February 2026

Waves and Updates from HTA

Save the Date
Hawai‘i Tourism Authority's 
2026 Spring Tourism Update
Limelight Hawai‘i ^. Ala Moana Hotel ^. 410 Atkinson Street ^. Honolulu, Hawai‘i 
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
8:30 a.m. - noon
Registration begins at 8 a.m.

In-person and virtual meeting  

Join the HTA and the Global Marketing Team for an update on current market conditions, travel trends, and the evolving competitive landscape. The session will share key insights shaping the market and provide an overview of upcoming marketing programs, strategic initiatives, and partnership opportunities designed to drive travel demand to Hawai‘i. Watch for more information.

A Message From HTA Interim President and CEO Caroline Anderson

Aloha Kākou,

We are excited to restart our HTA monthly e‑newsletter as part of our commitment to keeping you informed of our initiatives to promote responsible tourism, protect and build our market share, and encourage authentic visitor experiences. We are also continuing our efforts to strengthen airlift to the Islands and increase visitor spending. All of us on the HTA team consider it a privilege to serve our community, visitor industry, and visitors and are proud to share what we are working on.


Together with our brand marketing partners around the world and backed with the visitor industry’s support, we are making a difference. According to preliminary visitor statistics issued on Jan. 29, 2026 from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), Hawai‘i welcomed a total of 9,642,991 visitors in calendar year 2025, down slightly from 9,701,499 visitors in 2024. However, total visitor spending in 2025 was $21.75 billion, which was a 5.7 percent increase from $20.58 billion in 2024.

A Vibrant Visitor Industry and Destination Stewardship Go Hand in Hand

With the visitor count reaching near pre-pandemic levels, some tell us we are doing our jobs to promote tourism too well and that we should give more attention to preserving the beauty of Hawai‘i. Others tell us we are doing exactly what we set out to do and should stay the course. 

Our team strongly believes we can have a vibrant visitor industry and be good stewards of our cultural, historic, and environmental resources. The two are not mutually exclusive. And with input from those in communities across our islands, we are making significant progress to synthesize valuable insights into action plans, so that we can all move forward together. You’ll see evidence of this progress in this month's update below.

Thank you to the HTA team and all of those who are collaborating with us to accurately reflect the collective voice of residents, local businesses, industry professionals and our visitors. We look forward to continuing our work together. 

Pūpūkahi I Holomua (Unite to move forward)!

Caroline Anderson
Interim President and CEO

What’s Moving at the Capitol: 
2026 Bills to Watch (and How to Weigh in on Them)

HTA kicked off the 2026 legislative session in high gear, actively monitoring more than 70 legislative bills. Here are some of the bills we are watching, along with links to learn more and submit your testimony. 

Film and Sports Tourism

HB 2268 HD1 / SB 3087—Adds marketing and promotion of film production as an express HTA responsibility, supporting coordination between tourism marketing and film-related visitor demand.


SB 2577 SD2—Directs DBEDT to study the benefits/costs of sports tourism in Hawai‘i and report findings; appropriates funds.


SB 2627 SD2 —Exempts HTA’s sports marketing contracts from the state’s procurement code.

Funding Statewide Visitor Marketing

HB 1950 HD1—Creates a state-led marketing/branding special fund using a share of TAT and requires an annual marketing/branding/tourism management plan for legislative approval before spending. 


Tourism and Sustainability

HB 2195 HD1 / SB2698—Establishes a per-passenger cruise head fee and a Cruise Ship Special Fund for port/harbor capital improvements; includes a retroactive repeal/transition related to cruise passenger accommodations tax.


HB 2602 HD2 / SB 3228 / HB 2471—Creates a DBEDT sustainable tourism infrastructure matching grant program for one-time capital projects tied to measurable sustainability and climate resilience outcomes; appropriates funds.


HB 1590 HD2—Establishes/expands short-term vacation rental compliance tools and requires HTA destination management efforts to include encouraging use of lawful accommodations.

