Maui Nui Destination Management Action Plan 2021-2023

MAUI NUI

DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN 2021–2023

I. Introduction

PURPOSE OF THE PLAN

In 2019, the Hawaiian Islands received a record high of 10.4 million visitors. While this brought in $17.75 billion in total visitor spending to Hawai‘i’s businesses, generated $2.07 billion in taxes, and supported 216,000 jobs statewide, it also put pressure on some of our destinations and communities. This situation is not unique to Hawai‘i. Other popular destinations—from Venice, Italy to Machu Picchu, Peru, to Kyoto, Japan—have also felt the negative efects of tourism, which not only impacts residents’ quality of life but also the quality of the visitor experience.

In recognition of these challenges, the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), in partnership with the counties and the respective visitor bureaus, initiated the process of developing community-based Destination Management Action Plans (DMAPs) that aim to rebuild, redefne and reset the direction of tourism over a three-year period. The focus is on stabilization, recovery, and rebuilding of the desired visitor industry for each island . The actions put forth in the DMAPs are guided by an island-based Steering Committee, that went through a collaborative process which encouraged participation and vital input from the community, visitor industry and other sectors. The DMAPs identify areas of need as well as actionable solutions for enhancing the residents’ quality of life and improving the visitor experience across the islands.

The idea of “regenerative tourism” gained momentum in 2020, as the global COVID-19 pandemic increased awareness of tourism’s opportunities and vulnerabilities. What is regenerative tourism? About 15 years ago, the model for “sustainable tourism” was instituted, built on tourism that was environmentally friendly, culturally sensitive and had less impact than high numbers of visitors.

HTA’s 2020–2025 Strategic Plan was organized around four interacting pillars—Natural Resources, Hawaiian Culture, Community, and Brand Marketing, with more emphasis on addressing tourism impacts and broader destination management. In the plan, HTA defned Destination Management to include:

• attracting and educating responsible visitors;

• advocating for solutions to overcrowded attractions, overtaxed infrastructure, and other tourism-related problems; and

• working with other responsible agencies to improve natural and cultural assets valued by both Hawai‘i residents and visitors.

Regenerative tourism takes sustainability one step further and focuses on the net benefit of the visitor economy to a destination, looking at social and cultural benefts and costs. “Regenerative tourism is bolder and more inspiring. It aims not just to do less harm, but to go on and restore the harm that our system has already done to the natural world, and by using nature’s principles, to create the conditions of life to fourish. It views wholes and not parts, and is a very diferent way of looking at the world.” (Anna Pollock, international tourism consultant and founder of Conscious Travel).

Many of the actions in this plan take a regenerative tourism approach.

The DMAP initiative is a part of HTA’s strategic vision and plan to manage Hawai‘i tourism in a responsible and regenerative manner.

FORMATION OF THE DMAP

The process of the development of the Maui Nui DMAP started with the HTA, the County of Maui’s Ofce of Economic Development and the Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau (MVCB) developing a list of stakeholders who represented the visitor industry sectors (hotel, attractions, activities), other business sectors (e.g. agriculture, retail), the community (e.g. Hawaiian culture, education), and other nonproft organizations on each of their respective islands of Maui, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i. The stakeholders also represented the communities that they live in. Invitations were sent, and a number volunteered their time to form the Maui, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i Steering Committees (see Acknowledgment section).

During the steering committees’ frst virtual meeting, the members reviewed HTA’s Strategic Plan, including HTA’s key performance indicators and four pillars, as

well as the Maui County Tourism Strategic Plan and its tourism strategies. The Moloka‘i Steering committee also received, “A Community-Based Visitor Plan for Moloka‘i,” McGregor, 2006 and the Lāna‘i Steering Committee reviewed the 2016 Lāna‘i Community Plan. These plans were the foundation of each island’s DMAP. After an overview, the group critically examined destination attributes valued only by residents, only by visitors, and by both the residents and visitors. They also discussed the destination attributes that were at-risk or threatened. From there, the steering committees brainstormed actions—what to protect or mitigate, what to preserve or grow, and where the gap can be closed or bridged. During the steering committees’ second virtual meeting, the actions were grouped, and overarching anchor actions and sub-actions were identifed. These actions were presented to island residents at virtual community meetings via Zoom. The community was encouraged to provide input at the virtual community meetings as well as through an online inputform.OnMoloka‘i,theinput formwas also mailed to all households. The results of the community input forms can be found on the HTA’s website.

After reviewing community feedback, the steering committees met virtually, additional times, to review and select a final list of anchor actions that their DMAPs would focus on. Employees of HTA, the county, and MVCB reviewed the proposed actions to confrm they could be done under their respective purviews. All of the anchor actions were developed by the steering committees with input from the community.

IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK

Hawai‘i’s tourism industry is at a critical point and residents’ livelihoods depend on the recovery of the visitor industry—directly or indirectly. Tourism needs to be managed responsibly so that residents and destinations can thrive. HTA is leading many of the eforts in the Maui Nui Destination Management Action Plan. However, there needs to be collaboration and support from other state and county agencies, the community, the visitor industry and other sectors, to help move the actions forward. This is a three-year plan and a living document that will be evaluated annually against key performance indicators.

‘A‘ohe hana nui ke alu ‘ia. “No task is too big when done together by all.”

‘ŌLELO NO‘EAU (HAWAIIAN PROVERB)

II. Overview of Tourism in Hawai‘i

OVERALL TRENDS

Tourism has remained the primary economic driver for Hawai‘i’s economy across all islands. In 2019, tourism was 16.2% of Hawai‘i Gross Domestic Product (GDP), second to real estate and rental and leasing at 18.8% of Hawai‘i GDP. Jobs in the tourism industry accounted for 20% of total jobs in Hawai‘i while jobs in the real estate and rental and leasing sector accounted for 4.4% of total jobs. From 2012 to 2019, the State of Hawai‘i’s visitor industry sustained annual growth in terms of arrivals and expenditures. In 2019, tourism was the largest single source of private capital for Hawai‘i’s economy. Total visitor spending reached $17.84 billion (1.1% increase compared to 2018). Tourism generated $2.08 billion in state tax revenue. A total of 10,424,995 visitors came to the Hawaiian Islands by either air service or cruise ship (5.4% increase over  2018).

The visitor industry has provided steady employment opportunities and supported the development of small businesses throughout the state. In 2019, tourism supported 216,000 jobs statewide. Hawai‘i has experienced record arrivals over the past few years with no signifcant increase in the number of traditional lodging units (e.g., hotels and resorts), however, unpermitted short-term rentals increased in Hawai‘i’s neighborhoods.

