After years of “Mālama” and “Kuleana” messaging that occasionally felt like a mandatory homework assignment for visitors, the HTA and HVCB have pivoted with “Hawaiʻi Stays With You.” While I am all about Mālama and Kuleana, the sentiment was often lost on visitors. The new campaign, developed by the HVCB, debuted at a Los Angeles Rams game on January 4th.
This campaign signals a move toward high-def imagery and ‘Instagrammable’ moments and feels less like teaching and more like inviting. It is a pragmatic shift acknowledging that while travelers want a transformational connection, most prefer to find it through swimming, hiking, and eating rather than planting taro. The challenge now is how to amplify this message on a limited budget.
Watch the video that launches the campaign here.
NOTE: People are often confused by this, so here’s a quick clarification. HTA is a state agency now housed within DBEDT and does not do destination marketing itself. That work is contracted out. For the U.S. market, marketing is handled by the Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau (HVCB), a private nonprofit.
