John Cusick, Assistant Specialist at the UHM Environmental Center, discusses the current unsustainability of Hawaii tourism, and presents examples from Hawaii and abroad of how that might be changed. Slides from the REIS seminar series at the University of Hawaii at Manoa on 2009-10-29.

2. overview
Tourism in Hawai‘i is inherently Unsustainable
There are complex competing and cooperating interests
among stakeholders that maintain an unsustainable
status quo
Approximately 500,000 monthly visitors in 2009 despite
the economic recession (5 million Y-T-D)
2008 visitor expenditures of $11.4 billion
Sustainability framework allows for ecological
restoration and cultural respect through place-based
education and activities for residents and visitors
Learning outcomes in Hawai‘i provide examples for other
tourist destinations to improve sustainability

3. The global context:
IUCN World Conservation Congress 2008
The Congress theme “a diverse and sustainable world” was the basis
for developing a compelling vision.
Innovative sustainable development initiatives are underway in
government, civil society and the private sector that are making
a difference and charting a new course for communities, nations
and planet.
These efforts demonstrate that in many different settings and in
many different sectors, integrated and longer-term approaches to
restoring, protecting and sustainably using natural assets can
lead to new livelihood and economic opportunities with renewed
environmental vitality.
The challenge is how to scale-up and mainstream these encouraging
innovations and how to create the enabling conditions for more
sustainable and equitable alternatives to flourish.

4. Energy Islands
Forests
Marine
Markets and Business Water
Protected Areas
Mediterranean
Species
Law and Governance
Rights and Conservation
Bio-Cultural Diversity and Indigenous Peoples

5. Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria
Developed by UN agencies, tourism and environmental organizations
basic guidelines to promote best practices
direct travel agency and client attention to participating suppliers
and destinations
encourage media to recognize sustainable tourism providers
help certification programs ensure that standards meet a broadly-
accepted baseline
capacity building consultation and workshops
provide guidelines for education

6. Sustainable tourism literature review of research priorities
Consider current trends in economic, social, political and
environmental conditions
reform mass tourism models
expand alternative forms of tourism and alternatives to tourism
Link tourism and sustainability with wider environmental and
societal trends
adaptation to global environmental change
restoration of degraded ecosystem services
community resiliency and stewardship
Now that sustainability is mainstream, enough rhetoric, time to put
concepts into practice and avoid greenwashing.

7. What is sustainable tourism and who is it for?
Is it “alternative tourism”, i.e. ecotourism?
Is it responsible, in terms of environmental stewardship,
socio-cultural values, and best practices?
Is it sustainability of tourism industry market share,
community economic development, and/or
environmental conservation and restoration?
Can mass tourism ever be sustainable?

8. Defining terms
Sustainable travel minimizes impacts on the environment and host
cultures, furthers economic development goals of destination
communities, and contributes to the conservation and/or
restoration of biological diversity. It is responsible tourism that is
both ecologically and culturally sensitive
Ecotourism encompasses conservation-focused tourism and covers a
wide variety of experiences – often a participatory experience in
the natural environment in support of conservation and
community economic development
Ecotravel promotes environmental conservation, international
understanding and cooperation, political and economic
empowerment of local residents, and cultural heritage

9. place of sustainable tourism/travel
Rural and urban
Core and periphery
Intact and degraded habitats
Natural and built environment
Marine and terrestrial
function of sustainable tourism/travel
Environmental conservation
Cultural integrity
Social equity
Educational
Profitable
image of sustainable tourism/travel
Authentic
Appropriate

10. Planning for Sustainable Tourism Report (DBEDT 2006)
Vision for sustainable tourism
Reflection of values (aloha, malama ‘aina)
Economic opportunity (fair wages, equity)
Environmental protection
Cultural respect
Reinforce tolerance of diversity
Nurture sense of place
Are we on this path?

