June 2026 Updates from HTA

Aloha kākou,

Last month, the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) released its April 2026 visitor statistics report. It shows that total visitor expenditures increased by 4.8% over April 2025, and per-person-per-day spending increased by 14.1% over the same period. It also shows that the average length of stay declined from 8.33 days to 7.69 days. Taken together, these numbers suggest visitors are making more deliberate decisions about how they spend their time and money.

The report also shows continued growth in several key segments. Visitor arrivals from the U.S. East increased 16.3%, arrivals from Japan increased 6% and cruise arrivals increased 20.4% year over year, helping to diversify Hawai‘i's visitor mix.

The continued strength of visitor spending amid rising costs reinforces what we've known for a long time: Hawai‘i's greatest competitive advantage is not price—it's the experience. The culture, people and places that make these islands unique continue to draw visitors from around the world.

Building on that foundation, this summer, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority will release our new five-year Strategic Plan, which focuses on the fundamentals: strengthening Hawai‘i's competitiveness, enhancing visitor experiences, and delivering greater value for residents and communities. We will also release updated Destination Management Action Plans (DMAPs) for each island, developed with community input to guide tourism in line with community priorities. At the same time, we continue to support the state's recovery by driving demand and supporting local businesses.

Mahalo for your partnership in helping ensure tourism continues to create value for Hawai‘i's residents and visitors alike.

Mahalo,

Caroline Anderson

Interim President & CEO

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority

The Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT) presents the 4th Annual Hawai‘i Made Conference, “Driving the Future of Food Innovation,” on Tuesday, June 23, at the Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort. Registration begins at 8:15 a.m. alongside the Hawai‘i Made Mākeke. Register here.

Highlights from Hawai‘i on the Hill

Chamber of Commerce Hawaii's 10th Annual Hawai‘i on the Hill brought together 125 Hawai‘i businesses and organizations for meetings and events, including the Policy Summit at the Russell Senate Office Building. Photo courtesy of Chamber of Commerce Hawai‘i .

As the presenting sponsor, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority helped the Chamber of Commerce Hawai‘i power Hawai‘i on the Hill's 10 D.C.-based events designed to engage, showcase and connect Hawai‘i with policymakers and national partners.

Policy Summit panelists Representatives Ed Case and Jill Tokuda and Senators Alex Padilla, Jacky Rosen, Tammy Duckworth and Jeanne Shaheen briefed the Hawai‘i contingency on national issues and their potential impacts on Hawai‘i, including the latest on the U.S. tariff refund process.

While in D.C., HTA met with leaders from the U.S. Department of Commerce National Travel and Tourism Office, who shared a new Brand USA resource with information about visa requirements for travelers entering the U.S., data dashboards and a recent report on tourism’s impact on our national economy.

PATA Honors HTA for 75 Years of Membership

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) recognized the Hawai'i Tourism Authority at its Annual Summit 2026 in Pohang, Korea, as one of a small group of organizations that have marked 70 or more years of continuous PATA membership. HTA has been a member since 1951 — the same founding era as national tourism boards from the Philippines, Guam, and other established Asia Pacific destinations.

From left: Noor Ahmad Hamid, PATA CEO; Dr. Erwin Balane, tourism attaché, Philippines Department of Tourism; Hiroshi Tanimura; Jennifer Chun, director of tourism research, HTA; Jadie Goo, acting chief brand officer, HTA; Régine Lee, president and CEO, Guam Visitors Bureau; and Peter Semone, former chair, PATA. Photo courtesy of PATA.

HTA Launches Search for New President and CEO

The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority has opened its search for a new president and chief executive officer. The position leads all agency operations — including strategic planning, destination brand marketing and management, visitor experience development, community engagement, fiscal management, and contract oversight.



Candidates should bring executive-level leadership experience in tourism, destination management, or a related field, along with a track record working with government agencies, boards or legislative bodies. An understanding of Hawaiʻi’s unique cultural and community landscape is essential.

Application deadline: Friday, June 26, 2026. Send applications to hr@gohta.net. View the full job description.

Upcoming Changes to Hawaiitourismauthority.org

The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority will transition its hawaiitourismauthority.org website to the State of Hawaiʻi’s web platform in July. You will still be able to access the website at hawaiitourismauthority.org.

This change will help align HTA with state systems, improve accessibility and reduce long-term website costs.

As part of this transition, some outdated or archived materials may no longer be available, especially older content that does not meet accessibility standards. Current information, public notices, reports, and important resources will continue to be available on the new platform. If there are older materials on the current website that you may need, we recommend downloading or saving them before July 1, 2026.

Updates on Major Market Areas

Hawaiʻi Tourism Oceania (HTO) completed its largest-ever Month of Lei roadshow, engaging more than 400 travel advisors across Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney. Now in its 10th year, the initiative extends Lei Day beyond May 1 to highlight Hawaiian culture and hospitality.



Representatives from the Oʻahu, Maui, and Kauaʻi Visitors Bureaus participated in person, with remote participation from the Island of Hawaiʻi Visitors Bureau. HTO also hosted a VIP lunch with 15 key trade and industry partners. A companion webinar — the 2026 Hawaiʻi Showcase — drew 189 registrations.

Darragh Walshe, HTO tourism director for Australia and New Zealand, presents to trade and industry partners in Sydney.

Hawaiʻi Tourism Canada Brings Lei Day to Canadian Media and Travel Audiences

Hawaiʻi Tourism Canada (HTCAN) supported Lei Day with cultural activations reaching Canadian media and travel professionals. A six-minute segment on CTV Your Morning Vancouver, featuring a local hālau, generated an estimated 540,000+ impressions.

HTCAN also delivered an immersive Lei Day experience at the Travel Media Association of Canada annual conference. Handmade lei lāʻi were distributed to more than 200 media and exhibitors, who wore them throughout the day. Hālau hula performances and an Air Canada Hawaiʻi flight discount negotiated by HTCAN rounded out the activation.

Watch the CTV Vancouver segment.

HTA Builds Global Connections at IPW 2026



The Hawai'i Tourism Authority, its Global Marketing Teams and the Island Visitors Bureaus represented the Hawaiian Islands at IPW 2026 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, May 18-21. Over four days, HTA delegates met with tour operators, airlines, OTAs, wholesalers and travel specialists to strengthen relationships and expand opportunities for Hawai'i across international markets. The team shared updates, promoted mindful travel messaging and gathered market insights from travel trade partners.

IPW is the U.S. travel industry's largest international trade show, where destination marketing organizations, hotels, and tourism businesses connect with global buyers and media to generate future travel. According to conference organizers, this year's event drew more than 5,000 attendees from more than 50 countries, including 550 journalists and influencers from around the world.

HTA and its Global Marketing Team meet with travel trade and journalists during IPW 2026.

The Hawai'i Tourism Authority, its Global Marketing Team and Hawai'i industry partners represent the Hawaiian Islands at IPW 2026.