Prior to the global COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 was set to be another year of record growth for Hawai‘i. However, in the first 10 months of 2020, visitor

arrivals were down 73.4 percent to 2,296,622, with significantly fewer arrivals by air service (-73.4% to 2,266,831) and by cruise ship (-74.2% to 29,792). The average daily census or the number of visitors in Hawai‘i on any given day was 77,007 (68.7% decrease over year-to-date October 2019). Compared to year-todate October 2019, the average length of stay increased by 17.9% to 10.23 days. This was a result of visitors staying double-digit days during the state’s trans-Pacifc 14-day quarantine requirement that started on March 26, 2020. The state’s pre-travel testing program started on October 15, 2020 as a way for travelers to bypass the mandatory quarantine requirement.

The majority of visitors to Hawai‘i arrive by air, and thus air service to the islands is vital for Hawai‘i’s tourism industry. Total air capacity (number of seats) decreased 62.1 percent to 4,278,381 seats as a result of a reduction in air service to Honolulu (-59.9% to 2,803,908 seats), Kahului (-65.8% to 816,083 seats), Kona (-62.9% to 390,573 seats), Līhu‘e (-68.6% to 258,853 seats) and Hilo (-77.4% to 8,964 seats).

Sails on the Hawai‘i home-ported cruise ship, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America, have been suspended since April 2020 and out-of-state cruise ships were not permitted into the islands due to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) “No Sail Order” from March 14 to October 29, 2020. As of October 30, 2020, the CDC began taking a phased approach to resuming passenger operations.

Hawai‘i’s unemployment rate increased from 2.6 percent in the frst quarter of 2020 to 20.3 percent in the second quarter, and then decreased to 13.9 percent in the third quarter. Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) projects that for 2020 overall, the average annual employment rate will be at 11.2 percent, then decrease to 7.9 percent in 2021 and 7.1 percent in 2022. These rates are signifcantly higher than Hawai‘i’s average unemployment rate of 2.5% from 2017 to 2019.

TOURISM FORECAST

According to the DBEDT’s fourth quarter Outlook for the Economy, total visitor expenditures is forecasted to end the year at $5.11 billion (-71.4%) with 2.73 million visitor arrivals (-73.7%). Economists predict that it will take a couple of years before Hawaii’s visitor industry returns to previous levels.

RESIDENT SENTIMENT

HTA conducts an annual Resident Sentiment Survey (RSS) to gauge resident attitudes toward tourism in Hawai‘i and to identify perceived positive and negative impacts of the visitor industry on residents. Positive resident sentiment is important to maintain a healthy industry. The 2019 RSS report showed that resident sentiment had generally weakened compared to the previous year. By extension, the quality of the visitor experience will likely decline if this trend continues. For now, the two are inexorably linked and changes are necessary to improve resident sentiment—there must be a better balance of economic, social and cultural, and community benefts from tourism. Providing residents with a voice in tourism development, creating jobs with opportunities for advancement, and creating shopping, dining and entertainment opportunities are key to improving resident sentiment.

III. Goal

The goal of each island DMAP for Maui Nui is to rebuild, redefne and reset the direction of tourism over a three-year period.

IV. Objectives

There are six objectives to achieve the goals and vision of the DMAP for Maui Nui.

OBJECTIVE 1

Create positive contributions to the quality of life for Maui County’s residents.

OBJECTIVE 2

Support the maintenance, enhancement, and protection of Maui County’s natural resources.

OBJECTIVE 3

Ensure the authentic Hawaiian culture is perpetuated and accurately presented in experiences for residents and visitors, materials and marketing eforts.

OBJECTIVE 4

Maintain and improve visitor satisfaction of their experience in Maui County.

OBJECTIVE 5

Strengthen the economic contribution of Maui County’s visitor industry.

OBJECTIVE 6

Increase communication and understanding between the residents and the visitor industry.

Each island within Maui Nui has its unique personality, community, strengths and challenges. To capture these distinctions, and the input from their respective communities and steering committees, each island DMAP is presented separately in the following three sections: Maui, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i.

MAUI

Hanohano Maui nō ka ‘oi

Glorious Maui, is the very best

V. Maui Destination Management Action Plan

MAUI TOURISM SITUATION ANALYSIS

Riding the surge of global travel in 2019, the island of Maui saw visitor arrivals reach a record 3.06 million visitors. Those Maui visitors also contributed $5.13 billion in expenditures to Hawai‘i’s economy. On average, visitors stayed eight days and spent $212 per person per day.

Maui has a reputation for high-quality resorts and Maui hotels experienced another strong year with annual hotel occupancy at 78 percent on average and an average daily hotel room rate of $400. Other visitor accommodations also were experiencing boom times (timeshare: 94% occupancy, vacation rentals: 79% occupancy). Only half of visitors stayed in hotels (54%), while condo (27%), timeshare (10%) and rental houses (9%) were also well used. Some visitors felt trafc was a concern or mentioned the destination being expensive.

However, as of October 2020, the consequences of the global pandemic have resulted in visitor counts down 75 percent compared to the prior year. The number of direct air seats into Maui was also down 66 percent. The decline in the visitor industry also resulted in a loss of jobs on Maui with accommodation jobs down 80 percent (-9,700 jobs) and Maui food service, restaurants and drinking places down 4,600 jobs, representing a 46 percent loss.

The island of Maui has a strong distinct brand known worldwide. The Maui experience consistently performs well with 90 percent of visitors rating their Maui experience as excellent. Most visitors are also highly likely to recommend Maui to their friends and family. However, a recent DestinationNEXT study 1 found some concern for Maui’s readiness for international visitors (81% of visitors come from the U.S.).

Visitor behavior may also be a cause for concern. A high proportion of independent repeat visitors took part in fewer guided activities, instead doing more self-directed tours and driving around the island. Further, few visitors took part in historic, cultural or art activities.

• High number of repeat visitors (71%) who are usually independent travelers (81%).

• 83% do self-guided tours or drive around the island.

• Only 21% of visitors go to historic sites and 19% go to museums or art galleries.

The community’s perspective on Maui’s visitor industry in 2019 was not as positive. Residents felt crowded out because 3-in-10 persons walking around Maui were visitors. Maui residents felt that tourism created trafc problems and increased the cost of living on island. They also felt that visitors did not have respect for local culture or the ‘āina, and their activities damaged the environment. However, specifc quantitative metrics for resident sentiment of Maui residents are not published by HTA.

1 DestinationNEXT Multi-User Diagnostic Assessment: Hawai‘i Statewide, Destinations International and MMGY NextFactor, December 30, 2019.

