Tourism

... February 2022 visitor spending was lower than the $1.46 billion (-10.4%) spent in February 2020 ....

... Honolulu rents since 2018 have continued to increase, despite a downturn in short-term rental stays during that time frame ....

... The Pacific Legal Foundation said the ban was an unlawful move by a low-level federal bureaucrat who destroyed a business avenue central to the livelihoods of many in Hawaii ....

... Optimistic UHERO forecast with Omicron end, expected return of international visitors ....

"...An interim security contract at the property lapsed at the end of December 2021.  DLNR continues to explore cost-effective options for further securing the property...." -- DLNR

... Incoming passengers will no longer be required to create a Safe Travels account or provide travelers information and trip details ....

... tourist headcount down 29.8% ....

... booster shots will not be required for “up-to-date” vaccination status for individuals traveling to Hawai‘i ....

... the tourist headcount is down 20.9% ....

... will remain in effect through March 25, 2022 ....

... Based on how short-term vacation rentals are so often portrayed, I wouldn’t blame you if you thought their owners were all terrible people ....

... A total of 14 venues and events were recognized ....

... Honolulu Council Bill 41, that would limit "short-term” rentals on Oahu to no less than 180 days at a time ....

“If we don’t provide the right type of visitor accommodations in the right places, we could see an influx of vacation rentals in our residential neighborhoods."

... the State of Hawaii will be requiring participation in the State’s Safe Travels digital platform to upload proof of vaccination or negative test results for cruise lines arriving in Hawaii from outside the state ....

... November 2021 visitor spending was lower compared to the $1.34 billion (-11.5%) reported for November 2019 ....

... the Aloha State now has the highest tourist taxes in the nation, topping out at 17.75% ....

... Compared with November 2019, RevPAR was 3.8 percent lower, driven by lower occupancy (-19.4 percentage points) which could not be offset by increased ADR (+27.5%) ....

... these debates are meaningless ....

... Economic recovery resumed with the end of Hawaii’s COVID-19 wave. Now Omicron is a new threat .... 

... Honolulu travelers spend a minimum of $754 for a rental car Christmas week ....

...Translation: The Legislature took the counties' share of the state TAT away but let them impose their own TAT.  I'm giving it to rail -- so, in effect, other city services have been cut to fund rail but -- like a shell game -- with so many moving parts, the public has been deceived....

“...With a combined effort of increased enforcement, as well as partnerships with third-party platforms such as Expedia, the Kaua‘i Planning Department estimates that illegal vacation rentals on Kaua‘i have gone from roughly 1,500 in 2017 down to less than 50 today....”

... projected revenues from the tax fall short of what the project needs to cover its budget shortfalls ....

... A total of 550,781 visitors arrived by air service to the Hawaiian Islands in October 2021, mainly from the U.S. West and U.S. East. ...

... For many years various solutions have been discussed ....

... a Maui County Council proposal that aspires to create more housing on Maui by phasing out about 7,000 vacation rentals ....

... cruise ships that are registered in Bermuda or the Bahamas are required to sail to Fanning Island, 1,000 miles to the south of Hawaii ....

... Bill 41 Relating to Transient Accommodations was transmitted to the Council by the Honolulu Planning Commission last month and is scheduled for First Reading at its full Council meeting on Nov. 10, 2021 ....

... lump-sum entry fees assessed on visitors only are legally problematic in the U.S. as they may be judged to impede travel between states and discriminate against non-residents in violation of the U.S. Constitution and federal laws ....

... Kawakami: New state order ‘essentially forces’ vaccine requirements ....

... The State of Hawaiʻi will welcome international travelers under the new federal requirements starting next Monday, Nov. 8 ....

... the Maui County Transient Accommodations Tax (MCTAT) goes into effect November 1, 2021 ....

... eliminating TVR use from these subject condominiums would result in a possible loss of $23 million in revenue annually, and upwards of $74 million in annual revenue lost overall ....

... the federal funds made it unnecessary for our legislators to take all of the TAT funds. But they did it anyway ....

... Hawaii risks being left out in the cold unless its delegates to Congress act quickly to help reform the 1886 Passenger Vessel Services Act ....

... total spending by visitors who came to the islands in September 2021 was $1.05 billion ....

... Hawaii is still in a state of emergency, tourism has slowed, businesses are closing and unemployment is high. The economy will take years to recover ....

... When compared to September 2019, statewide ADR was higher in September 2021 but RevPAR was lower due to less occupancy ....

... a difficult obstacle stands in the way of achieving the HTA action plans:  “HTA lacks authority over state and county agencies.” ....

... The memo concludes that the State did not have the power under the Hawaii Constitution to provide for four extra HART board members.  Thus, we can basically ignore the extra folks and conduct business as if they weren’t around ....

... Six board members voted to deny the FEIS, and one abstained ....

"If you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time you might suffer the scorn of residents, you could get cited, and there are 'other things' that can go wrong.”

"...The RFP’s scope of services has been modified to include destination management services, in alignment with HTA’s new vision of Malama Kuu Home (caring for my beloved home) through the principles of regenerative tourism. HTA’s objective is to help empower the community to have a greater voice in tourism’s future, with a focus on regenerating the environment, perpetuating the Hawaiian culture, recognizing Hawaii’s multiethnic cultures, and supporting responsible economic outcomes...."

... In anticipation of the new tax, the council also passed on first reading today a bill to increase anticipated revenue for the Open Space Fund ....

... A total of 722,393 visitors arrived by air service to the Hawaiian Islands in August 2021 vs 926,417 visitors in August 2019.....

... In August 2021, the total monthly supply of statewide vacation rentals was 616,900 unit nights (+73.0% vs. 2020, -32.7% vs. 2019) ....

"... we are in for a period of weakness before growth resumes late in the year. The end to federal fiscal support will weigh on recovery going forward, and a full return to pre-pandemic conditions remains several years down the road ...."

... Members from the HDOT, U.S. Army, Congress, Executive Office, Legislature, Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association (AOPA), tenants and community members have been meeting every few weeks for the past nine months as a collaborative effort to help save the airfield ....

... In August 2021, passengers arriving from out-of-state could bypass the State’s mandatory 10-day self-quarantine if they were fully vaccinated ....