Hawaii is doubling down on sports tourism as a strategic driver of economic growth and international visibility, with the University of Hawaii joining the effort.
Over the weekend, the UH baseball team wrapped up a weeklong tour in Tokyo, where the Rainbow Warriors played exhibition games against Waseda and Keio universities and participated in cultural exchanges.
The trip, backed by a $100, 000 investment from the Hawai ‘i Tourism Authority, marked the team’s first international outing and is part of a broader push to position Hawaii as a global sports brand.
“This is about redefining Hawaii’s place in the global sports and tourism arena, ” said state Senate Majority Leader Glenn Wakai, who championed the initiative. He said the effort is especially timely as a June 2025 settlement now allows universities to directly compensate student-athletes.
All of the top-notch athletic programs now pay their athletes, ” Wakai said, citing Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning’s projected $6.8 million in name, image and likeness (NIL ) earnings for the 2025 season. “Hawaii doesn’t have Fortune 500 companies to compete in NIL deals, but we can leverage our global tourism appeal.”
Wakai sees Asia—particularly baseball-loving nations like Japan and Taiwan—as fertile ground for building UH’s fan base and attracting corporate sponsorships. “Everyone in Japan knows about Hawaii, ” he said. “We should see the team as tourism agents for the state.”
UH Athletics Director Matt Elliott and head coach Rich Hill called the Tokyo trip a memorable cultural and athletic experience that supports student-athlete development. The university has long cultivated ties with Japan, recruiting standout players like Itsuki Takemoto, drafted by the Oakland Athletics in 2025, and Maaki Yamazaki, now a graduate assistant.
International outreach The Tokyo tour follows UH Athletics’ growing push into Asia. In October, the university announced that three upcoming football games will stream in Japan via Rakuten’s R Channel and GAORA. Last year, the Rainbow Wahine basketball team toured Japan for the first time since 2018.
Wakai is also working with Andrew Koh, executive director of the State of Hawai ‘i Office in Taipei, to tap into Taiwan’s deep baseball talent pool. Koh said he will meet with the Taiwan Baseball Federation next week to develop a scouting strategy, with Elliott and Hill planning a visit in 2026.
Koh, who is also HTA’s managing director of Hawaii Tourism Taiwan and Meet Hawaii’s executive director for Asia-Oceania, said the initiative aligns with the 2026 reopening of Hawaii Tourism Taiwan, which had been suspended during the pandemic.
“Taiwan ranks No. 2 in the World Baseball Softball Confederation men’s baseball rankings, ” Koh said, noting the country’s recent under-18 bronze and silver medals. “It’s a North America-ready talent pool.”
Taiwanese players like Tsung-Che Cheng of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kai-Wei Teng of the San Francisco Giants are already making waves in Major League Baseball. Koh said UH could become a stepping stone to the majors, generating media interest and elevating Hawaii’s brand in Taiwan.
The international outreach comes as sports tourism surges nationwide. In 2024, spectator sports tourism generated $47.1 billion in direct spending across the U.S., driving a total economic impact of $114.4 billion, according to Sports ETA’s State of the Industry : Spectator Sports Tourism report. The sector supported 664, 860 jobs and contributed $8.5 billion in state and local tax revenues, according to the report. More than 109.7 million nonlocal attendees traveled at least 50 miles to attend sporting events, with 63.5 million staying overnight.
John David, President & CEO of Sports ETA, said in a statement, “Spectator sports travel continues to play an essential role in driving tourism and economic vitality in communities nationwide.
New playbook Sports tourism in Hawaii has faced notable challenges, particularly when it comes to large-scale spectator events.
Hawaii invested millions over the years to build a strong relationship with the NFL Pro Bowl, which was hosted at Aloha Stadium for over three decades. However, the last Pro Bowl game in the islands was held in 2016, as the NFL shifted its focus to expanding into new markets to boost revenue and fan engagement.
While the Pro Bowl was often promoted as a major driver of tourism dollars and national exposure for the state, critics questioned whether the HTA might have achieved greater returns by diversifying its sports tourism investments. Regardless of interest, the possibility of bringing the Pro Bowl back remains off the table for now ; Aloha Stadium was closed in 2020 due to structural deterioration and is slated for demolition.
More recently, Hawaii’s sports tourism suffered another blow with the announcement that The Sentry, the PGA Tour’s season-opening tournament, will not be held in 2026. The decision stems from ongoing drought conditions and water management issues at the Plantation Course at Kapalua on Maui, the event’s longtime home.
The cancellation of the January tournament has raised concerns and doubts not only about the future of The Sentry, which traditionally provides a $50 million annual boost to Maui’s economy, but also the Sony Open on Oahu.
The tournament in January at the Waialae Country Club will be the final one in Sony’s contract with the PGA Tour. Golf industry observers say if Hawaii loses the Sentry, the Sony also would be threatened.
Still, as Hawaii tries to position itself as a hub for global sports tourism, state officials hope that the intersection of athletics, culture, and economic development will provide a new playbook for the visitor industry.
Visitor spending reached $16.17 billion in the first nine months of 2025, up 4.9 % year-over-year, according to the state Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. While sports-related spending is just a portion of that overall spending, major events like the Na Wahine O Ke Kai World Championship canoe race and the upcoming JAL Honolulu Marathon have drawn thousands of visitors and boosted local businesses.
HTA Interim President and CEO Caroline Anderson said in a statement that the agency’s investment in UH’s Tokyo trip reflects a long-term strategy to use sports as a tool for tourism and cultural exchange.
“When our University of Hawaii athletes travel to Japan, they will help nurture relationships and shared experiences that inspire dreams of visiting Hawaii, ” Anderson said. “A dream trip to Hawaii is rarely sparked by a single ad or commercial. The dream builds through friendships, connection and a true sense of welcome.”
HTA’s broader sports tourism strategy includes expanding facilities at the Hawaii Convention Center, which recently added 45 pickleball courts to its existing sports infrastructure. The upgrades are expected to help sustain operations during scheduled renovations in 2026 and 2027.
Wakai is also aligning the state’s new stadium project with sports tourism goals. He said the United Soccer League and Major League Rugby have expressed interest in establishing Hawaii-based franchises once the venue is built.
“Getting a professional franchise here is far more impactful than having visiting teams create excitement for five days, ” Wakai said. “Both leagues would schedule 40 home games, which will allow us to give UH all the revenue for their seven games a year.”
