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

Quick Glance: Updates on Reservations, Closures, County requests, and so much more! 

 

Community Input Opportunity: Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden 

As the Garden celebrates 43 years of service, the City & County of Honolulu Dept. of Parks & Recreation is excited to announce that it is embarking on the Garden’s first-ever master planning process. This is a historic moment in the Garden’s development, and the Department invites the community, visitors, and stakeholders to share their thoughts and ideas to help shape the future of this beloved space. 

Community Discovery Workshop #1 

  • When: 6th November 2025 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm (doors open at 6 pm) 

 

Taste the Town Wahiawā: A Celebration of Local Flavor, Culture & Community 

The City and County of Honolulu’s Office of Economic Revitalization (OER) is joining forces with Leeward Community College’s Wahiawā Value-Added Product Development Center (WVAPDC) and Wahiawā Fresh to bring you this free, family-friendly celebration on Saturday, 15 November, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.  

Building on the popular Wahiawā Market Day, this event is doubling the fun, featuring a wealth of Wahiawā businesses, food producers, and artisans highlighting innovative products made with locally grown ingredients—a key component of building a stronger agricultural economy. Don't miss live entertainment, including the Royal Hawaiian Band and Ryugen Taiko, plus a special appearance by celebrity chef Alan Wong. Another highlight will be the complimentary trolley rides with docents sharing fascinating stories about Wahiawā’s rich history as you explore the surrounding small businesses. This is your chance to support the local economy, celebrate community roots, and taste what makes Wahiawā so special!  

 

Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve Update 

The City & County of Honolulu is working with Roberts Hawai‘i to offer visitors to Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve a streamlined journey to the nature preserve, with the hopes of creating more space for local residents to enjoy this world-class marine conservation district.   

Beginning in November, new online ticketing packages will offer round-trip transportation, entry, and viewing of the educational video, open a month in advance.  This additionally aims to alleviate community parking and traffic concerns.  Costs and further details can be found on the Honolulu Department of Parks & Recreation’s Hanauma Bay and Roberts Hawai‘i websites.   

 

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: 

  • 4-6 November 2025 (Korea): Joining the Aloha Korea Mission, including Hawai‘i Tourism Korea and Global MCI-Korea programs. 

  • 10-13 November 2025 (U.S.): Participating in Signature Travel Network conference.   

  • 1-5 December 2025 (Canada): Joining Aloha Canada (Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, Vancouver) 

 

MARKETING, MESSAGING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS 

Upcoming Media Visits 

The following media visits are scheduled in the coming months:  

  • 6-11 November 2025:  Amber Turpin (7X7) 

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

 

Consumer eNewsletter, O‘ahu Offers eBlast 

OVB will launch a Members’ Only Offer eNewsletter during the Cyber Monday buying season to opt-in subscribers interested in O‘ahu.  Opportunity has limited space and closes on November 3, 2025.  This program will continue in 2026. 

 

O‘AHU HIGHLIGHTS 

ALG Ascend. On the 13-16 October 2025, O‘ahu Visitors Bureau (OVB) joined HVCB and the other Island Visitors Bureaus at ALG Ascend, focused on highlighting the Hawaiian Islands and amplifying O‘ahu’s experiences to ALG travel advisors in Miami, Florida.  

 

PR Colleagues Meeting. On Princess Ka‘iulani’s birthday (16 October), O‘ahu Visitors Bureau (OVB) initiated a PR Colleagues Meeting for HVCB members, specifically for O‘ahu PR professionals. Market insights for 2026, media trends, and PR plans were shared. The meeting included 2026 PR updates from the HTA global marketing teams. An upcoming focus is IMM New York where HVCB, OVB, and the other Island Visitors Bureaus plan to create a mini-Hawai‘i section at the media event 19-24 January 2026. 

 

O‘ahu Mini Media FAM. The Oʻahu Visitors Bureau (OVB) and Hawaiʻi Tourism Japan recently collaborated to host an exclusive Oʻahu Arts themed media familiarization (fam) tour on October 16-17, 2025, initiated by OVB.  The teams hosted a diverse group of journalists, all locally based in Hawaiʻi, working for both National (U.S.) and International (Japan) publications. Participants embarked on a rich cultural experience that included:  

  • A progressive tour of the Wahi Pana: Storied Places public art installations with the Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts (MOCA). 

  • A tour and press junket at the iconic Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design. 

  • An evening viewing of the brand-new In the Southern Sun immersive experience. 

  • A screening of shorts from the Hawaiʻi Film Festival's Made in Hawaiʻi program. 

This partnership successfully showcased Oʻahu's vibrant and diverse arts landscape to key audiences across Hawaiʻi, the U.S. Mainland, and Japan.   

HVCB U.S. East Sales Blitz.  The O‘ahu Visitors Bureau (OVB) participated in the HVCB Sales Blitz with the other Island Visitors Bureau, training travel advisors in key U.S. East markets, 20-24 October 2025. O‘ahu presentations and engagement with travel advisors took place in Short Hills, NJ; Hauppauge, NY; Houston, TX; Dallas, TX; and Coppell, TX.