FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 16, 2020
HAWAI‘I INVITES TRAVELERS TO MALAMA HAWAI‘I
Industry Partners and Volunteer Organizations Come Together to Inspire Mindful Travel
HONOLULU – Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau, in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, announces the launch of Mālama Hawaiʻi – a heartfelt invitation to mālama, or to take care of, our earth, each other and ourselves. As visitors look forward to traveling when the time is right, we ask them to take a trip that gives back – to Hawaiʻi and to them.
In an effort to inspire mindful travel, industry partners and volunteer organizations across the state have come together with an initiative that encourages visitors to give back to the destination. Volunteer projects range from reforestation and tree planting to self-directed beach cleanups, ocean reef preservation, and even creating Hawaiian quilts for our kūpuna (elders). By making a positive impact, visitors will have a more enriching travel experience and can even enjoy a free extra night from participating hotels.
“Mālama Hawaiʻi is more than a promotion or campaign, it’s the direction in which our brand is headed,” said Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau President and CEO John Monahan. “Our goal is to attract mindful visitors who will leave Hawaiʻi better than when they arrived. By doing so, visitors will experience a deeper connection and a vacation that really becomes more meaningful to them.”
How the Mālama Hawaiʻi Program Works
Hotel partners across the state are offering special packages that include a volunteer opportunity either run on property or in partnership with a local non-profit. The attractive offers, most available through 2021, include a free extra night when participating in the designated volunteer activity. Each hotel is managing its own promotion and volunteer project, which follows strict state and county guidelines including wearing a mask, physical distancing and limited group size.
Beyond Hawaiʻi hotels and resorts, other industry partners and volunteer organizations are joining the effort and creating meaningful travel experiences and initiatives. Following is an initial list of participating partners that will be updated on gohawaii.com/malama:
Alaska Airlines
‘Alohilani Resort Beach Waikīkī Beach
Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort
Fairmont Orchid, Hawaiʻi
Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea
Grand Hyatt Kauaʻi Resort & Spa
Hana-Maui Resort
Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative
Hilton Garden Inn Kauaʻi Wailua Bay
Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa
Hyatt Regency Waikīkī Resort & Spa
Marriott Hawaiʻi: Properties statewide
Outrigger Waikīkī Beach Resort
Pacific Whale Foundation
Prince Waikīkī
Waikīkī Beachcomber by Outrigger
While the visitor experience might look and feel different, travelers can count on the transformative and positive impact of traveling to Hawaiʻi to change their own lives, and the destinations they visit across the state, for the better.
Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative Executive Director Jeff Dunster adds, “Together we will provide guests with a unique opportunity to give back through the restoration of Hawaiʻi's rarest native forests. These ecosystems exist nowhere else on earth and now with visitors’ help, we can all leave a lasting legacy for this generation and for generations to come.”
When in Hawaiʻi, understanding that wearing a mask or face covering (that covers the nose and mouth) in public is mandated across the state, and following best health practices such as physical distancing and frequent hand washing allows visitors to be a part of something greater – the perpetuation of the beauty of Hawaiʻi and the safety of our residents and guests.
For more information about how visitors can mālama Hawaiʻi, visit gohawaii.com/malama.
