POLICY & PLANNING RESOURCES
The resources below reflect the current formal integration of regenerative tourism into Hawaiʻi’s planning infrastructure - from statewide strategies to island-level action plans. These frameworks establish a foundation for decision-making that centers community well-being, cultural integrity, and environmental stewardship in tourism policy.
Supporting the long-term resilience of Hawaiʻi’s visitor industry as a more regenerative model requires alignment between values, policy, and practice.
In addition to existing policies, the collection includes forward-looking proposals, examples from other jurisdictions, and research that may inform future legislative or strategic efforts. Together, these materials offer pathways for continued alignment, innovation, and investment in a more regenerative visitor industry.
WITHIN HAWAI‘I
Statewide Strategies
Act 128 (2024): Regenerative Tourism Integration into State Planning
Hawai‘i State Legislature + Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA)
Enacted on June 28, 2024, Act 128 makes Hawaiʻi the first U.S. state to formally integrate regenerative tourism into its statewide planning framework. The legislation amends the Hawaiʻi State Planning Act to expand objectives and policies for the visitor industry - centering environmental stewardship, cultural integrity, and community well-being. It also mandates that the state’s Tourism Functional Plan be updated to reflect regenerative principles, with a revised version due to the Legislature in 2025.
Hawai‘i Tourism Authority Strategic Plan 2020-2025
Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA)
Outlines a comprehensive framework for destination stewardship grounded in four strategic pillars: Natural Resources, Hawaiian Culture, Community, and Brand Marketing. The plan repositions tourism as a system to be managed - not simply marketed - emphasizing resident well-being, cultural integrity, and ʻāina-based stewardship as key indicators of success.
Malama Hawai‘i Program
Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) + Industry & Community Partners
A statewide campaign and programmatic initiative encouraging visitors to participate in regenerative activities during their stay. Mālama Hawaiʻi has supported dozens of organizations offering volunteer opportunities and created a platform for aligning visitor behavior with community values.
County-Specific Strategies
Hawai‘i Island
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Developed in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA), the DMAP outlines a community-based approach to manage tourism responsibly on Hawaiʻi Island. It focuses on actions such as protecting culturally significant sites, supporting ʻāina-based education, and promoting agritourism to enhance local food security. The plan emphasizes collaboration among residents, the visitor industry, and government agencies to ensure tourism contributes positively to the island's communities and environment.
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Serving as a guiding framework, the TSP aims to align tourism development with the values and priorities of Hawaiʻi Island's residents. It emphasizes enhancing the quality of life for the community, preserving natural and cultural resources, and fostering economic benefits through sustainable tourism practices. The plan advocates for a balanced approach that respects the island's unique heritage while promoting responsible visitor experiences.
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The County's Department of Research and Development leads this program to support a community-based visitor industry that embodies authenticity, reciprocity, sustainability, and responsibility. Grounded in Hawaiʻi Island's sense of place and indigenous culture, the program invests in the people and locations that host visitors, aligning with the objectives outlined in the TSP.
Click here to learn more about the Regenerative Tourism Program.
Kaua‘i
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Developed by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority in collaboration with Kauaʻi's community stakeholders, this plan outlines strategies to manage tourism responsibly, focusing on preserving natural resources, enhancing resident quality of life, and promoting authentic cultural experiences.
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This strategic plan provides direction for Kauaʻi's visitor industry, aiming to balance economic benefits with environmental sustainability and resident well-being. It emphasizes collaborative actions to address overtourism and promote sustainable tourism practices.
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Administered by the County of Kauaʻi's Office of Economic Development, this program focuses on diversifying visitor offerings, mitigating tourism-related challenges, and supporting sustainable practices that benefit both residents and visitors.
Click here to learn more about the program.
Maui (Maui, Moloka‘i, Lana‘i)
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Developed by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA) in collaboration with Maui County's community stakeholders, this plan outlines strategies to manage tourism responsibly across Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi. It focuses on preserving natural resources, enhancing resident quality of life, and promoting authentic cultural experiences.
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Adopted on December 28, 2012, the Maui Island Plan provides direction for future growth, economic development, and social and environmental decisions on the island through 2030. It establishes a vision founded on core values that translate into goals, objectives, policies, and actions, although it does not touch explicitly on regenerative tourism.
O‘ahu (Honolulu)
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Developed by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA) in collaboration with the City and County of Honolulu and the Oʻahu Visitors Bureau, this community-driven plan aims to rebuild, redefine, and reset the direction of tourism on Oʻahu. It focuses on enhancing residents' quality of life and improving the visitor experience through actionable strategies.
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The Office of Economic Revitalization (OER) has initiated a program to support Oʻahu's residents, communities, environment, and cultural sites, ensuring they benefit from tourism activities. This program aligns with the goals of the Oʻahu DMAP and emphasizes collaboration with the community and hospitality stakeholders.
BEYOND HAWAI‘I
While Hawaiʻi leads the U.S. in integrating regenerative tourism into state law, we are not alone in rethinking what tourism can look like. Around the world, countries, cities, and regions are adopting policies that go beyond sustainability, investing in community, environmental restoration, and visitor responsibility.
Exploring these models helps inform what’s possible in Hawaiʻi. They offer inspiration and possible pathways as we shape an industry that serves people and place.
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Aotearoa - New Zealand introduced the Tiaki Promise, a national initiative encouraging visitors to act as guardians of the country. This commitment involves protecting and preserving the environment, respecting culture, and contributing to the well-being of local communities, embodying regenerative tourism principles.
