Hawaii Tourism Authority has declared a continued tourism emergency. For only the second time since its creation in 1998, the DMO is seeking approval to use its $5 million Tourism Emergency Special Fund to shore up the industry, which is still in recovery mode.

HTA first used $2.85 million from its emergency fund in 2023 after Gov. Josh Green declared a state of tourism emergency through his sixth emergency proclamation related to the Maui wildfires. HTA used an additional $2.125 million of the emergency funding in 2024 on various recovery initiatives identified in its board-­approved Maui recovery plan.

HTA has requested $5 million more in emergency funding to be used on additional recovery initiatives and saturation campaigns. A Los Angeles saturation campaign was held in September when HTA contractor Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau and other partners helped HTA aggressively flood the market with Hawaii branding. HTA wants to return to Los Angeles and also conduct a San Francisco saturation campaign.

If approved, the request is in addition to HTA’s bid to get the state Legislature to consider increasing its current $63 million appropriation to $80 million.