Ulalia Woodside grew up rooted in the environmental and cultural worlds: Her dad was a wildlife biologist and her mom a Native Hawaiian cultural practitioner. When the Hawaii Tourism Authority approached her about helping to develop a new Oahu tourism management plan, she said she joined the effort because of her upbringing and values.

“My mother and grandmother exhibited and taught an older generation of island values … in that when somebody asks for your help, if you can, you help them,” said Woodside, executive director of the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii. “Beyond that, tourism is a very critical part of our community. Our natural resources are also cultural resources … and the foundation for us to be unique as a destination relies on our ability to malama and care for this natural place.”

Woodside, along with 22 other volunteers from various sectors impacted by tourism including hotels, businesses, government agencies, and environmental and cultural organizations, spent five months as a steering committee member working with HTA officials on the Oahu Destination Management Action Plan. The 36-page report, released to the public Aug. 31, outlines goals and actions to reset and rebuild tourism on Oahu over the next three years. Compiled by the HTA, the plan incorporates feedback from the steering committee and the community.

The management plan comes at a time when many residents have voiced concern about the impacts the growing visitor industry has on their quality of life, the environment and culture. In addition to Oahu, HTA has developed similar plans for the neighbor islands.

In 2019, Hawaii visitor arrivals surpassed the 10-million threshold, prompting more pushback. And with the temporary lull in tourism due to the COVID-19 pandemic, residents also have experienced what life is like without visitors crowding parks, beaches, roads and other public sites.

For the Native Hawaiian community, stakeholders say better tourism management is needed to protect important cultural and natural resources. While some Hawaiian community leaders are calling the Oahu plan a step in the right direction and are optimistic about ideas that weave in Hawaiian culture, others believe the plan doesn’t go far enough and question if it will make an impact.

Despite the differing viewpoints, advocates agreed that execution and follow-­through will be key moving forward.

CULTURAL VALUES

Woodside said she appreciates that certain actions in the plan reflect the need to malama the aina, or care for the land. That includes working with stakeholders to protect Oahu’s most vulnerable landmarks and natural resources, partnering with communities to determine best practices, and increasing grassroots stewardship efforts, active management and enforcement at so-called hot spots.

Looking into a reservation system and demand-based pricing at popular tourist sites, along with a statewide pilot program that would redistribute excess demand to other sites, also could help balance the number of visitors, she said. Another action outlined in the plan explores a “regenerative tourism fee,” which could directly support programs that preserve the islands’ natural and cultural resources.

Woodside and fellow steering committee member Keali‘i Pang, president of the Oahu Council of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, said that revenue could help cultural practitioners and groups continue stewardship efforts and increase curated and authentic experiences.

“I thought (the plan) was reflective of the conversations that we had. It was good to see that this malama action plan recognized the value of our natural world,” Woodside said. “In looking back at the plan, one of the things that stands out to me is just how challenging it could be to make the systemic types of changes that the steering committee would like to see. I don’t know if that gets appreciated sometimes, that what’s presented is not just the easy things but also those systemic challenges.”

Other parts of the plan that are helpful include a shift in marketing Oahu to “a higher caliber of visitors” who prioritize and are respectful of the environment and culture and investing in the community, along with those who are willing to “buy local,” said Shannon Edie, president of the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce. She said the organization’s more than 200 members need more support to promote Hawaiian-­owned businesses, art and cultural traditions.

Edie and Malia Sanders, executive director of the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association, pointed to Kuhikuhi, a joint project that created an online directory of Native Hawaiian-owned businesses and cultural practitioners as a way the two organizations are already working on initiatives in the plan.

Sanders said she hopes the plan will continue to highlight more work already being done by NaHHA and other Hawaiian groups and share that with the broader community. By doing this, she said they hope to forge collaborations with other community groups.

Another way to help Native Hawaiian hospitality workers is to support more Hawaiian language and cultural education and training programs, Sanders said. In the plan, NaHHA is listed as the sublead agency for this action, and she said the organization has plans to add more workshops and expand its reach through virtual classes.

“If you’re going to talk about Hawaiian culture, you need to talk about language and education because that’s the basis of the culture. Hawaiian foundational values are great, but if you don’t know how to act on them, then they’re just ideas. You have to put them into action,” said Sanders, whose nonprofit contracts with HTA on some projects.

John De Fries, HTA’s president and CEO, is also one of NaHHA’s founders.

Community leaders commended the representation of Hawaiian voices and allies on the steering committee, which included Iolani Palace; Na Mea Hawai‘i, which showcases works by local artists, crafters and authors; Kualoa Ranch; the North Shore Community Land Trust; the Waianae Economic Development Council; and Kua‘aina Ulu ‘Auamo, which fosters community-based stewardship of natural resources.

“There’s always room for growth and improvement, but this is a step in the right direction. I think it’s a balanced approach that incorporates and weaves in our culture,” said Kuhio Lewis, president and CEO of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, creators of the popular online marketplace Pop-Up Makeke, which HTA supported through funding. “This is something that Native Hawaiians have sought — more involvement in a plan that provides Hawaiian perspectives. We can be part of the solution. We want to be part of the solution.”

