Skift Take
Legislators have stripped away the Hawaii Tourism Authority's funding and autonomy over the past few years. By finally getting a budget, the agency seems to be winning trust that it can manage tourism responsibly.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green is expected to sign a series of bills that will give the Hawaii Tourism Authority a new mandate and budget — its first one in two years — by July 11.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) is expected to have a budget of over $60 million for the 2025 fiscal year. Over the past two years, lawmakers have excluded the agency from the state budget. The tourism board has been forced to request funding from the state’s budgeting and finance department, with the governor's and lawmakers' approval.
“We're confident and have gotten zero indications that we are at risk the way we have been in previous years,” said Ilihia Gionson, public affairs officer of the Hawaii Tourism Authority. “We don't have any indication that our funding is in jeopa