What Roberts Hawaii does

Roberts Hawaii is Hawaii's largest employee-owned tours and transportation company, founded in 1940 and headquartered in Honolulu. It operates across all four major Hawaiian islands — Oahu, Maui, Hawaii Island, and Kauai — offering a multi-product portfolio that includes guided island tours (e.g., Hanauma Bay, Pearl Harbor, Road to Hana, volcano excursions), airport shuttle services at HNL/OGG/KOA/LIH, private SUV charters, group and school bus transportation, inter-island hopping packages, cruise ship shore excursions (including a long-standing Pride of America partnership since 2007), and two flagship luau sub-brands (Germaine's Luau and Chief's Luau). Distribution is multi-channel: direct-to-consumer via the company's website integrated with FareHarbor, phone reservations, walk-up airport desks, travel-agent portals, cruise-line partnerships, and a dedicated Japanese-language site (jp.robertshawaii.com).

The business model is predominantly transactional — one-time per-booking or charter pricing on tours, airport transfers, and luaus — with pricing spanning roughly $26 pier transfers to over $2,000 for private vehicle tours and $128–$242 per luau ticket. The company operates a diversified fleet (motor coaches, mini-coaches, vans, SUVs, school buses) and a 1,001–5,000 employee base, with the largest concentrated in operational dispatch and guide functions. Underlying technology is largely third-party (FareHarbor for booking, CartStack for email recovery); no proprietary platform is described.

In 2026, Roberts Hawaii executed a $15 million diversification into hospitality with Limelight Hawaii, a 6,000-square-foot, 700-guest entertainment venue at Ala Moana Hotel (soft opening March 20, 2026), employing 50–60 staff and targeting weddings, corporate functions, and live entertainment — particularly the local kama'āina market — as a counterweight to inbound tourism cyclicality. CEO Roy Pfund is retiring in 2026, marking a generational leadership transition for the privately held, employee-owned firm.

Name

Roberts Hawaii

Legal name

Roberts Hawaii

Website

https://robertshawaii.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Roberts Hawaii is Hawaii's largest employee-owned tours and transportation company, founded in 1940 and operating island tours, airport shuttles, luaus, cruise shore excursions, and charter services across Oahu, Maui, Hawaii Island, and Kauai for tourists, cruise passengers, and local residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tour and Transportation Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation (487)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Trucking & Courier Services (No Air) (4210)

akta.pro primary industry

Island, Beach & Resort Travel Agencies (THAKAFAL)

Keywords

• Guided island tours
• Airport shuttle services
• Hawaiian luau experiences
• Cruise shore excursions
• Group transportation charters

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Island Tours: Guided tour packages across all four major Hawaiian islands including transportation, admission tickets, and professional guide services. Tours range from half-day to full-day experiences covering natural attractions, cultural sites, and historical landmarks.
2. Airport Transportation: Shared and private airport shuttle services between major Hawaii airports (HNL, OGG, KOA, LIH) and hotels/resorts. Includes meet-and-greet services and luggage handling.
3. Luau Experiences: Ticketed luau events including Germaine's Luau and Chief's Luau with dinner, entertainment, and cultural activities. Multiple package tiers available from basic to premium VIP seating.
4. Group Transportation Services: Charter services for groups including motor coaches, mini-coaches, vans, SUVs, and school buses. Services include conventions, events, corporate transportation, and customized group tours.
5. Cruise Shore Excursions: Tours and transportation specifically designed for cruise ship passengers visiting Hawaiian ports, including pier transfers and island tours.
6. Event Venue Operations: Limelight Hawaii, a 6,000-square-foot entertainment venue at Ala Moana Hotel hosting weddings, corporate functions, and live entertainment events with capacity for up to 700 guests. The company employs 50-60 staff at the new venue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Roberts Hawaii operates guided island tours, airport shuttle services, group and private charter transportation, luaus (Germaine's Luau and Chief's Luau), and cruise shore excursions across all four major Hawaiian islands (Oahu, Maui, Hawaii Island, and Kauai). The company also offers island hopping packages that combine airfare with multi-island guided tours and recently launched Limelight Hawaii, a 6,000-square-foot event venue at Ala Moana Hotel.

Product overview

Roberts Hawaii is a tours and transportation company operating a multi-product service portfolio across the Hawaiian Islands. The core offerings consist of Island Tours (guided experiences across Oahu, Maui, Hawaii Island, and Kauai) and Transportation Services (airport shuttles, private SUV charters, group/bus charters, and school bus services). The company also operates Shore Excursions for cruise passengers and Island Hopping packages for inter-island travel. Entertainment experiences include Germaine's Luau and Chief's Luau (both sub-brands), along with the newly launched Limelight Hawaii entertainment venue. Ancillary services include Waikele Outlets Shopping Shuttle, Pier Shuttle transfers, and Gift Cards. The company positions itself as Hawaii's largest tours and transportation provider with over 80 years of experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Limelight Hawaii: A new 6,000-square-foot entertainment venue at the Ala Moana Hotel designed to host up to 700 guests for events including weddings, corporate functions, and live entertainment.
• Germaine's Luau
• Chief's Luau

