Congress passes bill on native tourism
STAR-ADVERTISER
Brian Schatz:
He and a colleague from Indian Country introduced the bill
A bill to help native peoples showcase their cultures in travel, recreational and tourism initiatives, and to give native peoples greater input into national tourism planning, has been approved by Congress.
Dubbed the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience, or NATIVE, Act, the bill was introduced by U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, and John Thune, R-S.D., in the Senate, which approved the measure in April. The bill was approved by the House on Monday.
The bill would not provide any new funding, but is meant “to enhance Native American tourism through better coordination and collaboration among federal agencies that have tourism programs,” according to the House report on the measure.
The American Indian and Alaska Native Tourism Association has noted a growing interest in Indian Country as a tourist destination, and U.S. Department of Commerce surveys show that more than 1.65 million overseas travelers visited Indian Country in 2014, according to the measure.
The bill would instruct the secretaries of the departments of Commerce and the Interior and other federal agencies that administer programs related to recreation and tourism to update existing plans to promote tourism among Indian communities.
Under the bill, the Interior and Commerce departments would have to also provide technical assistance to Indian tribes, tribal organizations and Native Hawaiian organizations to help them participate in the tourism industry. The bill would also require federal agencies to support Indian tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations in showcasing their history and culture and providing “authentic and respectful visitor experiences.”
“This bill will empower native communities to tell their own stories and build their own economic opportunities. For too long, tourism has focused on so-called major destinations and while that’s important, we have the opportunity to support cultural revitalization and economic renewal through the passage of this bill,” said Schatz in a written statement Tuesday. “Visitors are increasingly seeking out a more authentic and historically rich travel experience, and there is nothing more authentic and unique than the cultural tourism experience our native communities provide.”
According to Schatz’s statement, the bill would provide Native Hawaiian, Alaska Native and American Indian communities with access to resources and technical assistance needed to build “sustainable recreational and cultural travel and tourism infrastructure and capacity, spur economic development and create good jobs.”
U.S. Travel Association President and Chief Executive Officer Roger Dow said Tuesday that the bill is “a strong piece of legislation that will drive economic growth not only in areas that house Native lands and cultural attractions, but also for communities in every corner of the country.”
“We are pleased to see our lawmakers prioritize a measure that expands travel and tourism promotion opportunities for these lands —particularly allowing them to attract more international visitors, whose trips often have a tremendous positive ripple effect on the surrounding local economy,” Dow said in a written statement.
The bill is supported by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association and the Sovereign Councils of the Hawaiian Homeland Assembly, among other organizations.
The bill has been sent to President Barack Obama for his consideration.
20 responses to “Congress passes bill on native tourism”
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Anyone ever wonder how this guy got through high school?
He didn’t!
He can’t seem to remember where he lives. He held office in one district, while purchasing a home in a different district as an “owner-occupant.” Honest mistake, or mortgage fraud to get the lower mortgage rate? Since he was never charged with mortgage fraud, I have to assume he is too stoopid to know where he lives. Either that, or (gasp!) politicians get to brake the law without consequences.
The technical problem with the bill is it considers the same construct already struck down as unconstitutional as eligible for federal assistance, namely the Hawaiian, encoded in the legislation as capital N Native Hawaiian Organization, which is essentially the oHA, which is the state. So this is a back door way to keep federal funding flowing to the state it lost when Rice ruled that scheme unconstitutional. If the bill defined the native as native Hawaiians it would be legal. Otherwise, this is open to review based on Rice. The state failed to recover from Rice with the Akaka bill yet still finds a way to divert Native American funding from congress for itself. Wrong. Chinese settlers are not native Hawaiians but they do own and run several NHOs.
At least our Senator is working!
Not really.
Finally, something from our Reps in DC!
LOL. Good one, made me guffaw out loud.
I for one am sick of tourism, which has been whoring and prostituting Hawaiian people for too long. Since when is it a good idea to fish, grow taro, etc. with tourists staring at you like you’re in a zoo? Try living in an area that has somehow miraculously escaped overdevelopement and where people still engage in traditional practices, and that’s what you get. Busloads and carloads of tourists overrun the narrow roads, they trespass in your taro patches, ignore signs and have sex on scenic private property, install ladders down the side of waterfalls for rappelling, assault pristine fishing areas that the people depend on for food with boats, jetskis, hover overhead with helicopters and drones. It is sickening. I do not support this legislation or any legislation that promotes more tourism.
No question tourists have an often unwanted impact. Since they are our only viable industry, other than government, what would you suggest we replace tourism with?
