TikTok now books rooms, HTA déjà vu, Big Island joins STR delay club, Marriott Waikīkī swaps GMs, and luxury keeps winning (for now).
![[Aggregator] Downloaded image for imported item #995](https://hawaiihotelhui.com/wp-content/uploads/HHHI_Sept__2_V2-503x282.png)
The Hotel Sale That Wasn’t: Oasis or Mirage?
PBN’s report on the $23M Oasis Hotel Waikīkī sale missed the real story, it was a land deal, not a full hotel buy. Hawaiʻi hotels are complicated!
Ewa Hotel Waikīkī Hits the Market
Ewa Hotel Waikīkī is listed for $21M (~$228K per key). With the lease through 2045 and major renovations likely needed, that price feels steep.
Joe We Hardly Knew You!
Hawaiian Airlines CEO Joe Sprague retires; Diana Birkett Rakow steps up from Alaska Airlines’ public affairs team, a PR-savvy move amid the merger.
Déjà Vu at HTA
HTA names David Uchiyama as Chief Administrative Officer. A seasoned industry vet returns to stabilize the agency amid staffing loss and scrutiny.
Marriott Waikiki Swaps Out the Corner Office
Mark Weatherill joins Waikīkī Beach Marriott Resort & Spa as GM, succeeding Jerry Gibson. A longtime Marriott leader, he brings Houston experience to Hawaiʻi.
Big Island Pulls Up a Chair to the Delay Table
Hawaiʻi Island delays its new short-term rental law to March 2026, giving owners more time to comply, but leaving STR enforcement stalled yet again.
Recession-Proof, or Just Enshittified?
Luxury hotels are thriving while the mid-market weakens. Hawaiʻi luxury RevPAR is up 9% YTD, raising questions about inequality in travel demand.
Brand USA’s Shrinking Stage
Brand USA slashes 15% of staff after funding drops from $100M to $20M. With inbound tourism at 80% of 2019 levels, politics, not branding, is the issue.
Asia Travel Tech: A Blast from My Past
A travel-tech throwback worth watching, this new documentary charts Asia’s chaotic, high-growth OTA era with sharp storytelling and insider insight, capturing how the region leapt from faxes to digital dominance.
