Tourism

..."This means there are way more than suspected filers actually paying their transient accommodation taxes than originally estimated"....

...Hawaii Visitor Accommodation Units Surpassed 80,000 Statewide in 2017....

...“They were virtually unheard of in the U.S. 10 years ago”....

...Visitors to the Hawaiian Islands spent a total of $1.29 billion in November 2017, an increase of 4.5 percent compared to a year ago....

...Tourists are attracted to places with well-known Rat Lungworm infestations.  it is a selling point.  Really....

...Improving global conditions provide a favorable environment for continued expansion in the Islands....

...Top HTA Exec solicited thousands of dollars in travel perks from Hawaiian, JAL, Starwood, China Air, and others.... 

...four alternatives proposed for the facility....

...The pilot program requires the rideshare drivers to pay 7 percent of each fare to the state Airports Division....

Should they re-evaluate their tax filings now that the Department’s litigation position is out in the public for all to see?

"...air seats will increase by 8.5 percent during the first three quarters of 2018....”

...This report evaluates twelve publicly released agreements that Airbnb has entered with state or local governments....

...the report concludes that Hawaii is not yet at the stage of overtourism....

“The Airports Division expects near-term traffic results will be better than projected due to Island Air expanding interisland traffic...." -- Fitch Ratings, October 26, 2017

Vacation house rules in works: Regulating ‘unhosted’ rentals seen as way to preserve housing for residents....

...Upgrades provide easier navigation and more information....

...DLNR continues to believe that existing aquarium fishing practices are sustainable and environmentally sound....

...Visitor Spending Rose 7.1 Percent to $12.56 Billion in First Three Quarters of 2017--Arrivals Increased 4.9 Percent to 7 Million Visitors....

...Impact Also Includes 31,727 Jobs and $263 Million in State & Local Taxes....

...bills passed by the Honolulu City Council last week create and authorize the Waikīkī Transportation Management Special Improvement District....

Total visitor arrivals rose 4.8 percent to 818,581....

...The TAT, when it was enacted in 1986, was primarily meant to fund the Hawaii Convention Center....

...Visitor spending statewide increased through the first seven months of 2017 (+8.9% to $9.95 billion)....

...Visitor Arrivals Increased 4.3 Percent to 4.6 Million....

...American Samoa seeks federal avaition cabotage waiver....

One of the legislative bills that is now being considered by Gov. David Ige is a curious bill, HB 735, involving the car rental industry.... 

...In addition, total visitor arrivals rose 4.5 percent to 751,191....

...prepare for a new phase of de-vitalization of Banyan Drive....

...state lawmakers are eager to capture $26 million dollars in tax money every year from short-term vacation rentals....

...Four Largest Visitor Markets Reported Growth in Spending and Arrivals....

...the home sharing economy helps locals deal with Hawaii’s cost of living....

Prospects are good for continued growth in each of Hawaii’s four counties, if at a slower pace than in recent years....

It's easier than ever before to rent space in your house, but a movement to crack down on home-sharing may threaten this new and evolving industry....

...Japan Market Led the Growth in Spending and Arrivals....

...Shifting Burden to Hotels Will Hurt Tourism and Employment....

“To the visitors already in the Hawaiian Islands or planning a trip here in the coming months, there is no need to be overly concerned. Please patronize our restaurants...."

HTA commentary about House Bill 1471 and Senate Bill 704, as they relate to transient accommodations....

...Schatz asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Airbnb's impact on rising housing costs, at the AHLA's urging....

...and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs ponied up $500K buying Kamanao Crabbe the chance to MC the event....

For Randy Perreira, head of the Hawaii Government Employees Association, the problems at Hawaii’s airports are just a matter of not enough kumbaya....

...the average daily census rose 4.9 percent to 240,382 visitors per day....

By voluntarily filing an EIS for his dairy farm on Kauai, Omidyar has now brought about a court ruling for the first time ever mandating EIS for farmers statewide....

With tax collections falling behind expectations, State lawmakers are pressuring the tax department to increase effort to collect uncollected taxes from internet sales....

Company Plans to Expand Customer Base Domestically and Internationally in New Cannabis Markets....

Visitor spending increased from U.S. West (+19.8% to $544 million), U.S. East (+6.7% to $433.1 million) and Japan (+26.5% to $200.4 million)....

There are 20 bills currently on the table dealing with vacation rentals....

Tourists used to stay in designated tourism zones like Waikiki, but now they are everywhere....

This marked the fifth straight year of record growth....

Hawaii lawmakers want to make unlicensed short-term rentals a class C felony....