Latest news with #HiltonHawaiianVillage
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Spectra Fest bringing the community together
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Spectra Fest, a weeklong celebration of art, music and community, kicks off Monday, June 9, with a full schedule of events across Lahaina. Brand-new summer beer dinner series brewing at Hilton Hawaiian Village The festival begins with an opening ceremony hosted at Lahaina Intermediate School, where attendees can take part in launching a community mural painting project. Local artists, students and families will also collaborate on restoring picnic benches throughout the week. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news The Hawaiʻi International Film Festival will present a selection of short films focused on Maui and the neighbor islands, adding a cinematic element to the festivities. Spectra Fest concludes on Friday, June 13, with a community wrap party at the Royal Lahaina Resort and Bungalows. The final night will feature Art and Flea, with more than 20 local vendors, plus live music from DJ Max High, Anthony Pluke and headliners Nuff event details and updates, visit @spectrahawaii on Instagram. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Brand-new summer beer dinner series brewing at Hilton Hawaiian Village
HONOLULU (KHON2) — Hilton Hawaiian Village is kicking off summer with a new Summer Beer Dinner Series, starting June 11. Episode 24 of Kīlauea ends Chef Joseph 'JJ' Reinhart, executive sous chef at the resort, said the series is all about great food, local beer and celebrating the season in Waikīkī.The first dinner will feature a creative spin on German cuisine with island-inspired flavors. The menu includes swordfish schnitzel, house-made bratwurst and an entrée finished with a Kona coffee sauce. Each course will be paired with beers from Kona Brewing Co. Future dinners will highlight different local breweries, with custom menus designed to match the brews, according to Reinhart. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news Seating is limited, and reservations are recommended. For more information or to make a reservation, visit or call 808-941-5828. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Japan Today
28-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Today
Hawaii's governor signs new hotel tax legislation to help cope with climate change
People swim in the lagoon in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village resort in Honolulu. By AUDREY McAVOY Hawaii's governor has signed legislation that boosts a tax imposed on hotel room and vacation rental stays in order to raise money to address eroding shorelines, wildfires and other consequences of climate change. The signing, which comes nearly two years after a Maui wildfire killed 102 people and wiped out almost all of Lahaina town, marks the nation's first such levy to help cope with a warming planet. Officials estimate the tax will generate nearly $100 million annually. The money will be used for projects like replenishing sand on eroding Waikiki beaches, promoting the use of hurricane clips to secure roofs during powerful storms and clearing flammable invasive grasses like those that fueled Lahaina's wildfire. Gov. Josh Green, speaking at a bill signing ceremony, said Hawaii needs to build more firebreaks and pay a fire marshal, a new position created after Lahaina that Green expects to be staffed within the next two months. Green said other states and nations will need to act similarly to address climate disasters roiling the planet. 'There will be no way to deal with these crises without some forward-thinking mechanism,' Green said. The measure adds an additional 0.75% to the daily room rate tax starting Jan. 1. Green said this amounts to an extra $3 tax on a $400 hotel room rate. It also levies a new 11% tax on cruise ship bills starting July 2026, prorated for the number of days the vessels are in Hawaii ports, to bring cruise ship taxes in line with room taxes on land. Travelers to Hawaii already pay a significant room tax. With the new law, the state's existing 10.25% tax on short-term accommodations will climb to 11%. Together with other state and county taxes, visitors will pay a nearly 19% levy on their accommodations — one of the highest rates in the country. Hawaii's hotels ultimately supported the bill, saying it would help improve the visitor experience. Green said the industry looked at 'the greater good' for tourism, Hawaii and the planet. Green initially proposed a bill that would put revenue from the tax increase into a dedicated fund, but lawmakers instead put the money into the state's general fund. Their compromise measure calls on the governor to request funds from the Legislature for projects in the following areas: protecting native forests, plants and animals; enhancing climate resilience; and mitigating the effects of tourism on the environment. Green said they will collaborate to implement the law. State Rep. Adrian Tam, the chairperson of the House tourism committee, said the state must earn the public's trust that it will spend the money transparently and in the best way possible. He noted Hawaii's tourism economy relies on a brand that's in part dependent on a pristine natural environment. 'The visitor industry will struggle if we do not take action now," said Tam, a Democrat representing Waikiki. "There will be nothing left for them to showcase to the rest of the world if our beaches are decimated, wildfires have taken over our towns and hikes left unmanaged.' © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
