April 2026 Updates from HTA

HTA Advisory Board Members Confirmed

On April 24, the full Senate confirmed all 11 gubernatorial nominees to the HTA advisory board of directors. This action marks an important milestone for the Authority.

With the Board now fully authorized, the organization is better positioned to advance its priorities.

Above from left: Christian West, president, ILWU Local 142; Linda Wong, president and chief financial officer, World of Aloha; Senate President Ron Kouchi; Sen. Lynn DeCoite, chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism; Danny Ojiri, vice president, Outrigger Hospitality Group; and Kumu Troy Allen Lazaro, cultural steward. Click here to see all of our board members.

HTA Now Accepting Proposals to

Support Community Partnerships

Events and experiences that showcase the breadth and depth of Native Hawaiian culture allow visitors and kama‘āina to form a stronger connection to Hawai‘i and gain a deeper appreciation of Hawai‘i. Every event provides a glimpse into the cultural richness of our islands, reminds us all what makes Hawai‘i a special place, and underscores why “Hawai‘i Stays With You.”

Whether it is a major festival, sporting event or other program to preserve and perpetuate Native Hawaiian culture, these activities all contribute to a positive visitor experience and give residents a renewed appreciation for Hawai‘i.

Planning and implementing these events and experiences takes a collaborative community effort. HTA is providing support to projects and events that take place from July to December 2026. Proposals are being sought for the following programs:


• Signature Events: Supports major festivals and sporting events that enhance Hawai‘i's globally competitive brand. 
• Community Enrichment Program: Provides support for unique, authentic experiences developed by the community for residents and visitors to enjoy. 
• Kūkulu Ola: Supports community initiatives, programs and cultural practitioners that preserve and perpetuate Native Hawaiian culture. 

HTA, in partnership with Kilohana Collective, is now accepting proposals through the ‘Umeke portal.  The deadline to submit is Thursday, May 7, 2026, by 4:30 p.m.

HTA's Five-Year Strategic Plan Approved

HTA’s new five-year strategic plan builds on what HTA has already established and ventures into new, groundbreaking territory. The 2026-2030 plan has been completed and approved by the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) and Gov. Josh Green.

Caroline Anderson, HTA interim president and CEO, presented highlights of the plan that sets the direction for tourism through 2030 at the Spring Tourism Update on April 1. She noted the plan includes three pillars:

• Brand marketing
  HTA will continue to identify and focus on higher-spending, high-value travelers to demonstrate the return on Hawai‘i’s marketing investment.
• Experience development
  HTA will establish a new HTA Experience Development Program to enhance major attractions and experiences to improve Hawai‘i’s competitiveness for high-value visitors; and
• Tourism leadership
  HTA is committed to strengthening its role as a leader in Hawai‘i tourism and formalizing inter-agency relationships to improve collaboration with other state agencies and with the counties.

Click on button below to view Caroline’s presentation slides.

2026 Spring Tourism Update

If you were not able to participate in the virtual Spring Tourism Update, held on April 1, you can watch the recording of the of presentations in the video above.

Mahalo to DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka, Sen. Lynn DeCoite, chair of the Senate Committee on Economic Development and Tourism; and Rep. Adrian Tam, chair of the House Committee on Tourism, for providing an overview of the current state of the visitor industry in opening remarks.

The Spring Tourism Update also included updates from major market areas, including the USA, Europe, Canada, Oceania, Japan, China, Korea, and Taiwan, and the lastest news on the Hawai‘i Convention Center, cruise lines, and destination stewardship.

Visitor Data Reveals Bright Spots 
and the Need for Cautionary Measures

A presentation on visitor data by Jennifer Chun, director of tourism research with the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, offered good reasons to be optimistic about Hawai‘i’s visitor industry, as well as projections indicating the need to prepare for what’s ahead.