The comments by Mr Hook remind me of the C&C’s Kahana Valley scheme, Remember? David Kalakaua settled some of his kin there. When the Asians took over, the forced the natives living at Kahana to enter into a contract since they had no recognizable modern day deeds. the contract forced on them was they had to perform, like trained animals in a freak show, for tourists at prescribed routines, etc. When they did not, the city used this as excuse to take down their houses using bulldozers at the break of dawn backed up by HPD mokes. And the “shows” in Waikiki are mostly people playing the part of natives. Tourism is H’s life blood but if this bill were the real deal it would define who the actual native is and who the re-enactor is. I think Brian tailors his definition to the state’s Hawaiians. They control the CNHA as they set it up as a way to control federally recognized natives.
There is a tragic irony here. You could call it, “good intentions and the road to Hell.”
Schatz is outspoken about the threat of climate change and the need to reduce green house gas emissions (mostly CO2). Doesn’t he realize that the main source of climate pollution in Hawaii is long distance passenger travel on Kerosene-powered jet aircraft, especially for the annual round-trip airlift of 10 million visitors. It was nearly twice the total combined Carbon impacts of all the other activities in Hawaii in 2013 (13.7 million metric tons of CO2-eq according the US EPA):
Hawaii Visitor Aviation-related GHG Emissions:
11111111111111111111111 (22.5)
All Other Hawaii GHG emissions:
11111111111111 (13.7)
(‘1’ = one MILLION metric tons of CO2)
I don’t have an answer for what should replace tourism’s central place in our economy, but we should at least have the integrity to face the facts about it’s inescapable environmental impacts. Encouraging more mass tourism is certainly not going to be part of the solution.
One solution would be for Hawaiian airlines and the Hawaii Tourism Authority to be transparent and honest about this issue, and to partner with local “carbon-credit” projects, such as the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative.
Promoting reforestation of the islands would be in alignment with growing visitor interest in authenticity and sustainability, would integrate seamlessly with ecotourism and cultural tourism, would offer a Win-win solution to Hawaii’s #1 climate pollution problem (aviation-related emissions), would enhance watershed health and water security, would expand habitat for native species and for cultural practices, would create jobs in sustainable forestry products and wood craftmanship, and most importantly would help remove millions of tons of heat-trapping CO2 from the atmosphere.
See: http://www.legacytrees.org/carbon-credits.html
For real? Are you saying that airplane exhaust to Hawaii, surpasses what Madame Pele has been spewing at Kilauea for the last few decades? Planting trees sounds fine, but its only feel good gesture, like buying a Prius.
I think you are mistaken, little puppy dog,
Current CO2 emission rates from Kilauea have been estimated to be as high as 10,000 tonnes/day. This only equates to 3.6 million tons per year, but it’s even less. Since the formation of the new vent in 2008, Kilauea’s integrated summit-plus- rift CO2 emissions have declined to below 10,000 t/d – more like 3 million tons per year.
Hawaii Visitor Aviation-related GHG Emissions:
11111111111111111111111 (22.5)
All Other Hawaii GHG emissions:
11111111111111 (13.7)
Kilauea GHG emissions:
111 (3)
(‘1’ = one MILLION metric tons of CO2)
Also consider that Kilauea’s Sulfur Dioxide emissions can have a cooling effect, and it is clear that aviation-related GHG emissions remain our biggest climate pollution problem.
See:
http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/gas_climate.html
Here are some other numbers:
Global volcanic emissions (highest preferred estimate) = 0.26 Gt/y
Anthropogenic CO2 from fuel combustion (2013) = 32.2 Gt/y
(Gt/y = Gigatons per year = Billion metric tons per year)
Just 2.7 days of human activity produces as much CO2 as an entire year of global volcanic emissions. This is why scientists say we are in the “Anthropocene” – the era of massive, man-made planetary ecological change.
It’s boring!
Tourism in Hawaii, will never go away. It is an important segment, of Hawaii’s economy. However, a small section of tourism, can now be controlled by Hawaiians.
Almost every Hawaiian theme products, are made every where else in the world, except Hawaii. It is a foot in the door, of tourism economy. It is better than nothing. It is another segment of Hawaii’s economy, that can change.
There can now be control, over the Sales – Marketing – Advertising of Hawaii and Hawaiians.
FYI, a “Hawaiian” product made by a non native Hawaiian is according to federal law not a legal product. Good point, Mr Keoni
So Hawaii need more tourists ? No enough already