Hawai‘i Tourism Authority Furthers Its Commitment To Destination Management
Building on the collaborative implementation of its community-based Destination Management Action Plans (DMAPs) since 2020, the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) is further emphasizing its commitment to balancing tourism’s economic benefits with its impacts. HTA today announced it has begun the process of developing the next iteration of six Destination Management Action Plans to set the strategic direction and management for tourism desired by residents of Hawai‘i Island, Maui, Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, O‘ahu, and Kaua‘i and over the next three years.
“Every community has its own unique needs, and it’s important that we continue to listen to our residents and ensure they are involved every step of the way in gathering information, planning, and prioritizing solutions they envision in their neighborhoods,” said Mufi Hannemann, HTA Board Chair. “HTA has proven that it is the right organization to convene various facets of government, the private sectors and public entities toward the focused goal of managed tourism for our community and industry’s well-being.”
Destination management includes educating visitors to be more mindful and respectful, advocating for community-based solutions to manage capacity, protecting natural resources, and perpetuating culture, all to holistically improve the well-being of Hawai‘i’s communities. Examples of the collective destination management efforts underway in collaboration with hundreds of partners are being shared on HTA’s Holomua website at: holomua.hawaiitourismauthority.org
HTA is soliciting proposals from qualified companies to assist HTA in working with communities across the state to facilitate discussions and develop the next round of DMAPs. Based on residents’ needs, each DMAP will identify and prioritize clear actions, articulate the roles of the agencies responsible for implementation, and set measurable outcomes. In addition, residents will identify sites that are in need of further management.
“Through this community-based process, we are actively engaging Hawai‘i’s residents so that we can have a greater understanding of how to best support the community in what they want to see for tourism’s future on their island,” said Daniel Nāho‘opi‘i, HTA’s interim president and CEO. “We will work diligently to create space for the public to provide their input as we want to gather as much feedback as possible to inform our future destination management work in communities statewide.”
The development of each DMAP emphasizes a collaborative process with government agencies, the visitor industry, community and other sectors to support a regenerative tourism model that brings the desired economic and social benefits to Hawai‘i’s residents, minimizes negative impacts, and provides an exceptional experience for visitors.
The contract awarded through RFP 24-10: Development of Destination Management Action Plans for 2024-2027 will commence in March 2024 and will end on September 30, 2024. Proposals are due to HTA by 4:30 p.m. on February 19, 2024.
HTA is utilizing the Hawaiʻi State eProcurement System (HIePRO) at hiepro.ehawaii.gov to issue the RFP, receive all offers, and issue any addenda to the RFP. Inquiries regarding the RFP should be directed to [email protected].
To learn more about HTA’s progress in advancing destination management, visit holomua.hawaiitourismauthority.org.