Top of mind for many participating in the Spring Tourism Update was the impact of current global and local events. The Iran war, the subsequent increase in jet fuel prices, and the back-to-back Kona-low storms have created market uncertainty for the visitor industry; however, an assessment of U.S. visitors’ intent to travel to Hawai‘i shows virtually no volatility. Data shows U.S. visitors are still planning to come to Hawai‘i for their next vacation.


Here are some of the highlights of Jennifer's recap of the first two months of the year and forward-looking trends:

• Airport throughput, based on the volume of passengers passing through TSA screenings, has remained relatively flat this year. The percentage of passengers on a flight, or load factor, was also lower in the first two months of 2026.

• On the flip side, air capacity through October 2026 (the furthest date airlines have data for) looks promising, with an overall increase in flights from domestic destinations to the individual islands, especially during the peak summer months. 
  
• This year, several airlines will begin direct flights to Honolulu: Air Premia from Incheon International Airport in South Korea; Alaska Airlines from Hollywood Burbank Airport; Southwest Airlines from Hollywood Burbank Airport and Ontario International Airport in Southern California; and Delta Airlines from Logan International Airport in Boston.

• Flights directly to the neighbor islands also look positive. Although United Airlines stopped flying from Los Angeles to Hilo in 2025, Southwest Airlines will begin inaugural flights from the continental U.S. to Hilo. In addition, American Airlines will begin new service from Dallas-Fort Worth directly to Kona.

• Monthly visitor count and visitor expenditures increased in January and February 2026, up from the same time period in 2025. Most of this increase came from the U.S. West, U.S. East and Japan. Although visitor spending also increased during this period, Jennifer noted that this increase can be attributed to the rising cost of goods or services, not necessarily because visitors were buying more. She noted that most of the increase in spending was on O‘ahu and Maui.

• Hotel occupancy was also up in early 2026, with slight increases in average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR), indicating strong market demand. There was a slight decrease in occupancy and ADR for vacation rentals during that period.

• Collections for the transit accommodations tax (TAT) increased in fiscal year 2026 by more than $4 million compared to the same period in fiscal year 2025. Jennifer pointed out that this does not include county contributions,

Click on the button below to view Jennifer’s presentation slides.

Updates on Major Market Areas

Visitor arrivals in 2026 will increase only a little over last year, and that’s why the hard work of HTA’s global marketing team is more important than ever. Attracting high-value visitors willing to spend more per visitor per day on multiple islands remains a top priority and focus of HTA and our partners. At the Spring Tourism Update, Jadie Goo, HTA's acting chief brand officer, introduced updates from all of the major market areas.

Join the 2026 China Travel Mission | June 3-5

Visitors from China consistently rank among the top for per‑person, per‑day spending and continue to demonstrate strong growth potential. Building on the success of past missions, Hawai‘i Tourism China will lead the 2026 China Travel Mission from June 3 to 5. This three-day mission will focus on Eastern China - Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Suzhou - the most promising regions for outbound travel. Participants will engage in approximately 200 business-to-business (B2B) meetings with more than 20 leading agencies specializing in U.S. travel products.

Following the B2B sessions, there will be a networking event with travel trade executives and 10 key opinion leaders in Shanghai. In addition, participants will take part in in‑depth meetings with major travel platforms Fliggy (Alibaba) and Tongcheng Ly.com (WeChat) to explore partnership opportunities. The mission will culminate in the official signing of a memorandum of understanding with Tongcheng Ly.com to strengthen this strategic alliance.

For more information or to join this mission, contact Virginia Lin at virginia.lin@htchina.net.cn.

Annual Japan Summit

Hawai‘i Tourism Japan (HTJ) hosted its annual Japan Summit on Friday, April 17 at the Ala Moana Hotel, followed by an evening reception at the Hawai‘i Convention Center.

The event welcomed more than 100 Japan-based participants from 20 companies and three media and over 160 Hawai‘i-based attendees representing 81 companies. The summit supports HTJ’s ongoing efforts to attract more visitors from Japan, strengthen the tourism market, and foster lasting relationships between industry partners.

