Responsible Tourism
Responsible tourism in Hawaii
The concept of responsible tourism in Hawaii and all the islands of Hawaii, Kauai, Lanai, Maui, and Oahu goes back many generations. We are just the latest ones to inherit what the islands’ ancestors called kuleana to the land. This translates as ‘responsibility’ and traditionally this was a two-way engagement. We show care and respect for the land and it will return the favor with food, shelter, and a home. At The Coconut Traveler we celebrate this ethical exchange. We endeavor, therefore, to offer a responsible tourism experience in Hawaii and we ask our guests to kindly return the favor.
Responsible Tourism
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Organizations Equally Sharing the 2023 Fund
Our goal in creating the Responsible Tourism Fee is to improve the community and environment of the Hawaiian Islands through the generosity of our guests. Together this supporting effort raised $64,770 in aid to the revitalization of these historically significant Hawaiian islands.
Aloha Tree Alliance, 2nd year
With the donation, they were able to nearly triple their native tree and shrub plantings from 528 to 1,427, increase community engagement from 507 to 796 annual volunteers, triple K-12 field trips and site visits from 2 to 6.
Conservation Dogs of Hawaii, 2nd year
Working to restore and protect the wildlife and ecosystems in Hawaii by professionally training dogs to sniff out invasive plants.
Hawaii Association of Watershed Partnerships, 3rd year
Sustaining healthy, forested watersheds for Hawaii's communities on all islands.
Hawaii Wildlife Center, 2nd year
Providing an array of services to care for native birds and bats statewide alongside conservation programs that aim to create a community where native wildlife thrive.
Malama i na Honu, 3rd year
Providing protection of Hawaiian sea turtles through education, public awareness, and conservation on Oahu and Kauai. The 2022 donation afforded them the ability to purchase two additional trackers to monitor turtle behavior in the Pacific Ocean and assisted in opening of their new Kauai office.
Protect Kaho’olawe Ohana, 1st year
Their vision of ‘Aloha ‘Āina’ or “love of the land,” drives their mission, ‘To perpetuate Aloha ‘Āina throughout our islands through cultural, educational, and spiritual activities that heal and revitalize the cultural and natural resources on Kaho’olawe.’
What responsible tourism in Hawaii means to
The Coconut Traveler
Secret Hawaii is responsible
In many ways, responsible tourism in Hawaii is only just awakening. For many visitors, it is simply the sun, surf, and sandy state - an extension of the rest of the USA. They don’t venture beyond the resorts. They don’t see the ‘otherness.’ The Coconut Traveler work is to show visitors hidden Hawaii while using their visit as a force for good. By traveling with us, our guest's stay will have a positive effect on volunteer organizations whose work supports this beautiful destination. We like to think of ourselves as an impact company that sells luxury travel.
Sustainable Tourism Hawaii Certification Program
We are a proud corporate sponsor of The Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaii (STAH) which has been operating for over 25 years. We work in partnership with many STAH members whose missions align perfectly with ours which is to provide Hawaii experiences that support local communities, respect cultural heritage, and protect the environment. From wildlife watching to stargazing, trail walking to paddle boarding, it’s our kuleana to support our community.
Protecting Hawaii’s coral reefs through our watersheds
In Hawaii, we take our reef protection so seriously that we are the first US state to ban the sale of toxic suntan lotions. Since January 2021, the sale of coral-harming chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate is no longer allowed here. So, if your plans include a lot of time in the ocean, shop locally for your sun protection or rash guard with UV protection.
Our reefs are part of who we are on the Hawaiian Islands. They protect 25% of our marine wildlife species and over a thousand endemic species and plants. Hawaii’s coral reef also protects us from storms and flooding, but they are susceptible to global threats including climate change and overfishing, as well as local ones of irresponsible diving, snorkeling, and plastic pollution. This is why we wholeheartedly support the work of the Hawaii Association of Watershed Partnerships (HAWP) which lobby for the love of our reef. For the third year, we are donating a part of our guests’ Responsible Tourism fee, included in our invoices, to HAWP. This gift will buy native flora that is needed to restore these vital ecosystems.
Managing the trails for hikes we enjoy
For the second year, part of the Responsible Tourism has been donated to Aloha Tree Alliance. This Hawaii-based non-profit organization is dedicated to mitigating climate change. Their volunteer restoration work includes mitigating erosion and trail cutting. The organization takes trail management to another level and because our guests frequent the spectacular Kuli’ou’ou Ridge Trail, it was a natural fit with our mission of using tourism to make a positive impact. Many organizations can’t or don’t grow their budget through tourism, yet tourists enjoy the benefit of their work. You can donate on their website, here.
