Destination Marketing Hawaii

What Destination Marketing Hawaii does

Destination Marketing Hawaii (DMH), founded in 1998 and headquartered in Honolulu, is an independent media representation firm that connects Hawaii-based businesses with global audiences through a portfolio of 30+ media partners. The company serves two primary customer segments: Hawaii tourism and hospitality businesses (hotels, attractions, airlines, wholesale and travel commerce companies, visitor bureaus) seeking to reach North American, Oceanic, and Asian consumer markets, and international publishers/media companies seeking comprehensive account representation in Hawaii. Its core products include (1) the Oceania Visitor Digital Guide 'Explore Hawaii' serving Australian and New Zealand markets for nearly 20 years, (2) targeted multi-medium digital campaigns reaching inbound visitor markets (with reported 12% engagement and up to 5% click-through rates on social platforms), and (3) the North American Travel Advisor Hawaii Virtual Tradeshow platform, which attracted nearly 1,000 live travel professional attendees in a single day. The company also operates two flagship event programs: Hawaii Travel Week (an annual collaborative gathering) and the Travel Weekly Hawaii Leadership Forum (a sold-out one-day industry conference). Underlying the marketing operations is a media representation platform with virtual event capabilities (live webinars, virtual booths, one-to-one chat).

The business model is advertising/media representation revenue: DMH earns commissions by acting as the independent representative of top U.S. and international publications throughout Hawaii, developing co-op marketing programs and customized media solutions for clients. GTM is hybrid: event-driven through the annual Hawaii Travel Week and Travel Weekly Hawaii Leadership Forum conferences, combined with sales-led direct engagement targeting Hawaii tourism businesses seeking international and continental U.S. gateway market reach. Distribution operates through a network of 30+ global media partners as channel/reseller relationships, with direct client services for custom program development. The company maintains a lean team of 1-10 employees under Managing Director Justin Nakaahiki (20+ years of advertising/marketing experience, 10 years in tourism). No pricing is publicly disclosed, no funding rounds are present, and no M&A activity is recorded.

Name

Destination Marketing Hawaii

Legal name

Destination Marketing Hawaii

Website

https://dmhawaii.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Destination Marketing Hawaii is an independent media representation firm founded in 1998 that connects Hawaii tourism and hospitality businesses with global audiences through 30+ media partners, digital campaigns, and annual events including Hawaii Travel Week.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism Marketing and Media Representation Services

NAICS

Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Experiential Logistics & Tour Management (Roadshows) (MPAAAGAK)

Keywords

• Media representation services
• Tourism marketing solutions
• Destination advertising
• Multi-channel marketing
• Publisher representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Media Representation Services: Acts as an independent media representative firm representing top U.S. and international publications throughout Hawaii. Generates revenue by connecting businesses with audiences through media solutions including co-op marketing programs and customized advertising campaigns.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Destination Marketing Hawaii operates as an independent media representative firm that connects Hawaii-based tourism, hospitality, and travel businesses with global audiences. It sells co-op marketing programs, fully customized media solutions, and multi-medium digital campaigns by representing a portfolio of 30+ U.S. and international publishers and media brands, and runs flagship annual event programs including Hawaii Travel Week and the Travel Weekly Hawaii Leadership Forum.

Product overview

Destination Marketing Hawaii offers a unified portfolio of media solutions and event programs targeting the tourism and hospitality industry. The core product suite includes the Oceania Visitor Digital Guide (Explore Hawaii) for Australian/New Zealand markets, Targeted Los Angeles Visitor Multi-Medium Digital Campaigns, and the North American Travel Advisor Hawaii Virtual Tradeshow platform. These are complemented by two flagship event programs: Hawaii Travel Week (an annual collaborative gathering) and the Travel Weekly Hawaii Leadership Forum (a one-day industry conference). As Hawaii's largest and longest running independent media representative firm, the company connects businesses with audiences globally through its portfolio of 30+ media partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Travel Weekly Hawaii Leadership Forum: An annual travel conference that brings together Hawaii's hospitality and tourism industry to strengthen tourism-related businesses throughout the islands. Part of Hawaii Travel Week.
• Hawaii Travel Week
• Hawaii Travel Collaborative
• Explore Hawaii