Situational Analysis Summary for Maui

Strengths

• Hospitality culture

• Strong brand as leisure destination

• Direct fight from core westbound markets

• High-quality resorts

• Diverse attractions

• Higher percent of repeat and second home visitors (short term)

• Strong organized industry support

Problems

• Visitor to resident ratio is high

• Environmental impacts

• Readiness for international visitors

• Inefective advocacy for tourism

• Mobility and access issues

• High repeat and second home visitors

• Harbor limitations for cruise industry

• Seasonality creates unstable business and seasonal layofs

• Low utilization of cultural resources especially Native Hawaiian resources

• High unemployment rate in visitor industry due to COVID-19

Opportunities

• Increase workforce quality and relations

• Present authentic Hawaiian culture

• Improve mobility (walk, bike, public transport, road network)

• Local leadership engagement

• Tourism master planning

• Group/Incentive business

• Niche honeymoon target market

• Market to repeat and second home visitors (Recovery)

• Focus on hotels and package tours

• Reputation for high-tech and innovation (meetings, conventions and incentives (MCI) and new niche markets)

Threats

• Changing lodging demand: shift away from full-service hotels to timeshare and vacation rentals, visitors that spend less

• Climate change

• If infrastructure is not improved, then visitor satisfaction will go down

• Core tourism businesses and non-profts may not survive COVID-19

• Loss of westbound market

• Island-specifc data on resident sentiment is not available to track change over time

VISION FOR MAUI TOURISM

The Maui DMAP vision was created based on feedback provided by the Maui Island Steering Committee at its frst meeting.

By 2024, together with the community, the visitor industry will:

• Rebound to lead Maui’s economic recovery;

• Develop shared strategies and actions for a more balanced long-term future that ensures economic sustainability for the community while preserving the quality of life for residents and quality of place for visitors.

and between the islands falls under federal jurisdiction. Likewise, businesses are free to operate in the islands so long as they do not break any laws. The goal of the DMAP meetings was to gather input from the community regarding how to manage tourism before and after the visitors arrive as well as how we mālama the visitors, and each other, once the visitors are here. This includes considerations around protecting our ‘āina and perpetuating the Hawaiian culture. This does not, however, include deciding who can and cannot come to an island specifcally, or to Hawai‘i in general.

MAUI DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ACTIONS

This plan represents the community’s desire for the Maui’s visitor industry and for the island. The actions were developed by the steering committee and the community. In some cases, HTA took the essence of the community’s feedback and input and turned it into an action.

The actions were shaped by underlying issues that were identifed by the steering committee and also appeared in the community input:

• Concern over illegal rentals

• Finding visitors that have similar values to residents

• Educating visitors

• Two-way communications and industry collaboration

• Transportation issues and infrastructure

The community also mentioned limiting the number of visitors to the island, as well as the number of rental cars. Unfortunately, HTA has no control over these. The free movement of people to travel to the islands

The following tables identify opportunities and needs for each of the anchor actions, including the identifcation of responsible agencies and timing of the action’s commencement and/or delivery over a three-year period. As DMAP implementation continues, there will be more organizations and businesses identifed to help move this plan forward.

The long-term measures of success will be measured through HTA’s Strategic Plan’s four overall Key Performance Measures: Resident Satisfaction, Visitor Satisfaction, Average Daily Visitor Spending, and Total Visitor Spending. A “milestone” is a qualitative way of determining progress toward accomplishing a specifc defned action. The milestones for success are the completion of each subaction in the phase indicated.

MAUI Action A

Implement a responsible tourism marketing communications program to educate visitors pre- and post-arrival about safe and respectful travel.

ACTION ACTION NO.

A.1 Develop and implement a coordinated marketing and branding plan that defnes and amplifes regenerative tourism on Maui.

LEAD (L) SUPPORT (S)

L = HTA

S = Global Marketing Team (GMT) [e.g. Hawai‘i Visitors & Convention Bureau (HVCB), MVCB, Hawai‘i Tourism Japan (HTJ)], Industry partners

A.2 Review and enhance the goHawaii app to include more island-specifc features such as real time information, road closures, events, local etiquette, resource protection, and areas that are of-limits. A geo-targeted app is desired.

A.3 Encourage usage of the updated goHawaii app in the implementation of the marketing/branding plan (including social media). Encourage partners to also promote the goHawaii app and other visitor education programs.

A.4 Continue public service announcements about being a responsible visitor on incoming fights and at airports. Ensure continued funding for program.

L = HTA

S = County, HVCB, MVCB

L = HVCB, MVCB

S = County, HTA

L = HTA

S = Department of Transportation –Airports

Action B

Initiate, fund and continue programs to protect the health of ocean, fresh water and land-based ecosystems and biosecurity.

B.1 Promote Hawai‘i’s sunscreen law and educate visitors about proper sunscreen use through the goHawaii app and other visitor education programs.

B.2 Explore the capacity limits at hot spots through science-based data. Continue educating the community and visitors about the importance of limiting numbers to ensure hot spots can be sustained and thrive.

B.3 Pilot a reservation system (e.g., East Maui Reservation and Itinerary System) to support a sustainable capacity of visitors and explore the feasibility of expanding capabilities to other hot spots on the island.

B.4 Encourage and if needed provide incentives to visitor industry partners for recycling, wastewater reuse, organic land care, and renewable energy installation. Recognize those partners who have exceeded expectations.

L = MVCB S = HTA, County X X X

L = Department of Land and Natural Resources

S = HTA

L = HTA

X

S = County X X X

L = County S = HTA, Dept of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT)

X

Action C

Continue to reach out to the community to understand resident sentiment, increase communications to residents, and foster collaboration.

C.1 Hold regular town hall meetings to include both community members, stakeholders, and industry partners.

C.2 Increase awareness of tourism benefts such as jobs, small business successes, local/Maui workforce; how resident concerns are being viewed and addressed; and how it correlates with Maui’s overall economy. Use town hall meetings addressed in C.1 as one vehicle for these messages.

Action D

Continue to ofer cultural education and training programs to enhance and perpetuate aloha, mālama and kuleana, and the authentic Hawai‘i experience.

D.1 Explore funding and scholarships to increase tour guide certifcation program participation as pilot project for future compulsory culture and language training programs.

D.2 Work with University of Hawai‘i Maui College to increase and promote visitor industry training programs.

D.3 Explore options and identify community organizations that can work with industry partners to foster locations for educational sites for learning that supports practitioners: apprentice type of programs to ensure proper, quality learning.

D.4 Continue to ofer and promote cultural education workshop series for visitor industry and other businesses.

DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN 2021–2023

Action E

Develop Regenerative Tourism initiatives.

E.1 Support and incentivize product development to create more packages with opportunities to not only learn about Hawai‘i but to also make the place better.

E.2 Identify and promote cross-discipline activities into product development (i.e., invasive species eradication, planting taro, wildlife preservation and environmental protection for visitors and residents).

Action F

Develop and promote initiatives to improve the experience of transportation and ground travel.

Work with hotels and other employers to stagger shift times to mitigate trafc congestion.

Identify ways to increase availability of rental cars in the resort areas for on-demand use.

F.4 Together with HDOT-Airports explore options to reduce the number of fights arriving near the same time to reduce the related impact of high trafc volume between the airport and resort areas.

Action G

Ensure more direct benefts to residents from tourism.

