MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS 

Successful Media Engagement at IMM 2025:

Hawaiʻi was well represented at the International Media Market (IMM) in January 2025 in New York City by the HVCB team (Central, KVB, OVB, MVCB, and IHVB). Over the two-day event (one day conference and one day appointment-style meetings), OVB held 22 successful appointments with key U.S. journalists, content creators and producers, while engaging with many more media throughout IMM. Follow ups are already resulting in prospective media visits, and story angle discussions. 

OVB Social Media Celebrates Mahina ʻōlelo Hawai‘i:

The Oʻahu Visitors Bureau emphasized and celebrated Mahina ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi throughout the February featuring activities and resources where you can learn and practice ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and experience the culture.

Consumer or Media e-Newsletter:  

  • The Oʻahu Visitors Bureau sent out a call for submissions for the Q1 Updates and Aloha from Oʻahu release was distributed on Feb 5. 

If you have a program or initiative that supports the destination’s commitment to regenerative and responsible tourism and want to highlight your activation and achievement, please reach out to the Oʻahu Visitors Bureau – Catherine Orlans, OVB Marketing Manager, corlans@hvcb.org – as soon as possible. 

Visiting Media: The Oʻahu Visitors Bureau continues to vet and support media visits that will translate into stories that impact visitors, residents, and the industry positively. The Oʻahu Visitors Bureau hosted the following media:

  • Shane Mitchell (Sauver) 

  • Daniel Scheffler (iHeartRadio Podcast, NYT, Whitewall, Trails Magazine) 

  • Jen Murphy (Essentialist, Travel + Leisure, Outside, Bloomberg)  

 

TRAVEL TRADE & SALES 

The Oʻahu Visitors Bureau is working closely with HVCB and the other Island Visitors Bureaus to align and prepare for sales activities in 2025. 

  • Oʻahu Maps Are In 
    To support OVB activities through 2025, OVB worked with the HVCB and other IVBs to revamp the Oʻahu Maps used as educational tool for different users. The last time these maps were printed were at the start of 2020. The new maps were received in February 2025 and have taken a regenerative tourism approach.

  • IPW Planning in Full Action
    Supporting HTA, OVB is in full planning mode for IPW 2025 that includes the Hawaiʻi Lane set up and the Hawaiʻi Pau Hana Events. Please email NSchilling-Wheeler@hvcb.org 1) if your organization will be attending IPW for planning purposes and 2) if your organization can be a co-sponsor of the Pau Hana event(s).

  • Korean Travel Advisors Coming to Town 
    HTKorea is working on a Travel Agent FAM for the end of March to Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island.  The FAM is being supported by Hawaiian Airlines and hopes to educate five travel agents on the range of experiences Oʻahu has to offer, insights into Hawaiʻi's regenerative tourism efforts and have them experience both Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island firsthand.

 

UPCOMING OʻAHU EVENTS: 

  • Island Chapter Visitor Bureau Multi Island FAM: Oʻahu / Kauaʻi | Mar 16 – 19 

  • Travel Agent Forum: Las Vegas, NV | Mar 30 – Apr 2 

  • HTUSA Leisure Sales Blitz: West Coast (Cities TBC) | Apr 7 – 10 

  • Travel Weekly Leadership Forum | Apr 15 

  • HTJapan: Japan Summit IC Destination Presentations (Ad hoc FAM) | Apr 18