On a tourist-created island nation famous for its natural beauty, Pacific Business News serves an essential role reporting Hawaii’s island business. From its headquarters in Honolulu, the newspaper reports on commercial real estate, hospitality trends, energy, innovation, and leadership, informing and engaging executives, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.
This article receives an in-depth examination of Pacific Business News: what it does, where it covers, how it differs, and why it matters to island business communities in Honolulu, Maui, Oahu, and elsewhere.
What Is Pacific Business News?
Launched in 1963, Pacific Business News is a weekly business journal. It is also a digital platform focused on Hawaii’s economic landscape. It’s a part of the American City Business Journals network. It combines local storytelling with data and networking opportunities. It delivers breaking business news daily online. It publishes a weekly digital edition featuring in-depth analysis and curated reporting.
The newspaper is structured as a business leader’s resource, offering information on real estate decisions, investment decisions, leadership decisions, and policy decisions. The newspaper employs Honolulu-based editors and reporters to cover the Pacific business community.
Why Pacific Business News Matters
Hawaii’s economy faces unique challenges. Such as high costs of land, reliance on tourism, evolving energy policies, and remote geography. The news site fills a critical gap by providing insights that empower stakeholders across industries:
- Real estate stakeholders make informed decisions about commercial and residential investments.
- Hospitality operators track tourism trends, infrastructure changes, and recovery strategies.
- Energy and tech leaders monitor regulatory developments and innovation.
- Nonprofits and nonprofits build awareness through local partner lists, awards, and events.
By blending news, data lists, executive spotlights, and event-driven platforms, the outlet fosters knowledge, reputation, and networking across Hawaii’s business sector.
Core Coverage Areas
Commercial Real Estate
Pacific Business News is a must-read for real estate trends. It covers new building, industrial space vacancy, leasing trends, and redevelopment case studies on Oahu, Maui, and the rest of the islands. For brokers and developers, these stories track closely how tourism recovered and corporate demand intersects with land-use policy.
Residential Real Estate
From island estate sales to affordable housing projects, the outlet offers Hawaii housing demand shifts. It explores proposed changes, rental trends, market trends, and senior living developments that drive community investment and affordability.
Government & Regulation
Appropriate news covers shifting in housing regulation, permit concerns, zoning hearings, and government mandates. In initiatives like PBN Dialogue, Pacific Business News talks to legislators about how policy or legislation can be used in the future to limit construction hindrances or impact local business conditions.
Energy & Technology
Together with the transitions in energy, the site monitors renewable activity, utility infrastructure, clean tech startups, and regulation all together in the context of the islands’ distinctive grid. Interviews with innovators driving energy and tech ecosystems on the islands are part of coverage.
Travel & Tourism
Pacific Business News examines trends in visitor arrivals, cruise policies, hospitality profitability, and event-based tourism. It profiles tourism brands, investment shifts, and planning for infrastructure-related growth such as airport upgrades or hospitality expansions.
Hospitality & Retail
Hospitality news includes reopening announcements, acquisitions like pediatric care expansions, and coverage of local brand evolution. Retail reporting covers store launches, consumer behavioral trends, and partnerships that reflect Hawaii’s evolving retail mix.
Lists & Leadership Recognition
The publication’s flagship year-round features include “People on the Move,” “40 Under 40,” “Best Workplaces,” and women-led business lists. These recurring sections help highlight emerging leaders, entrepreneurial innovation, and workplace performance in Hawaii’s corporate ecosystem.
Community & Industry Events
Pacific Business News regularly sponsors and hosts events like leadership award galas, roundtables on business education, and networking events, for real estate through innovation industries. The events get the industries’ members exposed and business networking.
Voices Behind Pacific Business News
Pacific Business News is led by a Honolulu team:
- Editor‑in‑Chief handles editorial operations.
- Staff reporters report on commercial real estate, retail, technology, and economic industries.
- Multimedia and research staff publish data-driven lists and manage digital newsletters.
- Events staff coordinate recognition programs and business gatherings.
This team combines journalistic experience with local immersion into Hawaii’s economic climate, bringing credibility, depth, and insider understanding to their stories.
Illustrative Stories and Features
Industrial Vacancy Trends
Pacific Business News covered higher Oahu industrial vacancies, including the effect of new supply within a recovery cycle on leasing and rents. It included expert commentary on maintaining the market in equilibrium after reversing supplies.
Housing Reform Debates
The lawmakers were interviewed by the publication as part of its “Dialogue” series of housing regulatory reforms to reduce construction expenses and expedite the completion of affordable housing in the islands.
CEO Profiles and Executive Changes
In its regular “People on the Move” section, Pacific Business News documents major hires such as C-Suite transitions at banks, hospitality groups, airlines, and real estate firms, in part providing insight into leadership shifts shaping Hawaii’s economy.