G.1 Encourage hotels and restaurants to prioritize purchases from local suppliers to support recovery eforts and recognize those who are helping.

G.2 Develop a master list of locally grown and value-added products that can be accessed by hotels and restaurants to know more easily what is available. The list can include local growers; co-ops; volume of product available; list of food products (Chamber); other manufactured/value-added products.

Action H

Have HTA and the county advocate for consistent enforcement of laws and progress report(s) on enforcement.

H.1 Advocate for increased enforcement of current laws.

X

MAUI ACTIONS FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION

The following actions were considered as important actions by the Maui Steering Committee. However, further review by HTA and the County determined these actions to be beyond the current scope of the Maui DMAP. These actions would be better served by a community lead and would need additional time to identify organizations and work towards an agreement; or the action would require signifcant review and research beyond the three-year scope of this DMAP.

• Address impacts of sea level rise, including repair and rebuilding of roads and properties to ensure resilience.

• Align infrastructure with County projections.

MAUI’S TOURISM HOTSPOTS

A “hotspot” is an area or site that attracts visitors due to its popularity, which may result in overcrowding, congestion, degradation of resources, safety hazards, and a negative experience for both residents and visitors.

While HTA is not an enforcement agency, it can be a catalyst to bring together respective state and county agencies, the community, and private sector to develop solutions that address hotspot sites and areas.

HTA reviewed the community’s input from the surveys and community meetings, in addition to feedback from the county, MVCB, and Maui Steering Committee. Below are the hotspot areas and sites that HTA will monitor together with the respective agencies as needed to help mitigate issues. Other areas and sites were identifed, but the locations of utmost concern are:

• Kaihalulu Bay (Access)

• Helele‘ike‘ōhā (Access)

• Haleakalā (Access)

• Bamboo forest, Kailua (Access, Safety, Cultural)

• Puka Maui coastline (Access, Safety, Cultural)

• Puahokamoa Falls (Access, Safety, Cultural)

• Honomanu Waterfall (Access, Safety, Cultural)

• Waikani Waterfall (Access, Safety, Cultural)

• Wailuaiki Pond (Access, Safety, Cultural)

• Waioka, Venus Pool (Access, Safety, Cultural)

• Pu‘u Keka‘a (Safety)

• Highway 330: Kukui Bay to Huakini Bay (Safety and Car Rental)

• Highway 30: Honolua Bay to Kahakuloa Bay (Safety)

• Nākālele Blowhole (Safety)

• Pools of ‘Ohe‘o (Safety)

• Molokini Island (Environmental, Overcrowding)

MOLOKA‘I

“Land of Plenty” in honor of the great productivity of the island and its surrounding ocean

‘Āina Mōmona

VI. Moloka‘i Destination Management Action Plan

MOLOKA‘I TOURISM SITUATION ANALYSIS

Moloka‘i is home to the highest sea clifs in the world along its northeast coast and Hawai‘i’s longest continuous fringing reef (28 miles) of Moloka‘i’s southern coast. With a high percentage of its population being of Native Hawaiian ancestry, Moloka‘i is a place where Hawaiian culture thrives. With a population of 6,820, the people of Moloka‘i continue to preserve their rural lifestyle and show a great respect and love of the land.

In 2019, visitors spent a total of $36 million on Moloka‘i with 63,035 out-of-state visitors. This equated to 783 visitors on any given day (10% of the de facto population). Those visitors spent about $126 per person per day or $571 per person per trip. 2 Among those out-of-state visitors, 71 percent came for vacation, 12 percent came to visit friends or relatives, 4 percent for honeymoon/get married, 4 percent for business, and 10 percent came for sports and other purposes.

However, as of October 2020, visitor arrivals dropped by 71 percent down to an average daily census of 323 visitors. Available Hawai‘i labor statistics shows that the pandemic has resulted in a loss of approximately 100 jobs (down 50%) at food and beverages stores.

Almost a third of visitors were frst-timers and most were independent travelers in couples or groups. Two-thirds of visitors stayed in hotels or condos while 16 percent stayed with friends/relatives and 15 percent stayed in rental houses. The Moloka‘i visitor experience was highly regarded, 84 percent of visitors rated their Moloka‘i experience as excellent. However, only half of visitors were likely to recommend Moloka‘i (54%) to their friends and family. A noticeable number say that there was no reason to return to Moloka‘i (23%), which refected on the lower proportion of repeat visitors. Visitors felt that Moloka‘i needed more variety of activities and dining options.

Based on a recent DestinationNEXT study3 Moloka‘i did well for mobility and access but was very weak on communication and internet infrastructure, as well as international readiness. Stakeholders felt that Moloka‘i needs some improvement with industry support and effective advocacy but was very weak with effective Destination Management Organization governance and funding support.

Situational Analysis Summary for Moloka‘i

Strengths

• Hawaiian cultural heritage

• Local culture

• Rural character, agricultural base

• Hospitality

• Natural beauty and resources

• Quiet, peaceful, relaxing

• ‘Ohana and belonging

• Visitors and residents interact frequently where residents live and work

• Unique sites

Opportunities

• Focus on vacationers from other islands

• Out-of-state guests who have been educated on Island’s desire to maintain traditional rural lifestyle

• Residents’ desire for community-based model

• Expansion of well-known events (Moloka‘i Hoe, Ka Hula Piko) for kama‘āina market

• Kaluako‘i and Moloka‘i Ranch have infrastructure that could be revitalized

• Vigilant residents will monitor and keep tourism in-line

Problems

• Lack of conventional resort facilities

• Real estate linked to tourism

• Interisland air service and no ferry service

• Public park infrastructure

• Limited dining

• Large landowner not interested in doing anything with the land except to sell

• Land Trust is small

• High unemployment rate in visitor industry due to COVID-19

Threats

• Limited entrepreneurial skills, training, support

• Large scale tourism operations could easily overwhelm the limited community and environmental resources

• Polarization of the community

VISION FOR MOLOKA‘I’S TOURISM

The Moloka‘i DMAP Vision was developed by the Moloka‘i Steering Committee at its frst meeting.

By 2024, together with the community, the visitor industry will:

• Support developing basic infrastructure that beneft residents, kama‘āina travelers and out-of-state visitors.

• Develop shared strategies and actions for a balanced long-term future that contributes to economic sustainability for the community and preserves the quality of life for residents.

The community mentioned limiting the number of visitors to the island, as well as the number of rental cars. Unfortunately, HTA has no control over these. The free movement of people to travel to the islands and between the islands falls under federal jurisdiction. And businesses are free to operate in the islands so long as they do not break any laws. The goal of the DMAP meetings was to gather input from the community regarding how to manage tourism before and after the visitors arrive as well as how we mālama the visitors, and each other, once the visitors are here. This includes considerations around protecting our ‘āina and perpetuating the Hawaiian culture. This does not, however, include deciding who can and cannot come to an island specifcally, or to Hawai‘i in general.

