The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), County of Hawai‘i, and Island of Hawai‘i Visitors Bureau (IHVB) announced two new community-based destination management initiatives to increase sustainable tourism on Hawaiʻi island.

The Keaukaha Steward Pilot and Community Cultural-Based Education Programs are aimed at  mitigating visitor impacts while protecting natural and cultural resources in the Keaukaha area through community-led, government-supported action at Waiuli (also known as Richardson Ocean Park) and Lehia Beach Parks.

Residents identified Keaukaha as a visitor hotspot in the County of Hawai‘i’s 2020-2025 Hawai‘i Island Tourism Strategic Plan and HTA’s 2021-2023 Hawai‘i Island Destination Management Action Plan (DMAP).

The Keaukaha Steward Pilot Program is a collaborative project with the County, HTA, Kupu, Keaukaha and Leleiwi Community Associations, Hui Ho‘oleimaluō, and the Keliʻi William Ioane Legacy Foundation.. With funding provided by HTA and the County, Kupu has hired four part-time local,two stationed at Waiuli, two at Lehia, to help educate visitors about the area and history, gather visitation data, and mitigate unwanted behaviors. The pilot program runs through December 2023.

With funding provided by HTA and in conjunction with the County and IHVB, the Keliʻi William Ioane Legacy Foundation has also been selected to develop and operate the Community Cultural-Based Education Program which will help balance the preservation of cultural and natural resources with mindful visitation in the Keaukaha area.

The cultural education program will support the Keaukaha Steward Pilot Program by enhancing the stewards’ cultural and historical knowledge of the Keaukaha area to be shared with the community and parkgoers. The program focuses on community collaboration, including with the Edith Kanaka‘ole Foundation through its Honuaiākea (Kapu and Kānāwai Papakū Makawalu) Process workshop. Staff members will synthesize information gathered from the two-day workshop and design learning materials for community and steward use.

Keaukaha is the second Hawai‘i Island community to implement a steward program for improved destination management and preservation. In north Kohala, Nā Ala Hele Trail and Access Program staff members began working closely with the Pololū and surrounding communities. In 2021, HTA provided funding support for the Pololū Trail Steward Program, a pilot project in collaboration with Nā Ala Hele Trail and Access Program, the lineal descendent community of Pololū, and Kupu. The pilot program was a success for the community and carried forth by the State Department of Land and Natural Resources.

In a press release Mayor Roth said, “Our administration recognizes the value of community collaboration and the importance of perpetuating authentic Hawaiian culture, particularly in and around our wahi pana. By implementing place-based education and stewardship programs, we can actively engage residents to preserve our cherished destinations while promoting sustainable tourism. We are extremely honored to collaborate with HTA, IHVB, and our community partners to develop initiatives that promote, perpetuate, and protect our Hawaiʻi Island.”

To learn more about how destination management and stewardship is advancing throughout Hawai‘i, visit https://holomua.hawaiitourismauthority.org/.