PLANS INTO ACTIONS

Na Mea Hawai‘i founder Maile Meyer, a steering committee member, said she feels the plan doesn’t go far enough and offers some good ideas that aren’t necessarily new or outside the box. For instance, rather than charging tourists more fees to visit certain sites, she would like to see them contribute their time to help communities, based on the length of their visit.

Meyer also said because there were so many different interests at the table, it was difficult to find agreement or compromise on certain points.

“I don’t want to sound critical, because I appreciated the process. But it wasn’t nuanced enough,” she said. “I’m not a fan of one-size-fits-all. Different communities have different needs. A lot of this kind of feels like, ‘What took so long?’”

Pang said the plan’s shift toward decreasing the total number of visitors to a manageable level doesn’t go far enough. He said many civic club members who serve as cultural practitioners and stewards of the land work in smaller groups to provide authentic experiences. They have told him there isn’t enough infrastructure, including parking, roads and restrooms, to accommodate the high volume of tourists.

But because HTA doesn’t have the direct authority to limit the number of tourists coming to Oahu, Pang said it was a compromise to instead ramp up marketing that is culturally appropriate and sensitive.

Edie pointed out that the wording of that portion of the plan seems vague. She said limiting tourists to a “manageable level” has different meanings for different communities, and questioned how that threshold will be determined.

She also said she would have liked more clarity on the roles of government agencies, which are key to implementation of several action items. Each item in the plan lists a lead and sublead agency or organization, but Edie questioned if the agencies are aware of their responsibilities and whether they are even in agreement with those action items.

Because HTA has its limitations and not every government agency was part of the steering committee, she said more discussion would have been helpful.

Caroline Anderson, HTA’s director of planning, said the Oahu Destination Management Action Plan reflects the priorities expressed by the steering committee and community members. Like other plans, she said it is “not set in stone” and could change.

“We wanted to make sure the Hawaiian culture would be accurately portrayed and not a commodity being sold,” Anderson said. “We really are trying to make an effort to make sure community voices and other sectors are heard in the development of tourism. And also that people will see that this action plan is not just going to sit on a shelf. We are going to be moving on the actions.”

HTA has allocated about $1.69 million for the first year of implementation, she said. Additionally, there are other HTA projects and money, including community grants, that support the Oahu plan. And some actions don’t require funding, but coordination among organizations.

The Oahu Visitors Bureau announced Friday that Catherine Orlans had been appointed destination manager and will be responsible for moving the Oahu management plan forward, coordinating with HTA and other agencies, tracking progress on each action and reaching out to the public. The new position was funded by HTA.

The tourism authority has met with several city departments and will be hosting a virtual public meeting Friday to discuss the Oahu and neighbor islands destination management plans. The first quarterly progress report for the Oahu plan is expected to be published in October or November, according to Anderson.

Woodside pointed out that some of the actions outlined in the plan might take longer than three years to accomplish, so follow-up is critical to seeing it through.

But some Native Hawaiian stakeholders still are unsure how much of an impact the plan will have given HTA’s recent budget and staffing cuts. Others question if three years is too short a time frame to accomplish its goals and want to see HTA do more community outreach. They pointed out that execution by HTA and other organizations will be crucial.

Lewis of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement added that “with that kind of backing (from Native Hawaiian leaders on the steering committee), my hope is that it will go somewhere.”

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Key points in Oahu Destination Management Action Plan

>> Decrease total number of visitors to a manageable level.

>> Implement a pre- and postarrival tourism communications program to encourage respectful and supportive behavior.

>> Identify sites and implement stewardship plans for key hot spots.

>> Increase enforcement and active management of sites and trails.

>> Develop a reservation system to monitor and manage users at natural resources and cultural sites.

>> Establish a “regenerative tourism fee” to support programs to protect natural resources and address unfunded conservation liabilities.

>> Develop and implement marketing programs to attract positive-impact travelers who prioritize the environment, culture and investing in the local community.

>> Continue to develop and implement “buy local” programs.

>> Manage visitors’ use of cars.

>> Work with community partners to develop, market, encourage and support more collaborative, curated experiences that enrich residents and visitors alike.

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Priority tourism hot spots

The Oahu DMAP names 17 sites for increased stewardship based on access, safety, community impact, traffic, and cultural and environmental sensitivity.

1. Diamond Head

2. Haiku Stairs*

3. Halona Blowhole

4. Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve

5. Kaena Point

6. Kailua Beach and Kailua Town

7. Kaniakapupu Ruins

8. Koko Crater Trail and Koko Head Stairs

9. Kukaniloko Birthstones State Historical Site

10. Laniakea/Turtle Beach

11. Lanikai Pillbox trail and neighborhood

12. Lulumahu Falls

13. Makapuu Point trail

14. Maunawili Falls

15. North Shore/Haleiwa

16. Puu Maelieli Trail

17. Waikiki

*Note: The city is moving to close Haiku Stairs.

Jayna Omaye covers ethnic and cultural affairs and is a corps member of Report for America, a national serv­ice organization that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under­covered issues and communities.