MOLOKA‘I DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ACTIONS

The actions were developed by the steering committee and the community. The plan represents the community’s desire for the visitor industry and for the island. In some cases, HTA took the essence of the community’s feedback and input and turned it into an action.

The actions were shaped by underlying issues that were identifed by the steering committee and also appeared in the community input:

• Strengthen tourism through supporting job stability

• Keep residents feeling safe and comfortable in their communities without feeling pressure from outside sources (Keep Moloka‘i, Moloka‘i)

• Residents are empowered to have control of events and tourism activities

• Trust in the community

• Residents participate in tourism and educating visitors

The following tables identify opportunities and needs for each of the anchor actions, including the identifcation of responsible agencies and timing of the action’s commencement and/or delivery over a three-year period. As HTA carries out the DMAP, there will be more organizations and businesses identifed to help move this plan forward.

The long-term measures of success will be measured through HTA’s Strategic Plan’s four overall Key Performance Measures: Resident Satisfaction, Visitor Satisfaction, Average Daily Visitor Spending, and Total Visitor Spending. A “milestone” is a qualitative way of determining progress toward accomplishing a specifc defned action. The milestones for success are the completion of each subaction in the phase indicated.

A

Develop communication and education programs to encourage responsible visitor behaviors.

ACTION ACTION

A.1 Assess the feasibility of a visitor center open every day and fully stafed.

A.2 Develop Moloka‘i specifc content for communications pieces to educate visitors about what to expect on Moloka‘i, including types of activities that are available as well as rules, sites where access is not allowed, safety rules, list of resources, etc. The content should also describe a process of mutual respect between residents and visitors.

A.3 Develop a process that incoming visitors are highly encouraged to watch an orientation video at the Moloka‘i Airport.

A.4 Explore other means of delivering orientation information to guests, pre-arrivals (i.e., videos on goHawaii.com, YouTube, printed materials to business and visitor touchpoints).

L = HTA

S = MVCB X

L = HTA

S = County

L = HTA

S = DOT X X

L = HTA

S = HVCB, MVCB, Global Marketing Team (GMT)

X

A.5 Work with landowners and promote use of existing reservations systems to access sensitive areas (hotspots).

L = HTA

S = County, private landowners X

Action B

Support the growth of Moloka‘i businesses by encouraging new product development focused on regenerative tourism, while continuing support of traditional leisure tourism, to increase jobs for residents.

B.1 Support existing businesses to remain viable until visitor industry stabilizes—anticipated to be Summer 2021. This could take the form of ofering workshops on recovery, diferent aspects of capacity building, grants, and/or temporary ofces/workspaces.

B.2 Support the creation of new businesses (and existing businesses looking to grow or transition into new areas) that can ofer desired experiences and services to visitors and provide more job stability for residents. This could take the form of ofering workshops on diferent aspects of starting up a business, start-up grants, and/or temporary ofces/workspaces.

B.3 Community-based businesses, organizations and tourism providers to identify regenerative tourism activities that could be ofered to visitors and then amplifed through product development and marketing programs.

L = County X

L = County S = HTA X X

L = HTA

X X

Action C

Promote Moloka‘i to attract kama‘āina and specifc visitor segments who appreciate and understand the Moloka‘i lifestyle.

ACTION ACTION NO.

C.1 Invite members of the community, cultural experts and businesses to be a part of an advisory group to guide messaging and campaigns to evolve the positioning of Moloka‘i towards a cultural and educational experience in addition to a leisure vacation destination.

C.2 Develop marketing programs for on-island businesses to attract earnest visitors who value, appreciate, want to learn about, be inspired by, and experience local cultures and lifestyles of Moloka‘i.

C.3 Target marketing towards groups that match with the experiences that Moloka‘i has to ofer.

• Kama‘āina visitors who better understand the lifestyle and experience Moloka‘i has to ofer.

• Retreat groups.

• Hunter segment who can also help manage the deer population.

• Repeat visitors to Moloka‘i.

• Visitors looking to take part in agritourism and cultural tourism activities.

LEAD

PHASING SUPPORT (S) 1 2 3

L = HVCB, MVCB

S = HTA, Moloka‘i community, X X County

L = HVCB, MVCB, GMT X X

L = HTA

S = HVCB, MVCB, GMT X X X

MAUI NUI DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN 2021–2023

Action D

Enhance resident-visitor relations by strengthening existing cultural/community-based organizations and activities.

D.1 Develop voluntourism activities that give visitors opportunities to participate with local nonproft organizations in Lo‘i Kalo, Loko I‘a, conservation, and restoration activities.

D.2 Support and strengthen existing events, and create new events by local community experts for both residents and visitors. Ensure cultural events are run by someone with relevant experience.

D.3 Guide event organizers and visiting groups to ensure they interact with the island in a sustainable manner that enhances the environment.

D.4 Involve more Moloka‘i residents and Moloka‘i-based tourism related businesses in developing events.

D.5 Encourage cultural practitioners with generational ties to Moloka‘i to participate and lead in business eforts and events, to support continued cultural practices on island.

D.6 Identify clean-up/restoration projects that could be implemented to support residents and tourists alike (see B.3).

D.7 Identify and evaluate options on how the fshponds can play a larger role in uniting the community and visitors.

D.8 Hold regular town hall meetings to include both community, stakeholders, and industry partners, to share updates on the benefts and trade-ofs of tourism for Moloka‘i, through multiple modes of communication (not just online).

Action E

Provide accommodations that meet the needs of the target segments.

E.1 Identify community infrastructure that needs improvement/revitalization.

E.2 Seek public-private partnership to improve and revitalize existing accommodations to meet the needs of target segments. (e.g. tentalows, The Lodge, Kaluako‘i , DHHL – Coconut Grove, Lanikila)

Action F

Engage partners to determine a path forward that will enhance interisland transportation options for both residents and visitors.

F.1 Advocate for airlines, County, HDOT and Federal Aviation Administration to restore afordable and dependable air and sea transportation to viable levels that meet the needs of the community.

F.2 Consider whether there are options to increase services during high demand events without increasing impact to the natural resources.

MOLOKA‘I TOURISM HOTSPOTS

A “hotspot” is an area or site that attracts visitors due to its popularity, which may result in overcrowding, congestion, degradation of resources, safety hazards, and a negative experience for both residents and visitors.

While HTA is not an enforcement agency, it can be a catalyst to bring together respective state and county agencies, the community, and private sector to develop solutions that address hotspot sites and areas.

