problem around.
A new law went into effect Aug. 1 on Oʻahu that limits the number of new short-term rentals — which are rented for less than 30 days at a time — bans the advertising of unpermitted rentals and imposes hefty…
The longtime Marriott executive has been at HTA less than a year, but Tatum’s strategic changes are already clear: a flattening bureaucracy, a reduced fixation on the number of tourists and a shifting of marketing dollars. Q: What organizational changes…
The dream of a Hawai‘i vacation is often nurtured by a steady stream of messaging from the Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau and its island chapters. Their job, in a nutshell, is to ensure steady growth in the tourism industry.…
Ben Rafter, who previously ran Aqua, wants to turn OLS Hotels & Resorts into “the next great Hawaii hotel operator” In an era when Hawaii’s hotel industry is dominated by offshore owners and operators, Ben Rafter wants to build Hawaii’s…
The opportunities for tourists to volunteer are growing along with the demand for those opportunities. From beach cleanups to cultural exchanges, forest conservation to farm stays, visitors are looking for experiences that are authentic, intimate and altruistic.
Sunday, June 2, 2019, 11:00 am - 1:30 am By Taahirah Ali There are many ways you can draw tourists to your local business, even if it’s not located in a tourist area. That was the message at a sold-out Hawaii…
There are many ways you can draw tourists to your local business, even if it’s not located in a tourist area. That was the message at a sold-out Hawaii Business SmallBiz Academy luncheon on Wednesday at the downtown YWCA. Here…
“Off the beaten path” means different things to different people, but overall, visitors to Hawaii are more sophisticated and going farther afield than ever before. That has been good news for many businesses that used to depend exclusively on local…
The latest version of the BOSS Survey, conducted by the Research Division of the Anthology Marketing Group for Hawaii Business in Fall 2018, talked to 350 business leaders from all sectors of Hawaii’s economy. A separate survey-within-a-survey was conducted with…
Outrigger is changing with the arrival in April of Wagoner as CEO and an infusion of $310 million from the strategic sale of six Asia-Pacific hotels. Wagoner – who hails from New York City and has an extensive background in…
After years of robust success, Hawaii’s largest airline faces increased competition and other market pressures. But Ingram remains unfazed and says he is focusing instead on improving the company’s strengths: outstanding operations, a favorable cost structure and its unique Hawaiian…
Honolulu’s weak law makes it hard to crack down on illegal vacation rentals, but a new law is in the works. Other jurisdictions – in Hawaii and on the Mainland – have tougher laws and more success with enforcement. Kailua…
Hawaii Business' most popular articles of 2018 were about outstanding people and companies and about major issues facing Hawaii.
"Sorry, I have work,” says Basalt chef Keith Kong, jokingly excusing himself from the conversation. He takes a thoughtful taste from a delicately plated cremeux-stuffed chocolate cake, adorned with artful smears of filling and drippings of raspberry coulis. It’s a…
Oʻahu's tourism and entertainment hub endures an epidemic of beach thefts, random spikes in violent crimes and an understaffed police force. Here’s what’s being done to counter the crime.
Get ready, Hawaiʻi: A new airline is preparing to enter the market and that means new local jobs, more options for travelers and additional support for local charities.
This talk story features Honolulu City Councilmember Trevor Ozawa, who received the inaugural Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association Award for Leadership In the Industry: Young Achiever It’s become a tradition for Honolulu City Councilmember Trevor Ozawa to volunteer his time to…
Hotel occupancy is a metric that the Hawaii Tourism Authority likes to use to gauge the health of the visitor industry, so it's safe to say Hawaii Island's tourism was vivacious and spry last weekend for the Kona Brewer's Festival.…
These two companies help pregnant Chinese women obtain visas and fly to Hawaii so their children are born here and get U.S. citizenship Goen Gao runs a tourism company for Chinese visitors called Hawaii Lulutrip, and a side business called HI…
Most business say neither, but there’s a shift over time among those who see an effect The BOSS survey asked 402 local business leaders about the impact on their companies of visitors who use B&Bs and other nonhotel accommodations outside…
Modernization and expansion projects at Hawaii’s airports are years behind schedule and tens of millions of dollars over budget. Some say the solution is an independent statewide airport authority. Twenty-one hours out of the day, Hawaii’s largest airport has enough…
The number of tourists coming to Hawaii keeps climbing and many are now crowding into places that were once reserved for locals. It’s a worldwide situation. However, the solution to “overtourism” may not be to cap the number of visitors…
After others failed over two decades, a new team is hoping to rebuild the Coco Palms Resort The once iconic Coco Palms resort is now a set of dilapidated brown buildings in the middle of a jungle. Guinea grass…