Waikiki Magazine will debut Jan. 25 in Hawaii’s most iconic visitor destination.

Published by the Star-Advertiser, the magazine will focus on entertainment, shopping, dining and recreation and will be printed in English and Japanese.

"While Waikiki has traditionally been the playground of visitors and local residents, there’s never been a publication specifically dedicated to the rich shopping, dining and recreational experiences the area has to offer," said Dennis Francis, president and publisher of the Star-Advertiser. The bulk of the 80,000-copy distribution will be to 66 hotels as an insert in the Star-Advertiser and from more than 45 free-standing boxes.

However, some of that distribution will be outside Waikiki, such as at airports and 15 locations on military bases around Oahu, to lure in explorers.

"We want it to be the voice of Waikiki," which is "home to some of the finest restaurants, retailers and night life in the world, all set against the backdrop of white, sandy beaches and azure waters," said Dave Kennedy, senior vice president, marketing.

One unique feature of the new magazine is that it contains four maps of Waikiki — in English, Japanese, Korean and Chinese. It is a feature that sets it apart from all the other publications tourists and locals might pick up. The dining guide also is translated into additional languages.

Waikiki Magazine readers also will get special insights from contributing writer and public relations maven Mona Wood, long a Waikiki insider.

Kamaaina will remember the Waikiki Beach Press, with separate editions published in English and Japanese. While it was aimed at visitors, it was a community newspaper, as opposed to a visitor-experience-focused magazine. The English-language version was published from the 1950s through most of the 1980s, while the Japanese-language edition continued publication until recent years when it was shuttered.

"Such a special place deserves the highest-quality publication possible to properly highlight everything the area has to offer, and that’s what we’re doing with Waikiki Magazine," Kennedy said.

Waikiki Magazine is prepared largely by the staff of the Star-Advertiser’s magazine division, whose other publications include HI Luxury, Halekulani Living and Fairmont Luana, among others, Francis said.

The inaugural edition includes congratulatory letters from Oahu dignitaries including Mayor Peter Carlisle, Hawaii Hotel & Lodging Association President Mufi Hannemann and Rick Egged, president of the Waikiki Improvement Association.

"Virtually every week there are events or activities of interest to everyone," said Egged. "Waikiki Magazine will be the place to find out what, when and where."

A new edition will be published every two months, but given the ebb and flow of visitors to Waikiki shores, 11,000 copies of the magazine will be delivered to Waikiki hotel rooms as a Star-Advertiser insert every two weeks. "That way, it cycles through a new group each time," Francis said.

Between parades, festivals, galas and other activities, Waikiki is bustling with things to do and experience. Businesses and organizations seeking to get events listed or for coverage consideration can contact Linda Woo at 529-4355.

» www.waikikivisitor.com

Reach Erika Engle at 529-4303, erika@staradvertiser.com, or on Twitter as @erikaengle.

» Businesses and organizations seeking to get events listed or for coverage consideration in the new Waikiki Magazine can contact Linda Woo at 529-4355. The story above had another number.