Community Enrichment Program (CEP)

Community-created projects, festivals and events provides authentic experiences that showcase Hawai‘i’s multi-cultures. Training workshops and resources offered to further develop skills and tourism products.

Community Enrichment

Community Enrichment Program Supports Hawai‘i’s Community Projects and Events to make Hawai‘i a better place for our collective future.

The Community Enrichment Program fosters community-based tourism projects to improve and enrich Hawai‘i’s product offerings. It supports a diverse array of festivals, events and year-round programs in the tourism niche areas of culture, education, health and wellness, nature, agriculture, sports, technology, and voluntourism. These community-based projects provide unique, authentic and highly-valued visitor experiences and represents activities that are developed by our community, for our community, and are things the community is willing to and wants to share with our visitors. CEP encourages innovative tourism products.

Through the Community Enrichment Program, HTA is reinvesting nearly $1 million in funding to 55 community-based events, festivals and experiences taking place across Hawai‘i from January to June 30, 2025.
View Full Release and List of January to June 2025 Community Enrichment Awardees

For the 2025-2026 Community Enrichment Program, HTA is partnering with Kilohana to administer the program through ʻUmeke Powered by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. The application period for the 2025-2026 term CLOSED on April 1, 2025. This term is for projects taking place between July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. Award notifications are anticipated for the end of June 2025.

For more information about this initiative, contact Dede Howa at 808-973-2265 or via email at [email protected]

Signature Events

Signature World Class Events help Hawaiʻi to remain competitive and ensure Tourism and Communities enrich each other.

The Signature Events program supports major events that have broad appeal and align with Hawai‘i’s destination’s image and brand. These world-class events help Hawai‘i to remain competitive, generate media exposure for Hawaiʻi and increase economic benefits. Signature events aim to attract attendees and participants from outside the state of Hawaiʻi through the use of extensive national and international marketing. The program also seeks to support and strengthen existing events in our communities and create new events for both residents and visitors alike. These events are typically larger in scale than those in the CEP Program.

Through the Signature Events Program, HTA is reinvesting nearly $705,000 in funding to eight festivals and events happening in Hawai‘i from January to June 30, 2025.

View Full Release and List of January to June 2025 Signature Events Awardees

For the 2025-2026 Signature Events program, HTA is partnering with Kilohana to administer the program through ʻUmeke Powered by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. The application period for the 2025-2026 term CLOSED on April 1, 2025. This term is for projects taking place between July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. Award notifications are anticipated for the end of June 2025.

For more information about this initiative, contact Dede Howa at 808-973-2265 or via email at [email protected]

Workshops

Agritourism

Voluntourism

Cultural Tourism

Maʻemaʻe Toolkit

To help market Hawai‘i authentically, browse through a resource of Hawaiian language tools, style and information guides, cultural activities and festivals, and other pertinent information.

See the Maʻemaʻe Toolkit

Digital Asset Library

Partnership Opportunities

HTA's Global Marketing Team offers a variety of consumer, travel trade, and MCI marketing opportunities. Partnership opportunities include digital and social media marketing, public relations, travel trade, and meeting sales programs.

See All Partnership Opportunities

Announcements

Read the latest announcements that provide up-to-date information about current HTA's programs, events and activities.

See All Announcements