Another second year organization is Conservation Dogs of Hawaii. This organization trains dogs to detect invasive species to mitigate their negative impact on wildlife and the ecosystems of Hawaii, detect endangered species for research and conservation purposes, and their professionally trained dog-handler teams conduct field surveys for proven applications. They also contribute to feasibility assessments for new applications through proof-of-concept and pilot projects. In addition to their work in the islands, they contribute to 1% for The Planet. Supporting their work supports the destination you love to visit. Click here to donate.
Wildlife is life itself in Hawaii
Conservationists have dubbed Hawaii “the Extinction Capital of the World” as nonnative species destroy our native plants, wildlife, and habitat. For a third year, we have donated to Malama i na Honu which recently opened a second office on the island of Kauai, expanding its mission to protect Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles through education, public awareness, and conservation. Working with NOAA since 2007, Malama i na honu has worked under the authority of the Endangered Species Act, to support public outreach activities that promote respectful behavior towards honu. To donate or adopt a turtle visit their website, here.
For the second year, we donated to Hawaii Wildlife Center on the Big Island of Hawaii. Their work in providing emergency response, medical, and rehabilitative care for native birds and bats statewide, alongside conservation programs that aim to create a community where native wildlife thrive aligns with our mission. This organization focuses on caring for native birds which are vital to the islands; our birding guests are benefactors of their work. Click here to support the preservation of Hawaii’s native wildlife and donate today.
Honoring Hawaiian Culture
Kaho’olawe, the only Hawaiian Island named for a Hawaiian god was given the name Kanaloa, the ocean god - the island was deeply connected to the ocean. It has been used as a penal colony at one time and ranch lands. Once a thriving island with native plants and seabirds, the center for celestial navigation, and where native priests carried out cultural and religious rites. Today, Kaho’olawe remains a sacred island. It's not publicized in glossy travel publications that Kaho’olawe has the nickname of “the target island of the world.” No commercial activity currently takes place on the island. At the start of World War II, the military took up on the island practicing with grenades, mortars, missiles, and various damaging warheads including a simulated nuclear blast that left a remarkable crater. Despite the end of the war in 1945, warplanes dropped 2500 tons of bombs on Kaho’olawe. The desecration of Kaho’olawe which went on for decades will take generations to cleanup. Protect Kaho’olawe Ohana began protesting the bombing of the sacred island 40 years ago and during that time lost two profound advocates in the process, George Helm and Kimo Mitchell. These dedicated men were inspirations to the community, became symbols of the Hawaiian Renaissance, and created the pillars of education (the community), revitalization of forests, erosion management, and insuring the free practice of native rights. One such project currently underway is the path, Ala Loa, that encompasses the entire island of Kanaloa-Kaho’olawe and connects 12 of Hawaii’s smallest strips of land, or ‘ili, with traversable paths. The hope is to complete the path so Lono, the god of fertility, agriculture, rainfall, music, and peace, can complete his circuit around the island during the Hawaiian’s observance of the Makahiki Ceremonies. This festive is dedicated to Lono and held annually in late-October or early-November lasting four months. To learn more about Kaho’olawe’s Makahiki season, click here, and Hawaii’s land divisions, click here. The Coconut Traveler’s goal in creating the Responsible Tourism Fee is to support the local community and environment. Supporting Protect Kaho’olawe Ohana is our effort to aid in the revitalization of a historically significant Hawaiian island for the Hawaiians and their culture. Looking forward to another year of updates from these organizations and supporting the ongoing effort to improve the community and environment through the generosity of our guests in the Hawaiian Islands.
Collaborating with Aligned Partners
Whether you are seeking a luxury villa in Hawaii or an adventurous experience, we guide you to people who share our respect and protect our biodiverse islands. The Hawaiian archipelago is home to eleven of the world’s thirteen microclimates, the largest active volcano in the world, and unique biodiversity providing habitats for at least a third of all endangered species in the US and we must protect them. We endeavor to be part of a better tourism industry.
Responsible tourism in Hawaii is to ‘travel pono’
Another gem of the Hawaiian language, ‘pono’, translates as ‘do the right thing’. It can be applied perfectly to responsible tourism in Hawaii and we like to think that it is also the kernel of The Coconut Traveler. We invite all our guests to sign up to the Pono Pledge, to enlighten visitors about the sensitivity of our islands, and encourage them to protect them.
