Good Time to Invest in Hawaiʻi
If you want the best for Hawaiʻi and its people, you should become a tourism elitist.
Tourism
2 Local Surveys Ask About Today and Tomorrow
You already know the big picture.These two surveys fill in some of the details about what happened to businesses and people during the first eight months of the pandemic, and what the new normal looks like to them.
Reopening Hawai‘i Tourism Part II: Should We Change the Visitor Industry?
Many people inside and outside the tourism sector want a reinvention of Hawai‘i’s No. 1 industry so that it welcomes tourists while enhancing sustainability of nature and culture here.
Reopening Tourism: Residents, Visitors Must Trust They’ll Stay Virus-Free
That means new systems of testing, hygiene, safe practices and cleaning by airlines, airports, hotels, restaurants, stores and government, say tourism industry leaders. First of two parts.
No Limit on Number of Tourists, Business Leaders and Public Agree
We are continuing to publish stories researched and written before the COVID-19 crisis, such as this one. The BOSS Survey interviewed 433 company representatives statewide; the 808 Poll reached 473 adult members of the general public statewide. These surveys…
How to Increase Visitor Spending
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.
Impact of Oʻahu's Vacation Rental Crackdown
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…
Talk Story: Chris Tatum, President and CEO, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority
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…
Hawai‘i Island Identity Crisis
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.…
A New Locally Owned Hotel Company
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…
Voluntourism in Hawaiʻi
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.
How to Draw Tourists to Your Off-the-Beaten-Path Business
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…
How to Draw Tourists to Your Off-the-Beaten-Path Business
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…
10 Ways to Draw More Visitors to your Store or Restaurant
“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…
BOSS Survey: Tourism Report
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…
Talk Story: Jeff Wagoner, CEO, President, Outrigger Hotels and Resorts
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…
Talk Story: Peter Ingram, President & CEO of Hawaiian Airlines
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…
Policing Hawaii's Illegal Vacation Rentals
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…
Our Best-Read Stories in 2018
Hawaii Business' most popular articles of 2018 were about outstanding people and companies and about major issues facing Hawaii.
ABC Stores Takes its Next Step into the Restaurant World with Lineage on Maui
"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…
What Makes Waikīkī Dangerous and Who's to Blame?
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.
Southwest Airlines Promises Cheaper Fares to the Mainland
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.
Talk Story: Trevor Ozawa, Honolulu City Council
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…