PUBLIC RELATIONS & COMMUNICATIONS

Media eNewsletter: The O‘ahu Visitors Bureau’s quarterly media eNewsletter, News, Updates & Aloha From O‘ahu, communicates O‘ahu’s current regenerative tourism direction, Mālama Hawai‘i news, and updates on visitor experiences and tourism products to our U.S. media and to our HTA GMTs to disseminate to their respective market media.

  • O‘ahu Visitors Bureau distributed their Q2 News, Updates and Aloha from Oʻahu on April 22 to over 830 national and local media plus to the HTA Global Marketing Teams to further distribute, where they deemed appropriate.

Visiting Media: The O‘ahu Visitors Bureau continues to solicit, vet and schedule media visits that will translate to stories that impact the destination, visitors, residents, and the industry positively.

  • In support of the upcoming Festival of the Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC) and the reframing and education of Hawai‘i as part of Polynesia, OVB has been conducting media outreach to experience the Festival of the Pacific Arts and Culture (FestPAC) as well as related experiences on O‘ahu that share the same themes and intentions as FestPAC since the start of 2024.  OVB has also been working to engage specific vetted media to visit O‘ahu to connect with the Hawaiian culture and with the cultures of our Pacific Island cousins.  This month, support included:
    • Oʻahu based travel reporter Kathleen Wong with USA Today who is interested in covering a couple of stories on (FestPAC) as well as other overarching Polynesian-related cultural stories on island from April 23-26.
    • Unfortunately, three media with plans to visit and interested in FestPac, have had to postpone their visit to later in the year.  OVB will continue to work with them to ensure that their focus on Hawaiian and on Polynesian cultures is thread through their visit and story angles.
  • OVB’s PR team has been assisting media with destination story angles and information: Jeff Zimerman (freelance), Claire Bell (The Points Guy), Karla Walsh (Better Homes & Gardens), Scott Laird (various outlets) and Rachel Chang (AFAR). 

Other Communications

  • OVB distributed our consumer eNewsletter on April 4, 2024.  Focus of the eNewsletter was on “buying local” and supporting small local businesses – aligned with our regenerative tourism value to highlight local, Hawaiian and/or unique things from O‘ahu.  The eNewsletter was deployed to 130,000+ subscribers in the OVB/HVCB database. 
  • OVB continues destination communications through OVB’s social media, implementing April posts and prepping for May and June posts.  April posts were focused on the principals of sustainability, Earth Day and Volunteer month. 

 

TRAVEL TRADE & SALES

The O‘ahu Visitors Bureau is working closely with HTUSA (HVCB), the HTA GMTs, and the other Island Visitors Bureaus to align and prepare for sales activities in 2024.

FAMs

  • Island Chapter Visitor Bureau Multi Island FAM (IDBMMS Contract) | April 11-13 (OVB); April 13-15 (IHVB); April 15-17 (KVB)
    • Partner / Info: Travel Show Marketing Group (TravelSMG) – Producers of Travel Agent Forum and Romance Forum.  HVCB and IC’s have supported TSMG travel advisor events over the years.  To fulfill our initiative on conducting a multi-island FAM program the Island Chapters (IC’s) partnered with TravelSMG who assisted to pre-qualify up to 20 applicants for IC review.  IC’s collaborated and selected the final 9 attendees + 1 TSMG escort. The program consisted of IC destination training & seminar, host hotel site inspections, destination excursions with a focus on history / culture, festivals, and component of DMAP weaved into the FAM itinerary and classroom training.

Sales & Destination Education Trips

  • Travel Agent Forum | Mar 24 – 27| Las Vegas, NV
    • Event Components: 1 destination updates seminar in partnership with HVCB / HTUSA & Island Chapters; 1on1 appointments; 2 days of Tradeshow; networking sessions
    • Responsible Tourism Update: All presentations at webinars and meetings included a component of DMAP, Mālama O‘ahu / Hawai‘i, & Hawaiian culture.
    • Attendance:  1on1 appointments: 25pax; Destination Updates Seminar: 337; Tradeshow: 900pax approx.

 

INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES & SUPPORT

Global Marketing Team (GMT) Support. The Oʻahu Visitors Bureau, along with the other Island Chapters, assist HTA with guidance, suggestions and expertise on each island to assist HTA GMTs on their various strategies and tactics. The Oʻahu Visitors Bureau provided support for the following GMT activities:

  • Public Relations/Media.  OVB assisted to varying degree the following:
    • HTOceania’s preparations for their Taste of Aloha FAM (May 7-10), media food photographer suggestions, and Channel 9’s Today Show. 
    • HTJ’s Yappari Hawaii movie filming with recommendations
    • HTCanada’s preparation for their media FAM in September
    • HTCanada Individual Media visit (Tiffany Thornton) in May with suggestions
    • HTEurope’s Individual Media visit (Detlef Berg) in May
    • HTKorea’s Hawaii Culture and Festival Media/Influencer FAM (Apr 3-5; 5 pax). Assisted with itinerary revies and suggestions.
  • Travel Trade & Sales.  OVB provided feedback and assisted to varying degrees with the following.
    • HTEurope’s request; Provided feedback and suggestions on marine wildlife tours
    • HTKorea Trade FAM (Mar 31 – Apr 3; 9 pax)
  • OVB reviewed assisted GMT with itinerary suggestions, co-hosted meal with HTK at Moku Kitchen in support of O‘ahu DMAP messaging and initiatives, assisted with rooming list and provided welcome bags.

 

UPCOMING TRAVEL TRADE & SALES (MAR – MAY)

  • IPW 2024, Los Angeles – May 3-7
  • Hawai‘i Tourism Oceania: Month of Lei (Auckland, Tauranga, Adelaide, Newcastle, Gold Coast) - May 15-23
  • Hawai‘i Tourism China: ITB China | China Sales Mission (Shanghai, Beijing) - May 26-Jun1
  • Travel Leaders EDGE Conference: Washington, DC - June 6 – 8
  • HVCB / HTUSA Leisure Sales Blitz: Denver, Salt Lake City - June 19 – 27
  • NorCal Hawai‘i ‘Ohana Trade Events: Foster City - June 24
  • Pacific Northwest Hawai‘i ‘Ohana (Coconuts & Bolts) Trade Events: Seattle, Portland, Tacoma - June 25 – 27
  • GTM, Ft. Lauderdale – July 18-20
  • HVCB Sales Blitz - August

 

OTHER AREAS

O‘ahu Destination Action Plan (DMAP):

  • Waikīkī Historic Trail.  RFP for content development was issued and contractor selected.
  • Multi modal transportation content development on GoHawaiʻi completed.
  • Support of Local2030 Islands Network Communities of Practice conference.

O‘ahu’s Upcoming Events:

  • Lei Day Celebration – May 1
  • Filipino Fiesta & Flores de Mayo – May 4
  • AccessSurf’s Hawaii Adaptive Surfing Championship – May 11-18
  • Shinnyo Lantern Floating Ceremony – May 27
  • Festival of the Pacific (FestPAC) - June 6-16
  • Pan Pacific Festival – June 7
  • King Kamehameha Celebrations – June 8-11
  • Pa‘i Presents: MAMo Wearable Art Show – June 10