Hawaii tour group: 3 bitten by sharks while snorkeling Three people who were part of a tour group were bitten by a shark or sharks just after 10:40 this morning while snorkeling off a North Shore beach in Haleiwa, Oahu. A 57-year-old male visitor was bitten on is right arm, another male visitor (31 years of age) was bitten on his right shoulder, and a 24-year-old Hawaii resident was bitten on... Read More

In August 2019, Hawaii hotels statewide reported growth in revenue per available room (RevPAR), average daily rate (ADR) and occupancy compared to August 2018. However, it should be noted that August 2018’s performance was impacted in part by concerns related to Hurricane Lane. According to the Hawaii Hotel Performance Report published by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), statewide RevPAR increased to $244 (+10.7%), with ADR of $290 (+3.4%) and occupancy of... Read More

KHON: Governor Ige and Mauna Kea protectors both call for a stop to use of threats via social media Mass shooting in the Hawaii State Capitol this weekend is a warning after Hawaii Governor Ige admitted getting death threats. This is not good for the Travel and Tourism Industry of the Aloha State, the largest export for Hawaii. This terror warning for Hawaii was the threat on a Facebook page posted... Read More

Every destination has its own set of unwritten rules regarding cultural etiquette. Hawaii is no different. Sharing the do’s and don’ts with visitors for their time in the Hawaiian Islands is the goal of a visitor campaign launched through a partnership between the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) and the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB). It’s called the Kuleana Campaign. Kuleana means responsibility and it’s the personal and collective commitment to... Read More

The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) announced today it is awarding funding to 95 events and programs in the Hawaiian Islands through its Community Enrichment program (CEP) for the 2020 calendar year, an increase from 74 recipients in 2019. The funds are generated from tourism dollars through the Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT), which people pay when they stay in legal accommodations throughout the state. HTA’s CEP funds a diverse array of festivals,... Read More

Unite Here Local 5 hotel workers skipped a traditional Labor Day celebration to take action against Diamond Resorts, owner of the Modern Honolulu and Ka’anapali Beach Club on Maui. Workers occupied the public easement within the hotel property to celebrate labor victories while supporting Modern Honolulu and Ka’anapali Beach Club workers in their fight for job security, solidarity, and to uphold the union’s statement “one job is enough to live in... Read More

Basic Economy : The true story Searching for the cheapest airfare and best airlines and finding a basic economy class airfare on American, United, Delta, and other airlines have one clear advantage: The advantage is the price, or are you getting fooled?  The airlines want to make your trip as miserable as possible, so you would never make this mistake again. Money talks in the airline industry. Of course, the basic... Read More

Visitors to the Hawaiian Islands spent a total of $1.70 billion in July 2019, an increase of 2.4 percent compared to July 2018, according to preliminary statistics released today by the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA). Hawaii Island continues to show positive signs as it recovers from last year’s downturn in visitors due to the eruption at Kīlauea volcano. Tourism dollars from the Transient Accommodations Tax (TAT) helped to fund numerous community... Read More