Regenerative Tourism? Visitors come here to tend to the aina? Get dirty? Gee, we can easily compete with other places that allow visitors to just relax

https://www.khon2.com/local-news/hta-makes-its-case-for-its-existence/

Created in 1998, the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority has overseen the expansion and stabilization of tourism throughout Hawaiʻi for over four decades.

On Wednesday, April 19, the HTA took the initiative to make the case for their existence.

The agency urged Lawmakers to reconsider several bills that seek to abolish the HTA and replace the agency with a government-based oversight for the visitor industry.

Executives from HTA said there would be numerous “unintended consequences” if the agency were to be extirpated from Hawaiʻi’s tourism oversight agencies.

They said the move could undermine the momentum gained as the agency has moved toward regenerative tourism.

first sentence in that article:

Created in 1998, the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority has overseen the expansion and
stabilization of tourism throughout Hawaiʻi for over four decades.

(2023 - 1998) = 25 years. Twenty-five years now equals "over four decades?"

Gotta love fact-based journalism.

#Math_Is_Hard

HTA wrote in support of sensitive places.

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I think there could be a market for regenerative tourism but I doubt it would be a very large market.

I think there could be a market for regenerative tourism but I doubt it would be a very large market.

 Makes no sense.

Coming from my biased eyes as a person born and raised on Oahu and have seen it's pristine beauty trashed in the name of tourism, HTA and any other derivative can go to hell.

Coming from my biased eyes as a person born and raised on Oahu and have seen it's pristine beauty trashed in the name of tourism, HTA and any other derivative can go to hell.

I don't agree that tourists destroy our land, it is us. We are not good stewards of the place we call home.

I don't agree that tourists destroy our land, it is us. We are not good stewards of the place we call home.

Agree with you 100%
I worked at Keck observatory 10 years.  Summit of Mauna Kea.
You would not believe the
steps we took to minimize our "foot print", just to watch
Hawaiians come up and shit all over the place.
When you ask how a 400,000 year old volcano produced an entire race
you get Democrat party line.
I thought Democrats believed mankind came from black people in Africa.
Hope you appreciate my sarcasm.
 

Regenerative Tourism? Visitors come here to tend to the aina? Get dirty? Gee, we can easily compete with other places that allow visitors to just relax

That's already happening, but in a "third party" type situation.

Instead of tourists personally planting a tree or whatever, they get taxed (via admission fees) when they visit certain touristy spots, like Hanauma Bay.  The cost of repairing and improving the attraction is borne in part by the tourists.  Whether or not that money actually does more than pay for more people working the program is debatable, but it's easier to manage money and target the work as needed than hand a stranger a spade and a flower and tell them to plant it wherever they like.

This scheme is nothing other than shifting the cost burden from tax payers to tourists -- as if tourists don't already pay a lot more in taxes for the privilege of vacationing here.  trying to guilt tourists into paying more because their visit somehow destroys the environment is crazy. 

Anyone ever wonder about the effects of homelessness on the environment?  What about all those people who live outdoors for the most part?  They don't have a luxury hotel room with a toilet, hot & cold showers, sanitary garbage collection, etc.  A room they get to pay high taxes for, too!

That's already happening, but in a "third party" type situation.

Instead of tourists personally planting a tree or whatever, they get taxed (via admission fees) when they visit certain touristy spots, like Hanauma Bay.  The cost of repairing and improving the attraction is borne in part by the tourists.  Whether or not that money actually does more than pay for more people working the program is debatable, but it's easier to manage money and target the work as needed than hand a stranger a spade and a flower and tell them to plant it wherever they like.

This scheme is nothing other than shifting the cost burden from tax payers to tourists -- as if tourists don't already pay a lot more in taxes for the privilege of vacationing here.  trying to guilt tourists into paying more because their visit somehow destroys the environment is crazy. 

Anyone ever wonder about the effects of homelessness on the environment?  What about all those people who live outdoors for the most part?  They don't have a luxury hotel room with a toilet, hot & cold showers, sanitary garbage collection, etc.  A room they get to pay high taxes for, too!

A few months ago, they wanted to tax every incoming tourist regardless if they went to these types of spots or not.  But then they changed it to a once a year or something tax if you use the spots.  They interviewed a few walking Waikiki and all supported it.  IIRC the 1 time annual payment was like $50 a person.  1 guy said after paying few grand in hotel room, what's $50.  Another mentioned that Yellow Stone has had a fee for some time now, so why not like spots in HI.

IDK what ever came about this.  I wouldn't trust the city/state to manage this.  It would be a cluster fuck, plus enforcing this to see who paid and who didn't at a hiking trail would be almost impossible to do consistently.

That's already happening, but in a "third party" type situation.

Instead of tourists personally planting a tree or whatever, they get taxed (via admission fees) when they visit certain touristy spots, like Hanauma Bay.  The cost of repairing and improving the attraction is borne in part by the tourists.  Whether or not that money actually does more than pay for more people working the program is debatable, but it's easier to manage money and target the work as needed than hand a stranger a spade and a flower and tell them to plant it wherever they like.

This scheme is nothing other than shifting the cost burden from tax payers to tourists -- as if tourists don't already pay a lot more in taxes for the privilege of vacationing here.  trying to guilt tourists into paying more because their visit somehow destroys the environment is crazy. 

Anyone ever wonder about the effects of homelessness on the environment?  What about all those people who live outdoors for the most part?  They don't have a luxury hotel room with a toilet, hot & cold showers, sanitary garbage collection, etc.  A room they get to pay high taxes for, too!

I never considered visiting here was a "privilege".
That is a Hawaiian thing.
This is a state in the USA.
like it or not ANY American can come here.
And you locals can go Fuk yourselves
if you don't like Haloes on your aina.
This is just a volcano, you stupid shits.
Go back to Micronesia and see how that works out.
I liked Guam.
I'm sure you Hawaiian racists, would not be welcome.
 

like it or not ANY American can come here.

They can come here, but forced to stay in a hotel for 2 weeks.  Loop hole in that section about "freely traveling between states".

I don't agree that tourists destroy our land, it is us. We are not good stewards of the place we call home.

I beg to differ, there is trash, smoking, loud noise speakers on hiking trails. I've picked up a lot of trash left behind by tourist, some locals too.

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I never considered visiting here was a "privilege".
That is a Hawaiian thing.
This is a state in the USA.
like it or not ANY American can come here.
And you locals can go Fuk yourselves
if you don't like Haloes on your aina.
This is just a volcano, you stupid shits.
Go back to Micronesia and see how that works out.
I liked Guam.
I'm sure you Hawaiian racists, would not be welcome.
 

Yes, bad actors on both sides!

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Yes, bad actors on both sides!

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Don't take me wrong,I've lived here 22 years
and have many local friends,  I'm considered a local these days.
what I take offense at is
Honolulu Democrats telling us what to do.

Don't take me wrong,I've lived here 22 years
and have many local friends,  I'm considered a local these days.
what I take offense at is
Honolulu Democrats telling us what to do.

Agreed!

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Makes no sense.

What do you mean? You don't think there are people who are interested in that kind of thing?