Hawai’i Tourism Authority Hosts LPGA’s Lotte Championship

The Hawai’i Tourism Authority furthered its partnership with the LPGA Tour this past weekend at the Lotte Championship on Oʻahu, which welcomed 120 LPGA golfers from over 15 countries.

The partnership with the LPGA Tour included the establishment of the LPGA*USGA Girls Golf Hawaii Chapter in 2023 to encourage Hawai’i’s youth golfers.

“The rise of sports tourism brings vast opportunities, such as the Lotte Championship, for us to engage with these high-profile athletes and showcase our Islands’ depth and breadth globally, while also giving our homegrown athletes a chance to shine here at home,” said Mufi Hannemann, Hawai’i Tourism Authority board chair. “We encourage our residents and families to come out and enjoy championship golf at its finest.”

A big focus of the tournament was bringing in revenue from South Korea. Visitors from Korea spent $314.8 million in Hawaii during the first nine months of 2024, generating $36.5 million in state tax revenue. In comparison, visitor spending was $322.8 million in the first nine months of 2023 and $352.2 million during the same timeframe in pre-pandemic 2019.

The Korean golf fans in attendance were able to celebrate the victory of Kim A-lim, who shot 18-under par to capture the win. South Koreans Ko Jin-young and Kim Hyo-joo also finished with top-10 finishes at the event.