11. total annual visitors to the State of Hawai‘I 1995-2006
(7.6 in 2007 and 6.8 million in 2008)

12. total annual visitors by island

13. STEP has collaborated with faculty, graduate and undergraduate
students interested in developing and acting on sustainable
solutions for the Hawaiian Islands.
Current and proposed project sites include the Hawaiian Islands,
Japan, Okinawa, Mongolia and China and address issues
associated with protected areas, stakeholder conflicts, capacity
building, poverty alleviation and others.
Funding from UHM Center for International Business Education
Research, VCRGE Manoa Fund, Sea Grant College
http://www.hawaii.edu/envctr/ecotourism/

15. Purpose and Design
Engage tourism stakeholders in support of establishing the Hawaiian
Islands as a model of sustainable best practices
Facilitate participant exploration, co-design, assessment and decision-
making on long and short-range research goals
Composed of modules and exercises that participants performed in large
and small groups

17. Facilitated roundtable discussion themes
Communicating to tourists and residents on host culture issues
Evaluation of planning issues and regulatory obstacles to alternative
forms of tourism, including volunteer tourism, educational tourism,
community-based tourism, and alternative lodging
Review and proposal of curriculum at UHM and within UH system,
including experiential learning approaches and internship
opportunities, to bridge the ecological/sustainability literacy gap of
residents and visitors through collaboration with governmental
agencies and community organizations
Identify resource management concerns/strategies as they relate to
and/or involve commercial activities, particularly community-
driven initiatives and protected areas, both public and private in
marine and terrestrial ecosystems

18. What works to create a sustainable tourism destination?
healthy ecosystems and associated ecosystem services
watershed protection + coastal restoration = recreation destinations
Cultural integrity
respectful engagement = reduced conflict and resentment
Smart growth
affordable housing + public health and safety = effective infrastructure
food security
agricultural landscapes = keeps the country country
energy independence
alternative energy = minimizes economic leakage and cost of living
zero waste
reduce, reuse, recycle = green labor force

19. How might sustainable tourism be measured and monitored?

20. Faculty and student research projects 2008-2009
assess potential of eco-lodging in Hawai‘i (MA 2009 NREM)
scuba diving carrying capacity at Molokini (MA 2009 Geography)
Kailua Bay offshore island recreational use (MA Geography)
East Maui community-based tourism (EVS internship)
Maunalua Bay recreation study (proposed EVS internship)
Mongolia indigenous tourism (UHM grad candidate)
Japan ecotourism conflicts (BA EVS and Peace St)

21. Sustainable Accommodation Models:
An Evaluation of Certification Criteria
Melanie Saucier
UHM Natural Resources and Environmental Management
Problems
Hotels are the most energy-intensive sector of tourism industry
Hotels generally produce +1kg of waste per guest per day
A hotel room uses on average 220 gal of water per day
Rising criticism of existing tourism infrastructure & future plans for more
development on Oahu
Solutions
Provide stakeholders with:
A review of international guidelines & standards for sustainability
A compilation of appropriate criteria for Hawai‘i
An architectural rendering/model of an ecolodge
A foundation for a certification program to measure sustainability

22. Social Carrying Capacity of SCUBA Diving on Molokini
Bixler McClure
UHM Geography Department
Social Science field research techniques
Conduct literature review on survey methods
Distribute and collect surveys
Enter and analyze data; draw conclusions
Environmental Media
Literature review for using image technology in
environmental research
Take pictures of divers/boats/snorkelers for use in
surveys
Test effectiveness of different image presentations
Literature review of previous research
Search for and analyze previous research on
SCUBA/snorkeling/boating impacts
Compare and contrast literature

23. Human Use of Offshore islets in Kailua Bay, Oahu
Scott Burch
UHM Geography Department
How much use and who are the users? What are the impacts of use?
Investigate relationship between
Identify educational contact points
users and contact points

24. Raising Awareness and Building Consensus for Tourism that
Protects Maunalua Bay, Oahu
Key activities to be conducted as part of the proposed project:
Identify current and potential recreation sites and create
instruments to survey stakeholders
Work with Malama Maunalua to ensure compatibility of
commercial and non-commercial activities with resource
management and ecological restoration, and identify
potential/likely hotspots of conflict between these interests
Assist stakeholder meetings to
raise awareness, agree on
standards, chart future tourism
development and resource
protection, and develop monitoring
mechanisms involving UHM
students

25. Maui case study
1970s Maui became a major tourism destination
Subject of a six page essay in Time magazine
dubbing Maui America’s Magic Isle
Dramatic increases in resident and visitor
populations
1990s to 2008 Maui is regularly voted by Conde Nast
Traveler readers as the best island destination in
the Pacific