Corporate Upside in Tourism Recovery
Stories tracked the financial rebound of companies like Alexander & Baldwin, spotlighting increases in income and growth forecasts tied to tourism recovery and investment activity in areas such as Kapolei.
Maui Land & Pineapple CEO Strategy
Focused Maui Land & Pineapple as it takes diversified revenue recovery from wildfires, providing business leaders and investors with a lesson in business strategy resilience under adversity.
Island-by-Island Business Profiles
Business profiles of business environments within under-served markets. Like Hilo, Kauai, or Molokai. Targeting local business executives, tourism operators, or cultural businesses beyond Honolulu.
Infrastructure Investment & Planning
In-depth reporting on major initiatives. Like stadium redevelopment, major hospitality expansions, or new commercial development zones. Which shapes regional growth.
Sustainability & Green Innovation
Series covering Hawaii’s energy transitions. Ground-mounted solar and biofuels to sustainability-focused startups. By connecting environmental leadership with business momentum.
Community Impact & Philanthropy
Profiles of local foundations, corporate giving, and nonprofit-business collaborations showcasing impact initiatives. Such as youth entrepreneurship programs or cultural revitalization efforts.
Workforce Development & Education Partnerships
College partnership releases, trade apprenticeships, leadership development programs, and education-to-employment pipelines.
Benefits to Readers & Stakeholders
Pacific Business News is trusted by:
- Its Timeliness: Whether the opening story, executive appointment, or permit delay, breaking news breaks quickly online.
- Authority: Listings and events verify performance and leadership through study and award honors.
- Connectivity: Network events and award presentations enable professionals in industries to connect.
- Context: Government and policy news makes business trends more understandable and predictable.
To business leaders, as minute-by-minute breaking news, tourism, and regulation policy arrive, staying ahead is Pacific Business News’ responsibility—a useful resource.
Access & Navigation
- Sections: Latest News, Commercial Real Estate, Residential Real Estate, Energy, Healthcare, Retail, Travel & Tourism, Lists & Leads, Events, Dialogue Forum.
- Subscriptions: Free access to account, digital editions, email alerts by topic, breaking news alerts.
- Engagement: Offer executive deals to pitch, business tips for news, event ideas for coverage, or propose neighborhood projects for award selection.
Challenges & Opportunities
Like other similar publications, Pacific Business News is confronted with evolving media environments:
- Local focus vs national significance: Striking a balance between in-depth Hawaii-focused coverage and remaining of relevance to the community.
- Advertising revenue adjustment challenges: Maintaining editorial integrity with sponsor-supported events and product listings.
- Multiplied multimedia adoption: Integrating podcasts, video profiles, and live-broadcasting leader interviews.
Opportunities for the outlet are:
- Launching native podcasts interviewing local executives.
- Partnerships with the University of Hawaii, hospitality schools, and trade associations.
- Interactive digital dashboards for property tracking, energy trends, and tourism statistics.
- Bilingual coverage to reach Hawai‘i’s diverse communities.
Five Ways Pacific Business News Drives Local Business Culture
Elevates executive visibility
Lists such as 40 Under 40 and Women Who Mean Business recognize emerging leadership and foster career visibility.
Maintains investor confidence
Ongoing business and real estate coverage supports informed decision-making by both on-island and off-island investors.
Links industry to public policy
Regulatory reform, permit streamlining, and housing legislation news keeps readers aware of policy trends that influence business viability.
Fosters civic engagement
Series of events such as business forums or panels with legislators give local stakeholders a voice in planning their community.
Preserves economic memory
Stories chronicling long-standing companies, family businesses, or major development projects form an archive documenting Hawaii’s economic evolution.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Pacific Business News
Looking forward, the publication may expand with:
- Video interviews with CEOs and developers.
- Online trackers for real estate listings or tourism metrics.
- Collaborative business forecasting sessions.
- Mentorship or newsroom tours for student journalists.
- Sponsorship-supported investigative reporting on climate, transportation, or tourism resilience.
As the economy of Hawaii, from recovery and infrastructure building to sustainability changes and startup growth, Pacific Business News stands poised to guide its readership through these changes with savvy, openness, and locality.
Last Thoughts: Why Pacific Business News Matters
Pacific Business News is not merely a news source. It’s the pulse of Hawaii business. If it’s reporting hard facts, shining lights on leadership, crafting actionable intel, or hosting industry roundtables, it brings insight. It also brings connection to the professional community across the islands.
From Honolulu boardrooms to Maui resort communities, from energy talks to hotel investments, the portal educates and motivates economic decision making rooted in local context.
