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State officials announce ‘Malama Hawai‘i’ PSA campaign

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Video courtesy Hawaii DLNR
Hawaii DLNR launched its "Malama Hawai'i" campaign today to encourage visitors to care for the state's natural resources.
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COURTESY HAWAII DLNR

Hawaii DLNR’s “Malama Hawai‘i” campaign will be deployed through seven public service announcements at 27,000 hotel rooms and incoming Hawaiian Airlines flights.

State officials announced today the launch of its “Malama Hawai‘i” campaign in partnership with the Hawaii Tourism Authority, encouraging visitors to care for the state’s natural resources.

The campaign — designed to educate visitors and kamaaina about being respectful of the islands’ natural resources — will be deployed through seven public service announcements at 27,000 hotel rooms and incoming Hawaiian Airlines flights.

State Department of Land and Natural Resources chair Suzanne Case recalls using state funding two years ago to commission the design and placement of 30 large “Malama Hawai‘i” outdoor conservation signs at state parks and trail heads around Oahu.

“Now, we’re taking the very same messages on these beautiful signs and expanding them across a wide variety of communications platforms,” she said in a news release.

At a press conference Tuesday afternoon, she said everybody is “keenly aware” of the important connection between tourism in Hawaii and our natural environment.

To kick off the campaign, DLNR is featuring the PSAs on its Facebook page for the next seven weeks. The seven, 30-second PSAs will also be aired onboard Hawaiian Airlines’ Airbus A330 aircraft on flights between Hawaii and North America and its international destinations.

The PSAs inform the public that “Malama Hawai‘i” means “caring for our islands.” They also inform the public about native species, remind visitors to stay on authorized trails, respect the host culture, and not to disturb Native Hawaiian culture sites or remove rocks, and encourage practicing good conservation for future generations.

Another PSA reminds families to fact check information before visiting a site due to an abundance of inaccurate and misleading information posted on social media. Other PSAs inform the public about not walking on coral reef structures and to respect wildlife from a distance.

“All of us have a responsibility to take care of our island home and ensure its sustainable future,” said HTA director of Hawaiian cultural affairs Kalani Ka‘ana’ana in a news release. “Through this collaboration with DLNR and industry partners amplifying the message, the Malama Hawai‘i campaign encourages travelers to be safe, mindful and respectful while enjoying the islands’ natural beauty.”

Hawaiian Airlines was the first carrier to agree to include the PSAs as part of its digital entertainment on flights from the U.S. mainland, according to DLNR. AirAsia X is beginning to play audio versions of the announcements, and discussions are also underway with other domestic and international carriers to show the PSAs.

“We are most appreciative of the support we’re getting from the visitor industry, which recognizes the strong linkage between the health of our natural and cultural resources and the health of Hawai‘i’s biggest and most important economic sector,” said Case in the news release. “Clearly you cannot have one without the other.”

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