The afternoon featured a full schedule of business meetings between local partners, Hawai‘i suppliers, and Japanese travel agencies. At the evening reception, Caroline Anderson, HTA Interim President and CEO delivered opening remarks to welcome attendees and highlight the importance of continued collaboration.

Following the summit, HTJ conducted FAM tours on O‘ahu and Kaua‘i from April 18–21. The O‘ahu FAM centered on a Hōkūle‘a and Hawaiian culture theme, featuring a viewing of Aloha Mirai e at the Rock‑A‑Hula Theater, a Hawai‘i Symphony Orchestra Hōkūle‘a experience, and a visit to Bishop Museum. The Kaua‘i FAM showcased the island’s natural beauty and agritourism offerings with over 10 stops that included visits with local chocolate, coffee, and rum producers.

All Ways Hawai‘i Promotion Reaching More Prospective Visitors from Korea

Hawai‘i Tourism Korea (HTK), in partnership with Korean Air, concluded the All Ways Hawai‘i sales promotion to support demand for the ICN-HNL route. Running from February 14 through March 31, the campaign was activated with 13 travel partners through integrated digital channels, including landing pages, web/mobile banners, app push notifications, text messaging, and email. The promotion generated more than 8.2 million impressions across 14 digital platforms and reached 344,758 unique visitors, demonstrating strong consumer visibility and engagement for Hawai‘i in Korea.

Card Partnership Promotion Highlights Hawai‘i Travel Benefits in Korea

To encourage higher-value travel and on-island spending, HTK introduced the “Your One & Only Hawai‘i” promotion with VISA Korea and Shinhan Card. Running from March 19 through May 31, the campaign features special offers by hotels, activities through popular travel website Klook, rental cars, and other travel-related benefits. The promotion is being distributed through Shinhan Card, VISA Korea, and Klook-owned channels, including event pages, social media, app push notifications, and digital promotional placements, providing broad consumer exposure in the Korean market.

New 11D9N Fly-Cruise Itinerary Launched in Taiwan

Hawai‘i Tourism Taiwan (HTT) recently partnered with Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) to kick off an exclusive 11D9N Fly-Cruise itinerary, a strategic product designed to capture the growing demand for luxury, multi-island experiences. The high-impact launch was unveiled to 38 key trade partners and 10 influential media voices aboard NCL’s Norwegian Sun, who had an opportunity to see Hawai‘iʻs diverse offerings for visitors from Taiwan. The Hawai‘i Stays With You campaign was featured prominently throughout the launch event.


Building on this momentum, HTT continued its outreach in late March with a targeted consumer seminar in collaboration with eight leading travel agencies. The session engaged more than 30 high-intent travelers, enabling direct interaction that bridged product education with booking conversion. By combining trade-focused briefings with consumer-facing engagement, Hawai‘i Tourism Taiwan has effectively strengthened the sales pipeline for this new Hawai‘i adventure, reinforcing its market entry strategy for the season.

ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Campaign Attracts the Culturally Curious in the UK and Germany

Hawaiʻi Tourism Europe (HTE) launched its ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi cultural and language campaign in the UK and Germany on March 24, in partnership with tour operators Trailfinders (UK) and Fairflight (Germany). The campaign, which continues through May 15, uses Hawaiian language to build emotional connections and highlight the values of the islands for culturally curious travelers.

The campaign spans social media, video-on-demand, and digital display advertising, with trade partners providing additional support through blog content, homepage features, email newsletters, and social media. The campaign is off to a great start, with more than 1.6 million impressions delivered to date and video completion rates exceeding 80%.

Regenerative Tourism Piques the Interest of UK Travel Operators

Hawaiʻi’s focus on cultural and regenerative tourism piqued the interest of UK travel operators at the Unite USA trade conference in London on March 10.

During the conference, Hawaiʻi Tourism Europe (HTE) had the opportunity to engage in discussions on mālama, agritourism, and voluntourism experiences with 20 UK travel operators across different segments, including luxury, self-drive, cruise, escorted tours, and online travel agencies.

