Hawaii's tourism industry is pushing to spread its money around more locally — good news for small local businesses, mixed news for an economy still leaning hard on visitors.

• The 2026 Hawaii Tourism Conference's second day centered on making tourism more responsible, resilient, and sustainable.
• The state is working with big hotel and hospitality companies to put more local products in front of visitors.
• Tourism still drives jobs and family income across the islands, but leaders want the economy less dependent on it.
• Small and medium-sized businesses are being framed as the key to that shift.

Outlook: Expect more state-backed deals pairing local suppliers with major hotels, though real economic diversification will take years.