Management changes may be underway at Holiday Inn Express Waikīkī, with Springboard Hospitality rumored to replace PM Hotel Group, highlighting ongoing operator shifts as owners seek stronger local performance.
Kona Lows, War, Fuel Spikes… What’s Next, Locusts?
A convergence of storms, rising fuel costs, and global instability is testing Hawaiʻi’s fragile tourism recovery, highlighting how stacked disruptions can suppress demand even as the destination’s safety appeal remains a potential offset.
RIMPAC Risk?
Uncertainty around RIMPAC demand is raising concerns for Hawaiʻi hotels, as a potential scale-back or disruption could remove a key source of compression just as broader travel demand faces mounting pressure.
Outrigger Names VP of Americas (AKA Hawaiʻi)
Outrigger has named Steve Nickerson VP of Operations for the Americas, overseeing a Hawaiʻi-centric portfolio as renovations and performance pressures raise questions about potential future expansion beyond the islands.
Code Share for Hotels?
Hilton’s new “Select” platform lets entire hotel brands plug into its distribution and loyalty system, creating a code-share-like model that expands reach while raising questions around brand control and dilution.
You Can’t Make This Stuff Up (Tourism Edition)
The appointment of a controversial “tourism envoy” adds to growing concerns about U.S. travel perception, as policy, politics, and messaging increasingly shape international demand ahead of major global events.
Why Your AI Might Be Making You Dumber
New research from Harvard, MIT, and Stanford suggests AI may reinforce user bias and overconfidence, highlighting the risk of treating it as an answer machine instead of a tool for critical thinking.
Kapalua Bet, AI Making Us Dumber, and Hilton’s Next Move
Kapalua flips again, Waikīkī shuffles the deck, demand wobbles, and the storm clouds keep stacking.
Deep Dish Taxes, Castle Small Kine Expands, Brands Multiply
Castle stacks quiet wins, Maui’s housing fight drags on, hotel taxes climb higher, and AI agents hit the booking wall.
Trinity Says “Aloha”… From Miami
Trinity Investments has relocated its headquarters to Florida, underscoring a broader trend of hospitality capital consolidating on the mainland as ownership of major Hawaiʻi assets increasingly shifts offshore.
