The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) is hoping to rebrand the islands to attract “mindful, respectful and high-value travelers,” this year, after requesting $60 million in state funding to help promote more responsible tourism.
According to the Honolulu Civil Beat, Governor David Ige and his administration requested the money to focus on promoting environmental and cultural programs that travelers would want to participate in during their stay, which would have a beneficial impact on the islands.
A reported $34.2 million would go towards branding activities, while $14.4 of it would be spent on the tourism organization’s global marketing programs. The money, if approved, would be spent within the next fiscal year, which begins on July 1.
Changing the way the Hawaiian islands are viewed, from a beautiful beach destination to a destination to be respected as well as explored for its multi-cultural heritage and rich yet fragile ecosystems, is also meant to help Hawaiian residents cope with large amounts of …