Kauai’s North Shore end-of-the-road scenic places struggled with access-related headaches long before epic mid-April 2018 rainfall and related flooding and landslides left Kuhio Highway with dozens of emergency repair sites.
In recent years, before repair work closed two miles of the highway that serves as a gateway to Haena State Park, daily traffic there often overwhelmed the narrow corridor’s limited capacity.
In response, state agencies, in tandem with the community, drafted the Haena State Park Master Plan, which caps visitation at 900 people a day (down from a daily estimate of up to 3,000). The “adaptive management” plan was implemented in mid-June, when the highway stretch reopened to the general public — after a 14-month closure.
“Since the new rules and regulations for the park have been put into place by the Department of Land and Natural Resources, we are seeing a reduction in the number of visitors to the area, ” said Sue Kanoho, who serves as Kauai Visitors Bureau’s executive director.
Access to the Haena park, along with adjacent Napali Coast State Wilderness Park — the most remote among some 50 state parks in Hawaii — now involves a reservation and parking process, and includes a new North Shore shuttle option, (www.gohaena.com and kauai- nsshuttle.com/).
“We are continuing to work on getting awareness and education” about the changes relayed to pre-arrival travelers through media outlets, travel wholesalers and travel agents as well as lodging accommodations, Kanoho said, adding that the state Department of Transportation’s Highways Division recently issued a flyer for rental car companies to distribute to arriving visitors.
A California native, Kanoho has been working at the Visitors Bureau for 22 years. Previously, she served on the Kauai Economic Development Board when the island was in the thick of post-Hurricane Iniki recovery mode. The Category 4 storm hit the island with devastating sustained winds of 140 mph and gusts of 175 mph on Sept. 11, 1992.
Question: Amid the highway stretch reopening, some residents — citing traffic and environmental concerns — physically blocked tourists from getting to Haena for a few hours until police intervened. Anything now in the works to help ease tensions?
Answer: The Kauai Visitors Bureau, along with state and county entities, are continuously exploring ideas to help find balance between the community and visitors. The Haena Master Plan has been a discussion for many years and it has also evolved with community input … parts of that effort are being implemented through the new rules and regulations.
State Rep. Nadine Nakamura (D, Hanalei-Princeville-Kapaa) was able to pass a law that increases fines for illegal parking in the Haena area. (Under the legislation, which Gov. David Ige signed off on last month, a whopping $200 surcharge is added to the existing parking fine of $35.)
The Hawaii Tourism Authority funded a shuttle for the community during the road closure to help residents in the Haena and Wainiha areas, and a program to get the word out that Hanalei Town was open for business. The Visitors Bureau has funded a local radio campaign, printed flyers and paid for a social media campaign to educate visitors and residents about Haena State Park and the North Shore Shuttle.
In addition, the Aloha Pledge — a tourism management strategy in which visitors promise they will obey rules, follow laws, and respect local residents and the environment — was created by residents on the North Shore. … We have been sharing it along with our (visitor) updates since it’s a good reminder that this special area requires additional planning to travel there.
Q: The April 2018 storm dumped about 50 inches of rain in a 24-hour period, setting a national record. What’s the status of community recovery?
A: The flooding had a long-lasting effect on many people’s lives, homes and businesses; in fact, many are still recovering and rebuilding. The three bridges in Haena are still being worked on, resulting in occasional delays and closures to finish their work.
Immediately following the flooding, Hanalei town saw a dip in business because visitors couldn’t access the Napali Coast’s Kalalau Trail, and didn’t realize the majority of Hanalei Town remained open. In partnership with the North Shore Business Council and the Kauai Chamber of Commerce, the Hawaii Tourism Authority/Kauai Visitors Bureau supported a website-focused media campaign, Hanaleitown.com.
Despite the challenges for the North Shore, 2018 saw an increase of visitors over 2017’s arrivals, with many visitors being re-booked to other sides of the island. (Last year nearly 1.38 million tourists visited Kauai — up about 8% from 2017. The number of tourists visiting Haena State Park is an estimated 730,000 or more annually.)
Q: Which other Kauai tourism spots warrant watching or special attention?
A: We are watching all areas of the Garden Island as we want travelers to visit and experience responsibly. One issue we do want to emphasize is rapid ohia death. The fungal disease, which has killed hundreds of thousands of trees in Hawaii, is on Hawaii island, Kauai and now Maui. (It was found on Oahu as well). Ohia is a keystone species of the Hawaiian forest, and the trees are considered critical to the function of Hawaiian watersheds. Wounds serve as an entry point for the fungus.
Visitors should avoiding injuring ohia, and clean soil off shoes, spraying them with rubbing alcohol before and after entering forested areas. Also, clothes should be washed with hot water and soap; and vehicles washed with a high-pressure hose. … Off-roading vehicle undercarriage tires, mountain bikes and motorcycles should be cleaned and sprayed with alcohol, too. (For more information, visit rapidohiadeath.org.)
In addition, water safety remains top of mind for our lifeguards/first responders as well as for those of us in the visitor industry. We always remind people to “know before you go” and to keep daily conditions readily available to share with anyone venturing out to the ocean. Beachgoers should also know about life-saving rescue tubes (located on some beaches without lifeguards), and the presence of new roving jet skis that help keep our visitors safe.
Q: What are the top short-term goals for the Visitors Bureau?
A: To continue marketing education on responsible and respectful travel to Kauai through media outreach and collaboration with our travel trade partners. For example, a few of our partners are spreading awareness about reef-safe sunscreen. (A state law bans the sale of sunscreen containing coral-harming chemicals, effective in 2021) … This sort of education gives travelers a deeper understanding of the people, place and culture.
The Visitor Bureau’s recent efforts have included sharing appreciation for the culture via cultural advisors going on the road with us; the creation of the “Hawaii Rooted” videos (www.gohawaii.com/hawaii-rooted), and new “Travel Tips” videos located on YouTube.
Q: Tourism trends on your radar?
A: Social media has had an impact on destinations worldwide and Kauai has experienced places previously unknown or secluded being featured in posts — and that has driven more people to areas unable to handle crowds. We have seen some new approaches (that address the problem), such as “Tag Responsibly” campaigns, which ask visitors to consider the impact of their posts. We appreciate that.
In addition, we have seen interest among visitors for supporting sustainable practices for businesses here. And there’s interest in “voluntourism” opportunities during vacations.
A top long-term goal for the Visitors Bureau is to find the right visitors to match the island instead of increasing visitor numbers year over year. This means focusing on finding the perfect balance and connecting with visitors who are looking for what Kauai has to offer, whether it be the (small-island) charm feel or the laid-back atmosphere.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your Visitors Bureau work?
A:This is a job you can never get bored in, has a fast pace and requires the ability to manage many projects at once. … I am blessed to live and work on one of the most beautiful islands in the world. This job takes teamwork, and I’m fortunate to have an amazing team. I enjoy public relations and sharing what makes Kauai so special with our visitor markets.
