tourism

Late August is a popular time for vacation in many parts of the world, and a busy period for travelers to Hawaii. That’s not the case in Thailand, but this week the country’s top tourism official scaled back expectations for the rest of the year.

Hawaiʻi is expected to see its 10 millionth visitor this year. The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority says in the first half of 2019, tourist arrivals were up by 4 percent even while visitor spending fell. Communities statewide are feeling the growing presence of tourists -- at local beaches and on the roads. Now, University of Hawaii researchers are asking how precisely are visitors affecting local neighborhoods – like those in Windward Oahu.

For many people, August is a time for vacation and for travel. But for many residents of China, those travel options have been reduced effective today.

eSports is a billion dollar industry, and growing. Cities around the world are holding eSports tournaments, hoping to attract younger visitors and become major destinations for the industry. But what would it take for Hawaii to become a player in eSports?

A panel of Big Island business leaders recently talked about challenges and transitions across multiple industries. One of the key sectors: the hospitality business.

The highway beyond Hanalei on Kauaʻi’s North Shore is officially open to the public today. Kūhiō Highway has been closed for more than fourteen months to complete repairs following last year’s massive rain and flooding. While some residents are glad the roadway is open, others are bracing for the influx of visitors.

Hawaii is not the only set of islands dealing with changing expectations for the tourism industry. This week, New Zealand has recalibrated its goals for visitors, and their impact on the economy and the environment.

Today on Bytemarks Café, Burt will talk to Shaka Guide, a local startup that produces trips and guides around Hawaiʻi. Also, a discussion about out how they've grown to incorporate new technologies as well as expand to new markets, beyond Hawaiʻi. 6:30 PM on HPR-1.

The visitor industry remains one of Hawaii’s key economic engines, but what about the future? One need is to continue to develop a tourism workforce, and that was a goal of a program this month involving more than a thousand high school students on four islands.

Ten million visitors a year may be a goal for some, but it’s an overwhelming number for others. Hotel executive and tourism marketing experts sat down with Pacific Business News to talk about their current challenges and opportunities.

Hawaiʻi visitors can now buy medical marijuana while on vacation in the islands. The state Health Department announced it is offering temporary cannabis cards to qualified out-of-state patients. 

Long-time hotel executive Christopher Tatum is the new head of the Hawaii Tourism Authority. He’s got some plans for a new direction.

Visitor spending in Hawai‘i increased nearly 7-percent last year. It grew even faster in China, but that was the slowest growth in a decade. And when it comes to Chinese headed overseas, the figures tell a different story.

Many countries tax tourists when they leave. The United States has done it for years — including international visitors leaving Hawaii. But in one Asian country, this is the first week for that practice.

Visitor spending in Hawaii so far this year is running about 9-percent ahead of last year’s pace. But tourism is growing even faster in one of the main sources of Hawaii’s visitors: Japan.

Vivid images of volcanic eruptions captured the world’s attention this year, but frightened off visitors. 

An experiment in tourism continues this week in the Philippines. The government closed one of its most popular beaches for six months to clean up the area and reduce the capacity for visitors. Now the beach is open again, but not everything is going as planned. 

It’s still too early to determine what impacts the Marriott hotel strike may have on tourism in Hawai‘i. That may be one challenge for the new leader of the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority, expected to be named soon. On the other side of the Pacific, there’s a different sort of challenge for tourism.

Visitor spending and arrivals are up across the islands compared to a year ago. That includes visitors from most markets in the Asia Pacific. And residents in one of those countries are setting records for foreign travel.

August was another month of growth for the state’s tourism industry, but only slightly.

We’re a week away from the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s annual Global Tourism Summit. While the state will update its latest strategies to attract visitors, other locations are considering similar plans. And that includes the capital of South Korea.

Hawaii’s tourism industry is on track for another year of growth. Last week, the Hawaii Tourism Authority reported increased spending and visitor arrivals on every island except the Big Island. The figures are even more dramatic for another location that is expecting continued growth in tourism: Japan.

The government of New Zealand is looking at a proposal to tax its tourists. The measure would tack on an arrival charge for most international visitors, but the proceeds would go beyond well marketing.

A new economic report from the University of Hawai‘i’s Economic Research Organization takes a county-by-county look at what is shaping up to be a strong 2018.. Pacific Business News editor in chief A. Kam Napier has more.

Hawaii’s visitor industry reported another strong month in April, although any impact of the Kilauea Volcano won’t show up until the May figures come out next month. While authorities continue to encourage visitors to Hawaii, there’s another location in the Asia Pacific that is taking a different approach. HPR’s Bill Dorman has more in today’s Asia Minute.

Tourism remains one of Hawai‘i’s economic pillars. And while 2017 was another year of records, the industry faces some new challenges this year. PBN editor in chief A. Kam Napier has more from a roundtable of tourism industry executives.