Products and services

• Media Solutions & Global Audience Reach Customized co-op marketing programs and fully tailored media solutions that match Hawaii businesses (hotels, attractions, visitor bureaus, travel commerce companies) with audiences globally using a portfolio of 30+ reputable U.S. and international media brands. Designed for Hawaii tourism and hospitality clients seeking multi-channel reach.
• Explore Hawaii Oceania Digital Guide and Content Hub A multi-media destination guide brand serving Australian and New Zealand markets, evolving beyond traditional guidebooks to showcase Hawaii as a premier holiday destination. Used by Hawaii tourism suppliers and DMHawaii clients to reach Oceania-based Hawaii-bound travelers.
• Hawaii Travel Week An annual week-long series of events and meetings across the Hawaiian Islands bringing together airlines, hotels, attractions, wholesale and travel commerce companies, visitor bureaus, government agencies, and industry stakeholders to position Hawaii as a premier global destination.
• Travel Weekly Hawaii Leadership Forum A one-day conference at Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort that brings together Hawaii's hospitality and tourism family to strengthen tourism-related businesses throughout the islands, featuring speakers sharing the latest global travel trends and insights to the distribution network of Hawaii travel product sellers.
• North American Travel Advisor Hawaii Virtual Tradeshow A virtual tradeshow platform connecting Hawaii tourism suppliers (hotels, attractions) with North American travel advisors through live webinars, virtual booths, and one-to-one chat functionality. Designed to drive lead generation and bookings for Hawaii suppliers among travel professionals.
• Targeted Los Angeles Visitor Multi-Medium Digital Campaign Targeted multi-medium digital campaigns aimed at Los Angeles as Hawaii's largest inbound visitor market, combining legacy media brand equity with client and destination content to drive engagement and click-throughs. Designed for Hawaii tourism clients seeking direct response in the LA gateway market.

Quantifiable outcome

• Digital campaigns average 12% engagement rate and up to 5% click-thru rates on social platforms
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Marriott International - HawaiicoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 April 2026Marriott International served as a partner for the Travel Weekly Hawaii Leadership Forum 2026 event at Sheraton Waikiki Beach Resort, supporting Hawaii's travel and tourism industry collaboration.
• Sheraton Waikiki Beach ResortcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 April 2026Hosted the Travel Weekly Hawaii Leadership Forum 2026 at their ballroom venue, serving as the event venue partner for the sold-out conference.
• Alaska Airlines | Hawaiian AirlinescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 April 2026Airlines partner for Hawaii Travel Week and Travel Weekly Hawaii Leadership Forum, supporting the positioning of Hawaiian Islands as a premier destination to the world.
• ExpediamajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 April 2026Global travel commerce company partner supporting Hawaii Travel Week events and industry collaboration efforts.
• Priceline | Agoda Global Partner ServicesmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 April 2026Major travel booking platforms participating as partners in Hawaii Travel Week to support tourism marketing efforts.
• Southwest AirlinesmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 April 2026Airline partner supporting Hawaii Travel Week initiatives and travel industry collaboration events.
• United AirlinesmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 April 2026Major airline partner for Hawaii Travel Week contributing to the collaborative effort to position Hawaii as a premier destination.
• Delta Air LinesmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 April 2026Delta Air Lines and Delta Vacations participated as airline partners in Hawaii Travel Week events.
• Pleasant HolidaysmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 April 2026Wholesale travel company partner for Hawaii Travel Week focusing on packaging and selling Hawaii travel products.
• WebBedsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 April 2026Travel commerce partner supporting Hawaii Travel Week events and initiatives.
• Hawaiian ExcursionistminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 April 2026Local Hawaii travel company partner participating in industry events.
• University of Hawaii at Manoa - School of Travel Industry ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Academic partner providing educational expertise and industry insights for Hawaii Travel Week conference programming and travel industry research.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Sojern: Digital marketing platform purpose-built for travel and tourism advertisers, offering programmatic and AI-driven audience targeting that overlaps with DMH's digital campaign services to inbound visitor markets.
• Adara: Travel data and marketing platform that helps destinations and suppliers reach high-intent travelers, comparable to DMH's audience-targeting capability for Hawaii-bound visitors.

Broad incumbents

• dmg events: Large B2B events company producing travel and hospitality trade shows globally, competing for travel-industry sponsorship and exhibitor dollars similar to DMH's event business.
• GroupM: Largest global media investment group operating across multiple agency brands, representing a scaled incumbent comparable to DMH's independent media representative function.
• Questex: Media and events company running travel industry events and information brands, providing an alternative scale platform for the kind of travel-trade events DMH hosts.
• IMEX Group: Global operator of major travel industry exhibitions and events, comparable to DMH's Hawaii Travel Week and Travel Weekly Hawaii Leadership Forum event model.
• Brand USA: National destination marketing organization that promotes inbound travel to the United States, performing a scaled version of the destination-marketing intermediary role DMH plays at the state level.

Direct peers

• Anthology Marketing Group: Hawaii-headquartered full-service marketing and advertising agency serving tourism, hospitality, and consumer brands with creative, media, and digital services comparable to DMH's offering.
• Northstar Travel Group (Travel Weekly): Publisher of Travel Weekly and direct partner for the Travel Weekly Hawaii Leadership Forum hosted by DMH; closely aligned with DMH's travel-trade audience and event business.

Others

• Hawaii Tourism Authority: State agency that funds and coordinates Hawaii's global destination marketing efforts; closely adjacent to DMH's mission of connecting Hawaii businesses with global audiences, though not a commercial competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/dmhawaii
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dmhawaii
• Xx.com/dm_hawaii

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Destination Marketing Hawaii