Industry feedback was positive, with one major operator reporting a 29 percent year-over-year increase in Hawaiʻi room nights. HTE is now working with partners to expand offerings, including new itineraries, accommodations, guided tours, and pre- and post-cruise packages.

HTA Partnership with DLNR:

Promoting “Year of Our Coastal Kuleana”

HTA kicked off the year with an exciting new environmental stewardship program that has received results in the first quarter. HTA invited the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to present the “Year of Our Coastal Kuleana” initiative at a meeting of major contractors in January, and HTA’s global marketing team put on their creative thinking caps and went right to work. Major market areas implemented integrated communications across consumer, media, and travel trade channels to amplify kuleana and mālama messaging. Below are some highlights of activities and outcomes delivered through March across major international markets.

Korea:

A multi-channel campaign delivered strong engagement, including a March 23 newsletter sent to 204 recipients featuring “The Year of Our Coastal Kuleana” with a QR code linking to the DLNR website for traveler education. Social media activity included two reels (February 25 and March 10), generating 6.8K impressions, a Yellow Balloon Tour webinar on March 18 with 45 attendees, and a promotion with NOL Universe running from March 6 to June 14 across web and mobile banners, landing pages, app push notifications, and social channels. Additional outcomes included securing prominent organic trade media coverage with a circulation of 80,000 and distributing tailored PR materials to key trade partners, such as the Visit USA Korea Committee and the Brand USA Korea office, for inclusion in industry newsletters.

China:

A WeChat and RedNote campaign launched on World Wildlife Day (March 3, 2026), focusing on ocean conservation in Hawai‘i through messaging on statewide coastal protection, species education (including monk seals and sea turtles), and safe wildlife viewing practices. The campaign also featured an eco-knowledge Q&A activation driven by influencer storytelling and interactive quizzes with eco-themed incentives. Running throughout March 2026, the campaign achieved strong reach across platforms, including WeChat (33,120 impressions), Weibo (35,817), Douyin (17,632), and Xiaohongshu (12,261).

Oceania:

Consumer storytelling across owned and earned channels emphasized reef-safe practices, coastal care, and responsible visitation, primarily through Instagram and Facebook during Q1. These efforts are set to continue with expanded messaging integration into upcoming Month of Lei destination seminars across Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney from May 4 to 8.

Europe:

On February 28, a travel trade newsletter distributed to 855 contacts achieved a 49.56% open rate, highlighting Coastal Kuleana as a standalone feature. This was complemented by a “Year of Coastal Kuleana” LinkedIn post published on March 3 and a press release distributed in early March. The initiative was also embedded into ongoing trade training and media engagements throughout Q1.

Tourism Day at the Capitol

Mahalo to Tourism Committee Chairs Sen. Lynn DeCoite and Rep. Adrian Tam for hosting the annual Tourism Day at the Capitol. 

The event, coordinated by the Hawai‘i Hotel Alliance and the American Hotel and Lodging Association with support from HTA, was held on April 10.

Tourism Day at the Capitol provided the HTA and DBEDT teams opportunities to celebrate a temporary reprieve from the Kona-low storms, network with industry professionals, and share valuable information about the need for ongoing investment in the visitor industry.

Above from left: Jadie Goo, HTA acting chief brand officer; David Uchiyama, HTA chief administrative officer; Caroline Anderson, HTA interim president and CEO; James Kunane Tokioka, DBEDT director; Kui Alolpho, HTA destination manager for Moloka‘i; Patti Ornellas, HTA destination manager for Kaua‘i; and Kendrick Leong, HTA planner.

Above: Patricia Ornellas, HTA destination manager for Kaua‘i, had an opportunity to share about the Garden Island's destination management action plan with fellow Kauai‘i native, House Speaker Nadine Nakamura.

Upcoming Events in May


Mark your calendar for the following events and activities supported by HTA’s Community Partnership Programs.