26. Community-based tourism in East Maui
Kipahulu ‘Ohana began as a project to create a living history
program to share with Haleakala National Park visitors in the
early 1970s.
An example of community collaboration and co-management.
The partnership enables residents to “earn a living in their own
backyard” working in an area where jobs are scarce and land
expensive.
The relationship engages residents with research and recreation
stakeholders, and despite periods of animosity and antagonism,
the protected area status of Kipahulu District is considered an
asset that distinguishes East Maui from other cultural
landscapes in the Hawaiian Islands.
Residents are reconstituting the identity of Kipahulu as a
Hawaiian place with benefits to various stakeholders. Protected
area status perpetuates a perception of significance that dates
back centuries.

27. Kapahu Living Farm,
Kipahulu District,
Haleakala National Park

28. Sustainable Community Development on Southern Islands of Japan
Yukari Akastuka
UHM Environmental Studies, Peace Studies
Problem statement
Tourism dependent economies and environment degradation
due to mass tourism conflicts with local needs.
Purpose
Identify common interests among stakeholders the role of
protected areas and propose win-win situation for currently
competing interests.
Research question
How do different stakeholders perceive the significance of
protected areas?
Proposed outcomes
Development of island sustainability and environment
education for island youth.

29. Iriomote, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan

30. Comparison of Tourism Resources in Yakushima and East Maui
Yakushima East Maui
Flight time from international 1 hour from :15 minutes from Kahului
airport Kagoshima Airport
Airport 1 hour from Honolulu
Airport
Domestic airport Yakushima Hana Airport
Airport
Journey easy and comfortable yes yes
Observation of biodiversity high high
Distinctive features of interest yes yes
Additional cultural interests yes yes
Unique appeal yes yes
Water recreation sites yes yes
Scenic setting yes yes
Good food available yes yes
Varied accommodations available yes yes
Existing tourist itinerary circuit developing yes

31. Sustainable Tourism and Ecotourism in Lake Hovsgol Province, Mongolia:
Capacity Building Workshops for Stakeholders
Odonchimeg Ichinkhorloo
UHM graduate candidate
Goal: To promote sustainable tourism development through
strengthening local and regional stakeholders’ capacity to
network and facilitate collaboration between private and public
sectors.
Rationale: The challenges for government, the tourism industry
and communities are to effectively balance environmental
conservation and economic development. Tourism represents a
growing level of economic activity and rapid increases in the
number of visitors threaten biological diversity and
perpetuation of indigenous cultures.
Primary objectives concentrate on three key areas:
Discuss current challenges and issues within the region
Identify future opportunities to achieve successful
outcomes
Establish priorities among stakeholders

32. Ecotourism in China
Li Yan-qin
Central University for Nationalities, Beijing, China
2009 named “Chinese Ecotourism Year”
“be a green traveler and experience eco-civilization”
promotion of eco-tourism and the concept of sustainable travel
direct tourism toward green alternatives through sustainable
development goals.
Profile of ecotourists in China
Age: 18 - 34 years old, younger than mass tourists
Gender: male more than female
Education: college graduates(60%)
Expenditure: willing to spend more than mass tourists and have
disposable income
Note: Gov. Lingle leaves for China tomorrow for two week
promotional trip

33. STEP research agenda in support of island sustainability
What are the roles of protected areas in the context of
resident, research, and recreation interests and
activities?
How do they inform future research, instruction and
outreach?
Contribute to sustainability literacy at UHM
Investigate alternative forms of tourism
voluntourism, educational tourism, agtourism, place-
based tourism
Support internship opportunities and international
education and exchanges

34. STEP outcomes
Stakeholder conferences April and October 2009
Faculty and graduate student mentoring and involvement of
undergrads on research projects
Project website with resources for stakeholders to access
Peer reviewed publications
Conference presentations and posters
Contributing to UHM as a center for sustainability
in partnership with East-West Center, Center for Responsible
Travel, University of the Ryukyus, Hokkaido University,
The International Ecotourism Society, UNESCO, World
Heritage Centre

35. Can tourism in Hawai‘i be sustainable …
or will it be greenwashed?
thank you