Гавайи к 2026 году станут центром трансформации, объединяя культуру и розничную торговлю

A profound shift is transforming the Pacific, and Honolulu sits at its center. In 2026, Hawaii is a hub — a vanguard at the forefront of an interconnected region. Yet, commanding this status requires bridging the silos between our commercial sectors and our cultural organizations. As consumer expectations and funding structures evolve, these two sectors can no longer operate in isolation. To thrive, they should engage in cross-pollination: retail should absorb the rigor of curation, while cultural institutions should embrace the agility and customer-centric strategies of commerce. According to 2026 statistics from the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, while visitor arrivals have shown fluctuations, overall visitor spending has surged, climbing 19% in January and 4.8% in April to $1.77 billion nominal dollars. Visitors are staying shorter periods but spending more, with U.S. East travelers averaging up to $312 per day. Transactional, “cookie-cutter” retail models dropped into the islands from mainland corporate headquarters no longer capture value. Premium retail brands should pivot from selling products to curating heritage. They should learn from the disciplined museum curator, who tracks, protects and contextualizes an acquisition. In my career, which spans cultural organizations and the world of luxury commerce, I have seen how “heritage as a strategy” builds localized spheres of influence. When a commercial space weaves storytelling into the customer journey, it transcends transactional foot traffic. It builds brand equity and lifetime value. Conversely, Hawaii’s cultural institutions face a daunting landscape. Across the state, the arts and culture sector generates a vital $3.3 billion annually and supports more than 20,000 residents. Yet, local institutions face rising operational costs, tightening state fund restrictions, and a shifting federal grant landscape. The 2025 Ithaka S+R Art Museum Director Survey revealed that 75% of museum directors cite limited resources as their primary constraint. To remain self-sustaining, cultural institutions should absorb the rigors of world-class retail. They should optimize the guest journey and leverage CRM (customer relationship management) frameworks to convert one-time visitors into lifelong donors. Treating museum shops and visual presentation with commercial inventory and logistics frameworks can transform them from gift stands into profitable, self-sustaining engines that fund an institution’s educational and preservation missions. The bridge between these two sectors is human capital. Whether managing a multimillion-dollar retail flagship at Ala Moana Center — where tenants average $1,400 in sales per square foot — or directing a regional cultural program, the strategy is as strong as its execution on the floor. In a competitive market, the solution is elevation of the front line. We should view our frontline staff, whether luxury sales advisers or museum docents, as skilled cultural liaisons and brand ambassadors. Orchestrating a “ceremony of sale” or an elite educational tour requires discipline, continuous coaching and cultural intelligence. Investing in talent elevation and leadership is what drives retention, optimizes performance and protects operational integrity. By upskilling our front-line teams into cross-trained professionals, we build a capable, homegrown management layer, mitigating Hawaii’s corporate “brain drain” and ensuring that future executives of our local economy are cultivated at home. Hawaii’s position at the center of a vibrant Pacific means that we are no longer passive observers of global trends. We have a unique opportunity to set them. By blending the depth of our cultural institutions with the excellence of our commercial brands, Honolulu can establish a resilient, forward- thinking blueprint for a respectful and prosperous economy. Laetitia Thibault-Santoro is a Honolulu-based executive and dual U.S.-French citizen with over 20 years of experience in commercial and cultural operations across five countries.