98th Annual Lei Day Celebration

Kapi‘olani Park

May 1, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.


Lei Day, established in 1927 by Don Blanding and Grace Tower Warren, celebrates the Hawaiian tradition of giving and receiving lei. The City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Parks and Recreation continues to honor this legacy through an annual Lei Day Celebration. A Community Enrichment event, sponsored in part by HTA. https://www.honolulu.gov/dpr/events/98th-lei-day-celebration/

Hawaii Opera Theatre World Premiere of Kamalehua: The Sheltering Tree

Neal S. Blaisdell

May 1 and May 5, 7:30 p.m.

May 3, 4 p.m.


The Sheltering Tree, the first full-length opera created by Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, is performed in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language). Produced by Hawaii Opera Theatre (HOT), the opera tells the true, untold story of diplomat Timoteo Kamalehua Haʻalilio's 1842-1845 mission to secure international recognition for the Hawaiian Kingdom's sovereignty. A Community Enrichment event, sponsored in part by HTA. https://www.hawaiiopera.org/shows/mainstage/kamalehua

Hilo Gateway Information and Hawaiian Culture Program

Hilo Harbor, Pier 1 Terminal Building

May 5, 12, 19, and 26

7 a.m. - noon

Destination Hilo Foundation (DHF), established in 2024, supports Destination Hilo's longstanding visitor programs. Its flagship Hawaiian Greetings Program at Hilo Pier welcomes cruise ship passengers with authentic Hawaiian music, hula, and cultural engagement. Through live performances and the Aloha Information Center, visitors receive helpful guidance, shuttle services, and access to Downtown Hilo, fostering positive visitor experiences and community benefits. A Ho‘okipa Malihini Initiative, sponsored in part by HTA.

Oahu Hawaiian Canoe Racing Association, Hawaii

"Kala'iomalulani Race"

Kailua- Kahalu'u Beach (Keahiakahoe)

May 9, 8 a.m.

The FY26 OHCRA Race Production Program supports the growth of Hawaiian canoe racing. The program will involve 22 OHCRA-affiliated canoe clubs, representing over 4,600 paddlers and 15,000 supporters across the state. The program aligns with HTA’s goals to support sports tourism, community engagement, and cultural preservation. A Kūkulu Ola program, sponsored in part by HTA.

https://www.ohcra.com/news-detail.aspx?wo=12

Maui Matsuri Japanese Festival- 24th Anniversary Events

310 W Kaahumanu Ave, Kahului

May 9 and May 23

10 a.m. – 1 p.m.


The Japanese Cultural Society of Maui will host a two-day multicultural festival promoting cultural exchange between residents and visitors. Open to all ages, the event highlights Hawai‘i’s diverse heritage through educational and engaging experiences. A Community Enrichment program, sponsored in part by HTA. https://mauimatsuri.com/

AccesSurf's Hawaii Adaptive Surfing Championships

Waikiki’s Queen’s Surf break

May 12

Various Times

AccesSurf Hawai‘i (ASH), founded in 2006, is a non-profit empowering people with disabilities through accessible water programs such as adaptive surfing and outrigger canoe paddling. The Hawai‘i Adaptive Surfing Championships (HASC) will bring together over 80 athletes from 15 countries. A Community Enrichment program, sponsored in part by HTA. https://www.accessurf.org/hasc/


Kaua‘i Songwriters Music Festival 2026
Hilton Garden Inn at Wailuā Bay

May 15, 9 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.

May 16, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.


The two-day Kaua‘i Songwriters Music Festival helps aspiring songwriters and musicians develop their skills. This event will feature workshops led by professional songwriters, musicians, and producers, culminating in a concert showcasing both touring and local songwriters. A key part of its mission is to provide scholarships to secondary school students on the island, enhancing public appreciation for songwriting, and supporting the growth of local talent. A Community Enrichment program, sponsored in part by HTA. https://artskauai.org/ksmf2026.html

For more details and to see other upcoming events, visit the GoHawaii calendar.