In the pause forced by the pandemic, we discovered what Hawaii would be like without tourists. Nature regenerated in high-traffic spots like Hanauma Bay. A visit to the turtles at Laniakea Beach became hassle-free. And the economy tanked. The health and the hurt were both real. Nothing could make it more clear how critical it is to balance nature and industry going forward.
Introducing: regenerative tourism, a give-and-take view that acknowledges the costs of the visitor economy, stacking them against the benefits to produce a net gain. To move this concept from talk into action, the Hawaii Tourism Authority has released three-year Destination Management Plans for Oahu and the neighbor islands, each one a product of collaboration among stakeholders, from resorts to Native Hawaiian cultural groups.
The Oahu report is a thoughtful document that says all the right things and is admirable in its ambition. It starts by noting that what’s good for one side of this equation can be bad for the other. In pre-COVID 2019, a record 10.4 million visitors came to Hawaii, spending $17.75 billion, generating $2.07 billion in taxes and supporting 216,000 jobs. Yay? Not really. While money is nice, this influx of human beings taxed our natural resources, our infrastructure and our patience.
The plan’s stated goal is to rebuild, redefine and reset — three Rs that could give us a whole new way to welcome visitors while protecting all that makes Hawaii, Hawaii. And it wisely sets a not-too-far-off deadline to make its ideas happen: 2024.
Boiling it down to nuts and bolts, the report spells out visions and actions. Kickoff points cover a less-is-more philosophy of controlling visitor numbers by supporting curbs on illegal vacation rentals and seeking ways to limit “new visitor accommodation development” through, for example, building permits, zoning or airport policies.
It also homes in on 17 natural or cultural hot spots that include Diamond Head, Hanauma Bay, Laniakea, Kaena Point, Maunawili Falls and several hiking trails. Many could benefit from reservations systems and nonresident access fees like those in place at Diamond Head and Hanauma, the plan suggests, as well as traffic and parking management. Mandatory hiking permits could come with education on safety and trail use, with fees going toward search and rescue, in a worst-case scenario.
A further note: Tourists are not created equal, the plan seems to say, as it advocates marketing programs meant to draw “positive impact” travelers who would explore beyond the obvious sites and even invest vacation time in an activity that “enriches their lives while giving back to the communities they are fortunate enough to visit.”
At this stage, everything is mostly in the exploration phase, with many consultations to come, particularly in neighborhoods near the hot spots. It’s also important to note that it is beyond the power of the Hawaii Tourism Authority to enact regulatory change or control the free movement of people into islands. It is an influential agency, however, that can move the needle in a big way. Besides, someone has to do the work, and this is a solid start.
Hawaii is not going to disengage from tourism as the driver of our economy — not in this generation, anyway, not if we want to continue living in the manner to which we have become accustomed. We can diversify, sure, but we still need to cement the groundwork for a healthy relationship between visitors and the land. No one wins if our islands are gridlocked and overrun, which is where we’re headed if we don’t get control of things now.