Products and services

• Island Tours Guided tour experiences across Hawaii's major islands (Oahu, Maui, Hawaii Island, Kauai) featuring visits to iconic landmarks, natural attractions, cultural sites, and recreational activities for individual tourists and families.
• Airport Shuttle Shared and private airport transfer services to and from all major Hawaii airports (Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Kahului Airport (OGG), Kona International Airport (KOA), and Lihue Airport (LIH)) with professional drivers and luggage handling.
• Private SUV Charter Luxury black SUV charter service offering private custom island tours, VIP transportation for corporate events and weddings, with door-to-door service, flexible 2/4/6/8-hour durations, optional lei greetings, and capacity up to 6 guests with luggage.
• Group and Bus Charter Group transportation using motor coaches, mini-coaches, vans, SUVs, and school buses for conventions, special events, arrivals/departures, and customized group tours across the Hawaiian islands.
• School Bus Charter Private school bus transportation with licensed drivers and well-maintained vehicles for schools, youth groups, and community organizations across Oahu, Hawaii Island, Maui, and Kauai.
• Island Hopping Packages Inter-island packages that combine airfare and guided tours, allowing visitors to explore multiple Hawaiian islands in a single day with coordinated flights and tour arrangements.
• Shore Excursions Tours and activities designed specifically for cruise ship passengers visiting Hawaiian ports, including Pearl Harbor tours, luaus, island adventures, and pier transfer services with a 100% return-to-ship guarantee.
• Germaine's Luau Oahu's original beachfront Hawaiian luau experience featuring Polynesian music, traditional dance, fire-knife dancing, Hawaiian-American cuisine, and cultural activities; recognized as America's Best Luau and Disney's Lilo & Stitch filming location.
• Chief's Luau Hawaii's highest-rated luau on TripAdvisor and Yelp, hosted by Chief Sielu (original world fire-knife dance champion), featuring authentic Polynesian culture, traditional luau feast, and a fire knife performance finale.
• Limelight Hawaii Event Venue Entertainment and event venue at Ala Moana Hotel with flexible indoor event space, theater-style seating for 700 or 400 with table service, professional AV, and a large LED screen, hosting weddings, corporate functions, and live entertainment for local and visiting audiences.
• Waikele Outlets Shopping Shuttle Round-trip shuttle from Waikiki hotels to Waikele Premium Outlets, including a complimentary digital VIP booklet and free return transport for purchases; the company's most popular activity on Oahu.
• Pier Shuttle Transportation between cruise ports and hotels or airports for cruise passengers, providing seamless embarkation and disembarkation connections at Hawaiian ports.
• Gift Cards Selectable monetary value gift cards usable toward Roberts Hawaii tours and experiences, marketed as gifts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 860+ travelers rated the company 'Excellent' on TripAdvisor
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Norwegian Cruise Line (Pride of America)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2007Roberts Hawaii has offered shore excursions to Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America guests since 2007, providing comprehensive island tours and transportation for cruise passengers visiting Hawaiian ports.
• FareHarborcoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party booking platform integration used across all Roberts Hawaii tours, transportation services, and luaus. Handles availability calendars, pricing, and payment processing for online reservations.
• Germaine's LuaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Germaine's Luau, one of Hawaii's most iconic luaus. Disney selected the venue as filming location for live-action Lilo & Stitch. Germaine's has been recognized as America's Best Luau in 'America's Best 100' and filmed by ABC's 'Good Morning America'.
• Chief's Luau (Chief Sielu)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Chief Sielu, the original world champion fire-knife dancer, to operate Chief's Luau. The luau is ranked #1 in Hawaii on both TripAdvisor and Yelp. Chief Sielu has appeared on major shows including Oprah, The Tonight Show, and Late Night with David Letterman.
• Waikiki Monarch HotelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership linking to Waikiki Monarch Hotel on Roberts Hawaii's website, indicating preferred hotel relationships for package bookings.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• GetYourGuide: Global online platform for tours, attractions, and activities with growing Hawaii inventory. Indirect competitor that competes for discovery and booking of the same Hawaii tour experiences Roberts Hawaii offers.
• Viator: Global online tour and activity marketplace owned by Tripadvisor. An indirect competitor and potential distribution channel; competes for the same Hawaii tour bookings via aggregated supply and SEO/discovery advantages.

Direct peers

• Polynesian Adventure Tours: One of Hawaii's largest ground tour and transportation operators, offering island tours, airport transfers, and group charters across multiple Hawaiian islands. Directly comparable to Roberts Hawaii in product mix and target visitor segments.
• Paradise Cove Luau: Major Oahu beachfront luau competitor with comparable package tiers and guest experience. Directly comparable to Germaine's Luau and Chief's Luau for luau market share and tourist spending on cultural entertainment.
• Gray Line Hawaii: Long-established Hawaii tour and transportation brand offering island tours, airport transfers, and group charters. Comparable peer with similar multi-island tour portfolio and visitor customer base.
• Kualoa Ranch: Premier Oahu nature attraction offering guided tours, movie-site experiences (Jurassic Park, etc.), and adventure activities. Comparable to Roberts Hawaii's Hawaii Movie Tour® and immersive cultural/nature experiences for the same visitor demographic.
• Blue Hawaiian Helicopters: Hawaii's largest helicopter tour operator offering scenic and sightseeing flights across multiple islands. A directly comparable activity-tour peer serving the same premium visitor market with different transport mode.
• SpeediShuttle: Hawaii-based shared and private airport shuttle operator with comparable shared/private transfer offerings between major island airports and hotels. A direct competitor in Roberts Hawaii's airport transportation revenue line.
• E Noa Tours: Oahu-based tour operator running guided circle-island, Pearl Harbor, and scenic tours with similar customer segments (visitors, cruise passengers) and pricing tiers. A directly comparable ground-tour peer on Roberts Hawaii's home island.

Emerging players

• Hawaii Forest & Trail: Hawaii Island eco-tour operator specializing in small-group nature, volcano, and stargazing experiences. Comparable to Roberts Hawaii's volcano and nature tours but focused on a premium small-group niche.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Robertshawaii
• Facebookfacebook.com/robertshawaiitours
• Instagraminstagram.com/robertshawaii
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/robertshawaii

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Roberts Hawaii