UHERO

Tourism

How Do Industry Views of Tourism in Hawai‘i Compare with Residents and Visitors?

How Do Industry Views of Tourism in Hawai‘i Compare with Residents and Visitors?

September 18, 2025

By Colin Moore, Frank Haas, and John Knox Read the full report. Public debate about tourism in Hawai‘i is often cast in binary terms, either…

Tourism in Hawai‘i: Industry Views and Stakeholder Comparisons

Tourism in Hawai‘i: Industry Views and Stakeholder Comparisons

September 18, 2025

Tourism in Hawai‘i shapes the state’s economy, communities, and environment in ways that affect nearly every resident. While resident and visitor views are regularly measured…

Taxing Tourists to Generate Revenue to Address the Negative Impacts of Climate Change on Hawai‘i Natural Resources

Taxing Tourists to Generate Revenue to Address the Negative Impacts of Climate Change on Hawai‘i Natural Resources

April 5, 2024

There is widespread agreement among Hawai‘i residents that the state government needs to spend more money on natural resource stewardship. A critical question is how…

Economic Perspective of Maui’s Devastating Wildfires

Economic Perspective of Maui’s Devastating Wildfires

September 8, 2023

By James Mak, Paul Brewbaker, and Frank Haas Lahaina is a very special place with so much deep, rich history. Over time, it’s evolved. It’s…

What Does It Mean for HTA to be Administratively Attached to DBEDT?

What Does It Mean for HTA to be Administratively Attached to DBEDT?

August 8, 2023

By Paul Brewbaker, Frank Haas, and James Mak Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) was established by Act 156 in 1998 and is administratively attached to the…

What’s a (Better) Beach Day Worth? Economic Valuation of Changes in Waikīkī Beach Characteristics

What’s a (Better) Beach Day Worth? Economic Valuation of Changes in Waikīkī Beach Characteristics

May 24, 2023

Abstract: Whether beach nourishment, an established beach management measure, is justified depends on its benefits and costs. We apply a discrete choice experiment at Waikīkī…

Hawai‘i Should Adopt a “Whole of Government” Approach to Destination Management

Hawai‘i Should Adopt a “Whole of Government” Approach to Destination Management

April 29, 2023

Paul Brewbaker, Frank Haas, and James Mak Hawai‘i has a long history of publishing community-based tourism plans with various version of these plans going back…

Dissolving the Hawaii Tourism Authority

Dissolving the Hawaii Tourism Authority

April 5, 2023

By Paul Brewbaker, Frank Haas, and James Mak State lawmakers in the 2023 state legislature are bashing the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA)…again! This year, the…

Brief: Dissolving the Hawaii Tourism Authority

Brief: Dissolving the Hawaii Tourism Authority

April 5, 2023

By Paul Brewbaker, Frank Haas, and James Mak State lawmakers in the 2023 state legislature are bashing the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA)…again! This year, the…