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The national tourism body has been actively promoting regenerative travel experiences. Their initiatives encourage travelers to leave destinations better than they found them, supporting activities that contribute positively to local environments and communities.
Click here to learn more about how Australia promotes regenerative travel.
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The County's Department of Research and Development leads this program to support a community-based visitor industry that embodies authenticity, reciprocity, sustainability, and responsibility. Grounded in Hawaiʻi Island's sense of place and indigenous culture, the program invests in the people and locations that host visitors, aligning with the objectives outlined in the TSP.
Click here to read about the CITDS approach to regenerative tourism. -
In July 2024, Copenhagen launched the CopenPay initiative, rewarding tourists for engaging in sustainable behaviors such as biking, using public transportation, or participating in environmental clean-ups. Participants received incentives like free meals and museum admissions, promoting regenerative tourism practices.
Click here to see how Copenhagen is rewarding tourists for regenerative behavior.
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In early 2025, the EESC formally endorsed regenerative tourism as a pillar of the EU’s long-term competitiveness. It recommended integrating regenerative principles into EU tourism policy, including pilot programs, ecosystem restoration, and circular economy initiatives across Member States.
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To facilitate a shift toward a low-carbon economy, Ireland established a €169 million Just Transition Fund for 2023–2026 as part of the broader EU Just Transition initiative. Part of this fund is allocated to the Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme, investing in the sustainable development of tourism in the Midlands to create jobs and sustain communities.
Click here to learn more about Ireland’s transition to a more regenerative visitor economy.
REGENERATIVE TOURISM POLICY GUIDES & RECOMMENDATIONS
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Endorsed by G7 Tourism Ministers, this policy paper outlines strategies to optimize the socio-economic impacts of tourism for sustainable and inclusive development. Key areas include managing tourism development to spread benefits, promoting accessible and inclusive tourism, building a strong and inclusive tourism workforce, encouraging climate action through greener tourism models, and leveraging digital tools for tourism development.
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This guide outlines actionable steps for tourism businesses and destinations to measure, monitor, and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Drawing from the Glasgow Declaration, IPCC protocols, and global case studies like Machu Picchu, it offers a framework for aligning tourism operations with net-zero and climate-positive goals. The guide provides detailed breakdowns of Scope 1–3 emissions across the tourism value chain and emphasizes the importance of circular systems, local sourcing, and ecosystem restoration in climate-aligned tourism governance.
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This report by the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy presents a framework for regenerative coastal and marine tourism. It includes case studies demonstrating how tourism can restore ecosystems, support local economies, and preserve cultural heritage.
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Endorsed at the 11th APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, this framework repositions tourism as a driver of local well-being, resilience, and ecological restoration. The recommendations are grounded in seven guiding principles that emphasize respecting local cultures and ecosystems, fostering inclusive community engagement, investing in human capital, and leveraging innovation for sustainability. The policy encourages APEC economies to adopt regenerative approaches that go beyond sustainability by actively restoring and enriching destinations.
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This report advocates for a 'Nature Positive' approach, urging the travel and tourism sector to halt and reverse nature loss. It provides a roadmap for businesses to assess and define their impact on nature, reduce and restore biodiversity, monitor and report progress, and collaborate and communicate efforts. The report also includes a toolbox with practical guidance, case studies, and resources to support stakeholders in implementing nature-positive strategies.
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Released in response to the COVID-19 crisis, this global position paper outlines six key lines of action for a sustainable recovery in tourism: public health, social inclusion, biodiversity conservation, climate action, circular economy, and governance & finance. It calls on governments and tourism stakeholders to embed long-term sustainability in recovery efforts, emphasizing local value chains, inclusive job creation, nature-based solutions, and the measurement of non-economic impacts. The report positions regenerative tourism not only as a framework for recovery, but as a path toward greater resilience and equity across the sector.
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The GSTC Criteria are globally recognized standards for sustainable tourism, used by destinations, businesses, and certifiers as a baseline for responsible practices. Structured around four pillars - Sustainable Management, Socioeconomic Impacts, Cultural Impacts, and Environmental Impacts - the criteria offer a comprehensive framework for assessing sustainability and guiding policy. While not specific to regenerative tourism, the GSTC Criteria are widely referenced in destination planning and certification processes, and provide a foundation for many regenerative models to build upon or move beyond.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE & CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMS BY
To support development of a more regenerative tourism industry, the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority introduced a suite of three new programs in 2024, collectively known as the Technical Assistance & Capacity Building (TACB) programs. Click below to learn more about how these programs are impacting businesses and nonprofits across Hawaiʻi.
The Foundational Technical Assistance program seeks to connect local businesses and nonprofits with foundational knowledge and connections with the visitor industry through a series of free, public panels, workshops, and seminars held across Hawaiʻi and streamed virtually.
The Community Stewardship program is a cohort based initiative aiming to assist local nonprofits that care for ʻāina and wahi pana (sacred places) taxed by tourism by connecting them with the visitor industry, expert assistance, and increased ʻike (knowledge) to build their internal capacity.
The Regenerative Experiences program is a cohort based initiative that aims to expand Hawaiʻi’s regenerative visitor industry by working with local businesses and nonprofits to develop more culturally-based, sustainable experiences for visitors that support local communities.
CONTACT US
Hoping to learning more about the move toward a more regenerative visitor industry for Hawaiʻi?
Interested in joining one of HTA’s cohort programs, or learning more about upcoming Foundational Technical Assistance workshops?
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