HB 1948 HD1—Prohibits lodging establishments from providing personal care products in small plastic containers in sleeping-room accommodations or public/guest bathrooms.

HB 2211—Appropriates funds to HTDC to assist small businesses (including tourism-related) with technology enablement, including AI/adoption of advanced digital tools.

HB 2473 HD2—Establishes the Hawaiian Sense of Place Recognition Act; requires OPSD to develop educational/outreach programs and requires agencies to incorporate Hawaiian sense of place principles into land planning, management, and state construction projects.

HB 2585 HD2 / SB 3298—Establishes uniform statewide standards for agricultural tourism in counties with agritourism ordinances, including county registration and requirements that agritourism remain secondary to ongoing agriculture.

Draft Destination Management Action Plans 
Now Available to Review Online 

Welcoming visitors to Hawai‘i while honoring the precious cultural, historic and environmental resources that make our islands unique requires a delicate balance. Last year, the HTA’s five island-based destination managers for O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, Maui and Lāna‘i, Moloka‘i, and Hawai‘i Island and planning team conducted more than 30 community meetings, gathering input from more than 400 residents across the state to shape tourism for the future. 

No one knows our islands better than those who call Hawai‘i home and taking the time to listen has been the foundation for developing the draft Destination Management Action Plans (DMAPs). HTA is proud to elevate the voice of residents across our islands to ensure their input is incorporated into the state's tourism plans, now and into the future.  

A Kākou Effort

"Our destination managers did an excellent job of listening and taking the time to understand everyone's suggestions and concerns," said Kendrick Leong, HTA's planner, who collaborated with each of the destination managers. "Each draft plan was then carefully vetted by the Advisory Group for each island. These plans were truly a kākou effort, with everyone bringing their ideas forward to shape tourism in our islands."

In 2024, the Hawai‘i State Legislature appropriated funding to bolster HTA’s destination management efforts, and HTA is sharing the community-driven, island-specific draft DMAPs. With input from the community, the plans cover “hotspots” on each island and proposed actions to protect these sites from becoming overburdened. The plans will serve as a roadmap to guide destination management initiatives for each of the six islands over the next three years and inform legislative funding priorities.  

Next Steps
Mahalo to all those who shared their suggestions, concerns, and aspirations for Hawai‘i. Before the DMAPs are finalized, we welcome your mana‘o. You can view the draft Destination Management Action Plans and provide your thoughts through Monday, March 2, at 11:59 p.m. by clicking here. 

Hawai‘i Convention Center Rooftop Repairs Have Begun

One of HTA’s key priorities in 2026 is the repair of the Hawaiʻi Convention Center’s rooftop terrace deck, a critical project needed to address severe water intrusion and protect the facility’s meeting spaces. Construction began on January 2, 2026, under an $87.5 million contract with Swinerton Builders, and work is progressing with demolition, inspections, and permitting underway. The illustrative renderings above show the completed project.

The project will restore 96,000 square feet of rooftop structure, replace the waterproofing system, and create a flexible outdoor event space to support future revenue opportunities. Upgrading this critical infrastructure will allow HCC to remain competitive with other convention destinations, attract more events, and support Hawai‘i’s economy by driving business to hotels, restaurants, retail establishments, and visitor attractions statewide.  

HCC is open for business on a modified event schedule. Project information and updates are available on HTA’s website.

Updates on Major Market Areas

All of HTA’s major market areas started the new year with aggressive campaigns.

"Hawai‘i Stays With You”

The U.S. team launched the new “Hawai‘i Stays With You” campaign that included paid digital, paid social, consumer email, and a high-visibility launch event at the Los Angeles Rams game at SoFi Stadium.

Within a one-month period in January, there was a total of 11.5 million impressions generated from paid digital and TV; 2.8 million impressions from digital and search; and 57.6 million from paid social media.