HTA reviewed the community’s input from the surveys and community meetings, in addition to feedback from the county, MVCB, and Moloka‘i Steering Committee. Below are the hotspot areas and sites that HTA will monitor together with the respective agencies as needed to help mitigate issues. Other areas and sites were identifed, but the locations of utmost concern are:

• Mo‘oula Falls (Access)

• Kiowea Park (Access)

• Kapuāiwa (Access by roadside)

• Kalaupapa Trail (Access)

• Kamakou Preserve (Conservation limited access)

• Kaloko‘eli Fishpond (Access by appointment)

• Keawanui Fishpond (Access)

• Lā‘au Point (Access)

• Ali‘i Fishpond (Access)

• ‘Ili‘ili‘ōpae (Access)

• Mo‘omomi Preserve (Conservation limited access)

• Mo‘omomi Beach (Access, community issues)

• Kahinapōhaku Fishpond (Access)

• ‘Ualapu‘e Fishpond (Access)

LANA‘I -

Hanohano Lāna‘i i ke kauna‘oa, Kohu kapa ‘ahu‘ula, kau po‘ohiwi E ola Lāna‘i a Kaululā‘au

Lāna‘i is distinguished by the kauna‘oa

Which rests like a feather cape upon its shoulders Let there be life for Lāna‘i of Kaululā‘au

VII. Lāna‘i Destination Management Action Plan

LĀNA‘I TOURISM SITUATION ANALYSIS

Spanning only 141 square miles and with a relatively small population of 2,826, Lāna‘i is known for luxurious pampering, gourmet dining and unconventional outdoor activities. The residents cherish their community’s sense of ‘ohana, their natural resources and their rural lifestyle, and honor their heritage by preserving archaeological and cultural sites. Forty-eight percent of jobs on Lāna‘i are from the accommodation and food services sector.

In 2019, visitors spent a total of $129 million on Lāna‘i with 84,103 visitors. This equated to 738 out-of-state visitors on any given day (21% of the de facto population).

However, as of October 2020, visitor arrivals has dropped by 78 percent down to an average daily census of 223 visitors. Available Hawai‘i labor statistics showed that the pandemic has resulted in a loss of approximately 200 jobs (down 29%) in the accommodations and lodging sector.

Lāna‘i is known for luxurious pampering based on the experience at the resorts. The Lāna‘i experience performs well with 87% of visitors rating their experience as excellent, though only 65% of visitors were

also highly likely to recommend Lāna‘i to their friends and family. However, visitors had some concern for Lāna‘i’s attractions and entertainment options.

Lāna‘i has a high number of repeat visitors (69%) who are usually independent travelers (82%) which results in less participation in organized or guided activities. Fewer than 4 in 10 visitors actually do any sightseeing, with most (61%) spending their time at the beach or sunbathing. Visitors participate very little in the way of specifc historical, cultural or arts activities with only 23% going to historic sites and 10% going to museums or art galleries. Lāna‘i is also very dependent on daytrip visitors arriving from Maui (41% of all visitors). Lāna‘i lacks a variety of accommodations at various price points with 98 percent of visitors units being hotels and the other 2 percent vacation rentals.

From a community perspective tourism on Lāna‘i is not always as positive. Residents felt that visitors often treat the island as their playground, wanting more activities for themselves, which led to negative impacts to residents.

Based on a recent DestinationNEXT study,4 Lāna‘i has strength in mobility and access but its weakness is air access and international readiness. Stakeholders felt that the community is strong in Hawaiian culture and hospitality, but the industry doesn’t have regional cooperation and efective advocacy.

4 DestinationNEXT Multi-User Diagnostic Assessment: Hawai‘i Statewide, Destinations International and MMGY NextFactor, December 30, 2019.

Situational Analysis Summary for Lāna‘i

Strengths

• Lāna‘i City historic character is intact

• Small town lifestyle and ‘ohana

• Natural beauty and landscapes

• Beaches

• One owner for most tourism operations

• Funding support

• Customer service

Problems

• Limited workforce housing

• Air access

• Dependency on luxury tourism and resort home construction

• Food/Dining options

• Ground transportation and driving

• Job security for residents

• Loss of kama‘āina market

• Communications and internet infrastructure

• Variety of activities

• International readiness

• Limited water resources

• Lack of awareness of Lāna‘i City as a visitor destination

Opportunities

• Residents’ desire for community-based model

• Diversify the economy with a new vision

• Enhance town’s unique character through restoration, adaptive use, design guidelines for new development

• Increase variety of accommodation and activities for broader range of markets to foster small business development

• Workforce training to develop pool of well qualifed workers

• Hunting tourism to control deer population

• Lower energy costs through increased use of renewable energy sources and electric vehicles

Threats

• Major natural disaster or wildfre

• Increased costs from interisland shipping or loss of interisland cargo carrier

• Loss of buildings due to demolition and neglect

• Boom and bust cycles of home construction

• Climate change, sea level rise, storm surge

• Inefective tourism advocacy

• Island specifc data on resident sentiment is not available to track change over time

VISION FOR LĀNA‘I’S TOURISM

The Lāna‘i Vision was developed by the Lāna‘i Steering Committee at its frst meeting.

By 2024, together with the community, the visitor industry will:

• Support eforts towards more sustainable travel (that helps Lāna‘i thrive) by encouraging visits to Lāna‘i City to understand the island’s history and multiple cultures while supporting local businesses.

• Develop shared strategies and actions for a balanced long-term future that contributes to economic sustainability for the community and preserves the quality of life for residents and quality of experience for visitors from other islands and outside the state.

• Visitors have a responsibility to take care of this place

• Visitors should value the environment and sensitive native ecosystem

• There are places where visitors should not go (visitation needs to be managed)

The goal of the DMAP meetings was to gather input from the community on how to manage tourism before and after the visitors arrive as well as how we mālama the visitors, and each other, once the visitors are here. This includes considerations around protecting our ‘āina and perpetuating the Hawaiian culture. This does not, however, include deciding who can and cannot come to an island specifcally, or to Hawai‘i in general.

LĀNA‘I DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ACTIONS

This plan represents the community’s desire for the visitor industry and for the island. The actions were developed by the steering committee and the community. In some cases, HTA took the essence of the community’s feedback and input and turned it into an action.

The actions were shaped by underlying issues that were identifed by the steering committee and also appeared in the community input:

• We want visitors who care about learning our history and values, and respect for places

• Our island is a living museum

• Visitors need to understand Hawaiian culture and other cultures of our residents, and should be sensitive to the historical traumas

The following tables identify opportunities and needs for each of the anchor actions, including the identifcation of responsible agencies and timing of the action’s commencement and/or delivery over a three-year period. As HTA carries out the DMAP, there will be more organizations and businesses identifed to help move this plan forward.

The long-term measures of success will be measured through HTA’s Strategic Plan’s four overall Key Performance Measures: Resident Satisfaction, Visitor Satisfaction, Average Daily Visitor Spending, and Total Visitor Spending. A “milestone” is a qualitative way of determining progress toward accomplishing a specifc defned action. The milestones for success are the completion of each subaction in the phase indicated.

