New program helps nonprofits and groups in Hawaii introduce regenerative tourism experiences
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When Lehia Apana and Brad Bayless started out Polipoli farms In 2019, they didn’t think they would open their country to tourists. Until recently, the couple only invited school classes and students to their farm in Waiehu, Maui.
But once they realized the value of working with students, Apana realized that they wanted to share their stories and their moolelo (story) with more people.
Now, with the help of the Kaiaulu Ho’okipa Impact Studio program, the couple are preparing to go on farm tours next year. The new initiative launched in October by the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association and travel2change, is helping local organizations provide more authentic experiences for visitors and residents, and builds on the state shift to “regenerative tourism” where visitors give back to the communities they visit.
“When I was thinking about tourism and how it relates to the farm, I thought of all the negatives and that shut me out from the positives,” Apana said. âOnce we got out of our own heads, we realized that this was an opportunity to share the lessons and joys we had.
“I don’t see what we do as typical tourism.”
Polipoli Farms was among 29 local nonprofit and community groups participating in the first cohort of the program, which was completed last month. Attendees received six free weeks of virtual training that included workshops on culture, business, and entrepreneurial development, said Malia Sanders, executive director of NaHHA, a nonprofit that promotes the development and advancement of native Hawaiians in the visitor industry.
The goal, Sanders said, was to prepare them to start their own experiences and activities for the Kamaaina and visitors. She pointed out that it was the first time for some of the participants that they were able to deal with regenerative tourism ideas. Others were already doing church work but didn’t have the resources to start their own programs, she said.
âIt’s not just for the visitors. It’s about being a contributing member of your community and being part of what it takes to make your community thrive, healthy, and prosperous, “she said. âIf we’re going to make malama a reality, here are 29 examples of how community members can make a difference in their places. If we expect this from our guests, we have to do it ourselves. “
As part of the program, cohort members will be featured on the travel2change website and booking platform in April. Mondy Jamshidi-Kent, executive director of travel2change, said the goal is to increase the visibility of attendees while helping them with marketing and other support.
Sanders and Jamshidi-Kent hope to continue the program in the future as long as they can secure funding.
“This junction between the visitor industry and culture is a tough one,” said Jamshidi-Kent, whose Hawaii-based nonprofit helps connect visitors with local community groups that offer experiences. “It’s really an industry coming together and saying, Hey, we hear you fellowship, and we want to give our practitioners and administrators our Aina full support to see Hawaii into the future.”
Pauline Sato, Managing Director and Program Director of Malama learning center, a Kapolei-based nonprofit that promotes sustainable living through arts, culture and conservation programs, said it joined the program because its staff had been thinking about regenerative tourism for some time.
It was an opportunity to learn more about what it takes to create such visitor experiences, she said. As a nonprofit organization, hosting tourism activities would also help them generate more income, Sato added.
Although the Malama Learning Center is still in the early stages of developing a program, Sato said it needs help and support, especially when it comes to the business side.
For Miki’ala Lidstone, the managing director of Ulu A’e learning center, the training was an opportunity to evaluate and improve the existing operation. Since 2006, the non-profit organization that offers cultural and location-based educational programs has hosted community working days in Kapolei for a mix of visitors and locals.
But one of the best parts of the program, she said, was interacting with and learning from other participants. Lidstone also hopes that posting it on the travel2change website will help generate more interest in their working day.
âEvery time you see the word cohort, it’s exciting. It creates a new network with new connections, partnerships and opportunities, âshe said. âWhat we particularly appreciate about our day-to-day work is the connection with the volunteers. The volunteers who are not from here have so much appreciation and want to hear more stories and we love to share that. In order for our places to be resilient, we have to return there again and again. “
For Apana, she said what cemented her decision to open Polipoli Farms, which grow indigenous Hawaiian and Polynesian crops using traditional and modern methods, was the strong community support when recent storms ravaged their farm.
She said the community went out of their way to help, even NaHHA and travel2change who added: Donation page to his website. Apana said that they want to be part of this sense of community and keep giving back.
âIf something is wrong, the way to fix it is by sitting on the sidelines and complaining about it,â she said. “We hope to be part of the solution, create more authentic experiences and support better visitor experiences.”
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Jayna Omaye reports on ethnic and cultural affairs and is a corps member of Report for America, a national service organization that places journalists on local newsrooms to cover undercover issues and communities.
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