A First: ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi at the British Museum

“Hawai’i: A Kingdom Crossing Oceans” opened at the British Museum on January 15 and will continue through May 25, 2026. The exhibition is projected to reach about 80,000 visitors and generate 50 million campaign impressions during that period. Hawai‘i Tourism Europe (HTE) hosted travel industry professionals and media for exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour to provide in-depth insights on the artifacts and historic connections between Hawaiʻi and Great Britain. Those who have seen the exhibition praise the way it honors the Hawaiian culture with sensitivity and authentically honors the Hawaiian culture.

New Partnerships with Korean Air

Hawai‘i Tourism Korea (HTK) launched a partnership with Korean Air on February 12 to promote the Seoul-Incheon to Honolulu route to 13 Korean online travel agency (OTA) partners. The campaign, which continues through March, will feature a dedicated promotional page and homepage placements to drive ticket sales. Additionally, HTK supported the Korean Broadcasting System’s travel program “Walking into the World” with on-location filming on Hawaiʻi Island and Oʻahu, and reaching a national audience of about 600,000 viewers.

GoHawaii Mobile App Modernizes Visitor Experience
A Valuable Tool to Educate Visitors About Hawai‘i

and Safeguard Our ‘Āina

Visitors to our islands will soon have a better, more streamlined paperless experience when entering our islands.

Following the launch of the Akamai Arrival program and the digitized Biosecurity Declaration Form. DBEDT and HTA are excited to announce new features on the GoHawaii mobile app. Before landing, visitors will complete the biosecurity declaration form through the Akamai Arrival site to ensure no invasive species are entering our islands and to promote compliance with regulations that protect Hawai‘i’s fragile ecosystem. Visitors will then be directed to the GoHawaii mobile app to complete the optional tourism visitor survey, which provides information used for planning and decision-making.

The GoHawaii app also serves as destination management tool. It disseminates information to help visitors travel responsibly throughout the Hawaiian islands and pushes out notifications, such as real-time updates on weather, to keep visitors safe during their stay. Download and install the GoHawaii app on your mobile device through the Apple or Google by clicking on either button below.

Celebrate Hawaiian Language Month

February is Hawaiian Language Month. Designated by the state in 2013, this month honors the Hawaiian language (ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi) as a living, ancestral language. We invite the community to engage in speaking, learning, and preserving this beautiful language through events, literature, and educational activities. 

Language is not just a means of communication; it’s a vital expression of culture and identity. When representing any culture, it's essential to respect the language by following appropriate spelling, diacritics, and grammar. 

To promote the Hawaiian Islands authentically, use HTA’s Ma‘ema‘e Hawai‘i Style Resource Toolkit, a comprehensive guide offering essential information on geographical and cultural aspects, as well as insights into Hawai‘i's traditions. Click on the button below to access our Ma‘ema‘e Toolkit.

Applications Now Being Accepted for 
Hawai‘i Tourism Ho‘oilina Scholarships
Deadline: This Sunday, March 1, 2026

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association (HLTA) and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Shidler College of Business are continuing to invest in the next generation of travel industry professionals. Five promising high school graduates interested in pursuing careers in the visitor industry will each receive $12,000 per year to help cover tuition for four years. The deadline to apply for these scholarships is March 1, 2026. For more information, click here or on the button below.

Since 2019, more than $1 million in tuition assistance has been provided to students to help support their studies in travel industry management and Hawaiian culture. Scholarship recipients must be full-time students, maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average, complete four Hawaiian culture courses, enroll in at least one upper-level destination management and stewardship course, commit to 200 hours of community service over the four-year period, and participate in a 200-hour internship to gain real-world visitor industry experience and meeting other requirements.

Tourism Day at the Capitol

Friday, March 13, 2026, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Join us for the annual Tourism Day at the Capitol on Friday, March 13, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Meet with other industry professionals and reserve a table on the fourth floor of the Capitol to share your valuable contributions to support the visitor experience and our local economy.

We'll kick off the day with entertainment by Tihati Productions and a formal program in the Rotunda, followed by more entertainment by a Hawaiian Air Troupe and the Henry Kapono Foundation. We'll top off the day with a round table discussion.

For sponsorship inquiries, please contact Kekoa McClellan at kekoa@themcclellangroup.com or click on the button below.