LĀNA‘I

Action A

Engage partners to determine a path forward that will enhance interisland transportation options for both residents and visitors.

A.1 Advocate for airlines, County, HDOT and FAA to restore afordable and dependable air and sea transportation to viable levels that meet the needs of the community.

Action B

Develop partnerships and programs with resorts and other tourism businesses to improve and enhance community relationships.

B.1 Facilitate discussions with Four Seasons, Sensei, and Hotel Lāna‘i management to explore ways to increase guest interactions and engagements with Lāna‘i City.

B.2 Encourage more resort staf and guests to participate in community workdays and volunteer opportunities.

B.3 Facilitate the conversation with hotels to coordinate marketing eforts with the community and small businesses based upon HVCB’s Mālama Hawai‘i program.

B.4 Create opportunities for residents to feel welcome at resort properties. Continue to invite Lāna‘i artists and crafts people to do workshops and fairs at the resort properties.

Action C

Enhance and encourage the use of the Lāna‘i Culture & Heritage Center’s (LCHC) Guide App as a primary part of the travel protocol for traveling to the island.

C.1 Identify appropriate places to visit and integrate into the app.

C.2 Develop functionality of app to indicate potentially dangerous areas/trails that are closed or roads under construction.

C.3 Involve merchants to promote app and guide activities.

C.4 Encourage visitors to respect the land, the people and the lifestyle on Lāna‘i.

Action D

Encourage sustainable tourism practices on Lāna‘i.

D.1 Form a work group to brainstorm and develop solutions that are sustainable and oriented toward protection and preservation of Lāna‘i’s natural resources.

D.2 Present solutions for implementation.

Action E

Promote Lāna‘i City to increase spending that goes to residents and small businesses.

E.1 Invite members of the community and businesses to be a part of an advisory group to guide messaging and campaigns to develop a unique brand for Lāna‘i City.

E.2 Continue to promote day trips and one-day festivals that are popular with Maui residents. Start at mid-day so visitors can come in on the morning ferry. Develop new festivals if needed.

E.3 Make transportation to Lāna‘i City easier for resort guests, and others that arrive via ferry and the airport.

Action F

Encourage and enable visitors to plan a meaningful daytrip or stay on Lāna‘i that is respectful to the land, the people and the lifestyle on Lāna‘i.

F.1 Develop consistent messaging, campaign and content to encourage and enable visitors to plan a meaningful daytrip or stay on Lāna‘i, and for visitors to begin learning about Lāna‘i’s unique history, culture and community. Include where to get information once on Lāna‘i and where not to go. Responsible Lāna‘i visit.

F.2 Create educational videos or audio fles to be played on ferry, airlines/airport and hotels. Identify the current video projects.

F.3 Create brochures for distribution by Lāna‘i businesses, hotels and kiosks.

F.4 Work with the community and businesses to develop online and social media content.

F.5 Describe what activities need to be arranged ahead of time such as reserving a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

F.6 Prior to visitors reaching Lāna‘i, provide information through multiple means. Communications vehicles could include: an enhanced goHawaii.com Lāna‘i webpage to help visitors plan their trip/day on Lāna‘i ahead of time; have informational iPads available on the ferry; have a person who can assist visitors going to Lāna‘i in Lahaina Harbor ferry line; brochures to distribute; etc.

F.7 Explore setting up a visitors’ center/kiosk with a main location in town and potentially branches at the harbor and airport dedicated to providing information for all visitors upon arrival.

L = HVCB, MVCB

S = HTA, County, Community Advisory Group

L = HVCB, MVCB

X X

S = County X X

L = MVCB

S = HTA, County X X

L = HVCB, MVCB

S = HTA, County X X X

L = MVCB

S = HTA/County X

L = MVCB

S = HTA, County, GMT X X

L = MVCB

S = County, HTA X X

MAUI

DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN 2021–2023

Action G

Develop and implement a process whereby visitors to Lāna‘i acknowledge to protect, respect, and learn about Lāna‘i cultural and natural resources, and community during their visit through the Mālama Maui County Pledge.

G.1 Support and promote the Mālama Maui County Pledge.

G.2 Strengthen and foster the connection with Lāna‘i. Some level of sustainable and responsible tourism as an overall theme.

Action H

Discourage activity companies from dropping of visitors who use Lāna‘i beaches and facilities without contributing to maintenance of the beaches and facilities.

H.1 Identify and implement the best way(s) to discourage this activity.

Action I

Educate visitors on activities and events available on Lāna‘i focused on cultural and natural resources. These activities could include fshpond restoration, koa tree planting, etc.

I.1 Support the development of marine science/natural resources seminars and workshops here that can be attended by residents and tourists to tailor a more educational type of vacation.

I.2 Encourage community service opportunities.

LĀNA‘I TOURISM HOTSPOTS

A “hotspot” is an area or site that attracts visitors due to its popularity, which may result in overcrowding, congestion, degradation of resources, safety hazards, and a negative experience for both residents and visitors.

While HTA is not an enforcement agency, it can be a catalyst to bring together respective state and county agencies, the community, and private sector to develop solutions that address hotspot sites and areas.

HTA reviewed the community’s input from the surveys and community meetings, in addition to feedback from the county, MVCB, and Lāna‘i Steering Committee. Below are the hotspot areas and sites that HTA will monitor together with the respective agencies as needed to help mitigate issues. Other areas

and sites were identifed, but the locations of utmost concern are:

• Awalua (Access)

• Awehi Trail (Access)

• Kānepu‘u Reserve (Limited Access)

• Kaunolū (Culturally sensitive)

• Keōmoku Village (Culturally sensitive)

• Lapaiki (Access)

• Lōpā – Kīkoa Beach (Access)

• Mānele: Hulopo‘e Marine Life Conservation District (Environmental)

• Munro Trail (Access, Safety)

• Naha Trail Overlook (Safety)

• Polihua (Safety)

Acknowledgement

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority extends our sincere appreciation to all the people below, who contributed their time and kōkua to the Maui Nui Destination Management Action Plan.

Maui Steering Committee

Seward ‘Akahi, General Manager, Hertz

Rod Antone, Executive Director, Maui Hotel & Lodging Association

Matt Bailey, Managing Director, Montage Hotel

Kathleen Costello, Destination Diva, Wailea Resort Association

Toni Davis, Executive Director, Activities & Attractions Assoc.

