Hawaii marked National Hotel Employee Day with a state celebration, a positive moment for the workers who anchor the islands' biggest industry.

• 222,000 local workers across Hawaii support hospitality in some way.
• Wages and benefits in the industry put more than $15 billion into local households each year.
• The visitor industry throws off $3 billion in yearly tax revenue, money residents do not have to pay themselves.
• Hotels are leaning on human service rather than automation and AI, arguing machines cannot deliver the aloha spirit.
• Close to 2 million hotel employees were recognized nationwide.

Outlook: Hawaii's economy stays tied to tourism, so hotel staffing and visitor numbers remain the thing to watch.