WHAT’S NEW ON O‘AHU AND WITHIN THE INDUSTRY 

Quick Glance: Updates on Reservations, Closures, and County Requests 

 

Pearl Habor National Monument 

NOTICE: Advance Reservations for USS Arizona Memorial Will Pause While Preservation Work Continues 

Effective July 9, the National Park Service temporarily suspends 56-day advance reservations for USS Arizona Memorial tours due to ongoing preservation work. This change affects advance reservations for tours starting on September 3rd and will continue until further notice. Reservations made for dates before September 3rd will be honored.   

 

Hanauma Bay  

NOTICE: Hanauma Bay Closure for Repaving in September 

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve will be temporarily closed from Monday, September 8, through Tuesday, September 23, 2025, for a two-week repaving project of the public parking lots. The popular natural destination will be inaccessible to the public for the duration of the project, weather permitting. 

 

New reservation platform for Hanauma Bay launch this month!  Bookmark the link below:  

Department of Parks and Recreation  

 

Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design 

NOTICE: Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design Expands Partnerships to Enhance Accessibility  

Shangri La is pleased to announce an expanded partnership with two premier cultural institutions, the Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA) and Bishop Museum, to enhance accessibility and visitor experience through an expanded tour format. This collaboration creates dual access points to Shangri La, significantly improving scheduling flexibility and accessibility. 

  • HoMA will continue hosting round-trip tours on Thursday and Friday. 

  • Bishop Museum will launch new Saturday tour departures beginning October 2, 2025.  

 

All tour reservations will be consolidated through a single, user-friendly platform via www.shangrilahawaii.org, with ticket sales launching in September 2025. 

 

City & County of Honolulu Department of Emergency Management  

Your Feedback Matters: A Tsunami Warning Debrief 

OVB is seeking your feedback to help inform the City and County of Honolulu's emergency management communication strategy improvements. The recent tsunami warning and evacuation provided a valuable test of our systems, and your insights from the field are crucial. We are compiling a debrief for the Department of Emergency Management, and we ask that you share three things that went well and three things that could be improved, specifically regarding the communication surrounding the event.  

  • Please send your feedback to corlans@hvcb.org by Friday, September 5, so we can present a comprehensive and actionable summary. 

 

TRAVEL TRADE & SALES 

O‘ahu Destination Travel Trade Training 

The O‘ahu Visitors Bureau (OVB) will be conducting several travel trade O‘ahu destination educational presentations in the coming months: 

  • August–September: Collaborating with industry partners on O‘ahu Destination webinars to reach travel advisors in the U.S. and Oceania markets. 

  • October (U.S.): Participating with the HTUSA team at ALGV ASCEND and supporting the HVCB Education Sales Blitz with O‘ahu-focused destination training. 

  • October (Korea): Joining the Aloha Korea Mission, including Hawai‘i Tourism Korea and Global MCI-Korea programs. 

 

MARKETING, MESSAGING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS 

Upcoming Media Visits 

The following media visits are scheduled in the coming months: 

  • September 16–19: HTO Media FAM highlighting female-owned businesses on O‘ahu and Hawai‘i Island (O‘ahu portion). 

  • November 2025: HTUSA hosting Munchies (VICE) for coverage focused on O‘ahu culinary businesses. 

 

Recent Highlights and OVB Generated Coverage: 

 

HTUSA Virtual Media Blitz.  HTUSA’s week-long virtual media blitz included OVB meetings on August 18 with six journalists from outlets such as National Geographic, Condé Nast Traveler, and USA Today. Kumu Ka‘ilihiwa Vaughan joined the OVB PR team as O‘ahu ambassador. O‘ahu was also featured in the statewide day on August 22, reaching seven additional media. 

 

Generated Coverage.  In July, OVB hosted writer Noah Leaderman, resulting in a feature in Robb Report highlighting exclusive surf experiences on O‘ahu: 

  • Robb Report: At These Luxe Hotels, Pro Surfers Will Teach You How to Hang Ten on Gnarly Waves