Jim Diegel, Chief Strategy Ofcer, Maui Health

Sherry Duong, Executive Director, Maui Visitors & Convention Bureau

Kawika Freitas, Sales/ Trainer, Old Lahiana Luau

Hōkūlani Holt-Padilla, Director, Ka Hikina O Ka Lā, University of Hawai‘i Maui College

Kau’i Kanaka’ole, Executive Director, Ala Kukui Hāna Retreat

Kyoko Kimura, HTA Board Member, Aqua-Aston Hospitality

Marvin Moniz, Airport Manager, Department of Transportation

Jin Prugsawan, Public Information Ofcer/Chief of Interpretation & Education, Haleakalā National Park

Anne Rillero, Community Communications, Maui Nui Marine Resource Council

Andrew Rogers, General Manager, Ritz Carlton

Pamela Tumpap, Maui Chamber of Commerce

Pomai Weigert, AgBusiness Consultant, GoFarm Hawai‘i

John White, Director Marketing, Kā‘anapali Beach Hotel

Brian Yano, General Manager, Outlets of Maui

Moloka‘i Steering Committee

Julie-Ann Bicoy, Community Member

Kyoko Kimura, HTA Board Member, Aqua-Aston Hospitality

U‘i Kahue, Business Owner

Clare Mawae, Chairman at Youth In Motion, Owner Moloka‘i Outdoors and CSM Management

Rob Stephenson, President, Moloka‘i Chamber of Commerce

Kanoelani Davis, Owner, PoMahina Designs

Greg Solatorio, Hālawa Valley Falls Cultural Hike

Butch Hasse, Executive Director, Moloka‘i Land Trust

Sherry Duong, Executive Director, Maui Visitors & Convention Bureau

John Pele, Managing Partner and Resident Manager, Hiro’s ‘Ohana Grill and Paniolo Hale

Lāna‘i Steering Committee

Kathy Carroll, Owner, Mike Carroll Gallery

Dr. Keiki-Pua Dancil, Senior VP, Government Afairs & Strategic Planning, Pūlama Lāna‘i

Alberta De Jetley, Community Member

Kyoko Kimura, HTA Board Member, Aqua-Aston Hospitality

Bill Caldwell, President, Expedition Ferry

Gabe Lucy, CEO, Trilogy Excursions/ Lāna‘i Ocean Sports

Shelly Preza, Interpretive Resource Management Specialist, Lāna’i Culture & Heritage Center

Alastair McAlpine, General Manager, Four Seasons Lāna‘i

Lisa Grove, CEO at Grove Insight and Farmer at Ola Kamoku Farm

Nelinia Cabiles, Managing Editor, Lāna‘i Today

Stan Ruidas, Community Member

Diane Preza, Director of Community Development, Pūlama Lāna‘i

Sherry Duong, Executive Director, Maui Visitors & Convention Bureau

HTA Staf

John De Fries, President and CEO

Caroline Anderson, Director, Community Enrichment

Jennifer Chun, Director, Tourism Research

Pattie Herman, Vice President, Marketing and Product Development

Kalani Ka‘anā‘anā, Director, Hawaiian Culture and Natural Resources

Keith Regan, Chief Administrative Ofcer

Michele Shiowaki, Administrative Assistant

Marisa Yamane, Director, Communications and Public Relations

HTA Board Members

Kimi Yuen, Principal, PBR Hawai‘i

Kyoko Kimura, HTA Board Member, Aqua-Aston Hospitality

County Of Maui Staf

Lisa Paulson, Tourism Liaison, Mayor’s Ofce, County of Maui

JoAnn Inamasu, Director, Ofce of Economic Development, County of Maui

Cynthia Rawlins Moloka‘i Small Business Advocate/HTA Liaison, County of Maui – Ofce of Economic Development

Meeting Facilitators

Cynthia Deroiser, CEO/Principal, Pencilhead Productions LLC dba Good Juju Co.

Miranda Foley, Associate, The Good Juju Co. (Owner, Ecologic Consulting)

Ku‘ulani Keohokalole, Associate, The Good Juju Co. (Owner, People Strategies Hawai‘i)

Lisa Webster, Associate, The Good Juju Co. (Owner, Tradewinds Project Services)

Casey Fitchett, Digital Communications Strategist, The Good Juju Co.

Trent Fish, Tech Facilitator, The Good Juju Co.

DMAP Consultants

Faith Sereno Rex, President, SMS Consulting

Daniel Nāho‘opi‘i, Executive Vice President, SMS Tourism Intelligence

Anthology Group

Nathan Kam, Partner/President, Public Relations

Erin Khan, Vice President, Public Relations

Christine Ulandez, Assistant Account Executive, Public Relations

Glossary

Average Length of Stay Number of days visitors are on the island, including the day of arrival and the day of departure.

Average Daily Census Average number of visitors present in Hawai‘i on a single day.

Day Trip A journey to a place and back again on the same day, usually for pleasure.

Kama‘āina traveler A Hawai‘i resident that visits another island that is not their residence.

Global Marketing Team (GMT) HTA’s marketing contractors

Regenerative Tourism Regenerative tourism is “creating the conditions for life to continuously renew itself, to transcend into new forms, and to fourish amid ever-changing life conditions” (Hutchins and Storm, 2019)—through tourism. It “recognizes its communities and places are living systems, constantly interacting, evolving, self-organizing, efcient, learning, distinct, and vital to create abundance, balance and conditions to support other life, resilience and contribute to a greater system of well-being.” (Earth Changers, 2020)

Sustainable Tourism Development that meets the needs of present tourist and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future. It is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulflled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity, and life support systems.

(World Tourism Organization)

Per-Person Per-Day Spending Total spending of an individual on a given day during their stay.

Visitor Out-of-state traveler who stayed in Hawai‘i for a period of time between one night, but less than one year.

Visitor Days Total number of days visitors are on the island and/or in the state.

Total Visitor Spending The U.S. dollar amount spent in Hawai‘i attributed to a visitor. This includes direct spending by visitors while in Hawai‘i, as well as any prepaid package purchased before arrival. The expenditure data does not include trans-Pacifc airfare costs to-and-from Hawai‘i, commissions paid to travel agents, or portions of the package in another state or country.

Sources

Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism’s County Economic Conditions: https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/economic/qser/county/

DestinationNEXT Multi-User Diagnostic Assessment Hawai‘i 2019: https://hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/4275/assessment-report-hawaiistatewide.pdf

Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) Annual Visitor Research Report 2019: https://hawaiitourismauthority.org/media/5062/2019-annual-report-fnalfor-posting.pdf

HTA October Monthly Visitor Statistics: https://hawaiitourismauthority.org/ research/monthly-visitor-statistics/

HTA Visitor Satisfaction & Activity Reports: https://hawaiitourismauthority. org/research/visitor-satisfaction-and-activity/

HTA Resident Sentiment Survey Update 2019: https://hawaiitourismauthority. org/media/4268/resident-sentiment-board-presentation-02-27-20.pdf

Hawai‘i Hotel Performance Report: https://hawaiitourismauthority.org / media/5085/hawaii-hotel-performance-07-2020.pdf

Hawai‘i Vacation Rental Performance Report: https://hawaiitourismauthority. org/media/5097/hta-july-2020-hawaii-vacation-rental-performance-fnal.pdf