FOR OUR MALIHINI (VISITORS)
We know that for many of you, coming to Hawaiʻi is a once-in-a-lifetime journey. You may have saved for years, dreamed about this trip, and imagined standing barefoot in the sand or swimming in waters you’ve only seen in photos.
We’re glad you’re coming - or already here - and we invite you to experience Hawaiʻi not just as a destination, but as a living place with its own stories, relationships, and responsibilities.
Participating in regenerative tourism means approaching your travel with care, curiosity, respect, and involvement. It’s not just about where you go, but how you show up. When you take time to learn about this place we call home - our history, our values, our living culture - you become part of something meaningful and reciprocal. You’re not just seeing Hawaiʻi; you’re engaging with it in a way that honors those who live here and care for it every day.
E komo mai - Welcome - to our island home. We are so happy to have you visiting us.
This approach to travel is grounded in values that have shaped life in these islands for generations:
Mālama
Pilina
To have a relationship to
To care for, to protect
Kuleana
Aloha
To love, to cherish
To have responsibility for
These values are alive across the islands - and when you travel with them in mind, you help ensure that Hawaiʻi continues to thrive for generations to come.
PLAN YOUR REGENERATIVE JOURNEY
Whether you’re looking for experiences, sample itineraries, or meaningful ways to give back, these resources will help you travel with care, intention, and connection.
Find hands-on, locally grounded experiences that support community, culture, ʻāina, and place while you have the time of your life.
Visit Go Hawaiʻi to learn even more about:
One-day and multi-day regenerative travel ideas to help guide your time on each island and throughout the entire archipelago.
SAMPLE TRIP AGENDAS
Discover how you can offer kōkua (aid) while here or back home by volunteering, donating, or simply showing up with respect
WAYS TO GIVE BACK
VISITOR VALUES & TRAVEL TIPS
Small choices can make a big impact.
Regenerative travel isn’t about perfection - it’s about presence.
It’s about asking good questions, making thoughtful choices, and being open to learning along the way.
Here are a few ways you can travel in a way that uplifts people and place in Hawaiʻi and beyond:
✅What to Do:
Support local – Choose locally owned restaurants, shops, lodging, and experiences.
Tread lightly – Stay on trails, pack out trash, and avoid disturbing wildlife.
Give back – Join a beach cleanup or loʻi kalo restoration, support a nonprofit, or leave a different positive impact behind.
Listen to community voices – Be open to hearing perspectives and ʻike (knowledge) different from your own.
Learn a little ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi – Even a simple “aloha” or “mahalo” goes a long way.
🚫What to Avoid:
Participating in tours or activities that exploit culture or the environment.
Trespassing or entering sacred spaces (wahi pana) or those that are kapu (off-limits) without guidance or permission.
Touching wildlife or removing rocks, coral, plants, or sand.
Geotagging sensitive locations on social media.
Assuming “Hawaiian” means “vacation” rather than an identity and a people.
Treating local residents with disrespect or disdain.
Visiting with respect doesn’t take away from the fun - it deepens it. When you approach your trip with aloha and mindfulness, you’ll walk away with more than just memories and photos.
You’ll leave with pilina - genuine connection to people and place.
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?
Fill out the contact form to the right, and we will be in touch soon.