When you picture the perfect vacation, what do you see? Palm trees, beaches, and resorts?
We’ve all been there, getting home from a long day of work or class and wishing to be somewhere else. However, for the people living in these places year round, the experience is likely very different. Urbanization and the tourism industry have brought economic and travel activity to places like Hawaii, but for many native people this rapid change has significantly impacted their way of life.
Urbanization is the process through which people transition from living in rural areas to living in cities, but for many popular vacation spots, urbanization means more than that. The key difference in this case is the tourism industry. This industry generally operates on a basis of consumption rather than production or commerce. As resorts and vacation towns pop up in places like Hawaii, tourists come seasonally, and the environment, economy, and culture of the towns change with them. Is hawaii open to tourists?
Environmental Impact: Farmland & Groundwater
Although many appreciate experiencing the beauty and culture of the Hawaiian islands, their stays are likely more detrimental than they would have hoped. As the tourism business grows, the use of resources grows with it. These small islands rarely have the resources or land capacity to sustain the amount of tourism that they bring in. The development of infrastructure on many of these islands had led to an environmental degradation crisis, which in turn impacts the native wildlife. Over 44 percent of the United States’ endangered species are native to Hawaii, and the farmland has become less fertile over the past few decades.
Because these resorts are focused on consumption rather than sustainable commerce, most tourist waste inevitably gets flushed into the ocean or winds up in groundwater that is used as drinking water for many Native Hawaiian communities. There are now residential areas where county water is not available, and many native Hawaiians have been pushed out of the fishing industry due to decreased marine activity. Also attributed the overuse of land, many Hawaiians have been seen foreclosures on property and been forced off of their land as a result of a new golf course or resort being built. According to Kaleo Patterson, a member of the Ecumenical Coalition on Tourism, “it has been a very common pattern that displaced Hawaiians on every island have found their way to remote beaches only to be forcibly evicted after a few years.”
One recent encounter between corporate tourism and Hawaiian communities illustrates these conflicts. In late 2019, Tropic Lands, LLC petitioned to buy 96 acres of farmland in Wai’anae with the intent of building an industrial park. Not only would this have displaced many local farmers, but the waste from the construction and use of this industrial park would have been damaging to the surrounding farmland as well. Prior to this petition, Tropic Lands, LLC had talks of establishing a municipal waste site on land in similar proximity to these farms. Both of these plans would have severely damaged the farmland and impoverished the well-established Wai’anae community. Although the community was able to come together and protest these projects, this is an example of what can happen with the “urban creep” of tourism.
Cultural Impact: Language & Dance
Hawaiian culture has also suffered as a result of increased tourism. With the infiltration of stereotypical “American” culture and governance, fewer Hawaiian children speak the native Hawaiian language. Those that do continue to speak Hawaiian often use English as a default due to the large influx of tourists and other Americans living in Hawaii.
Many tourists love to see the Hula, a traditional Hawaiian dance that is now performed at numerous hotels and resorts. Hawaiians have complained that the Hula has been sexualized and has lost its religious meaning due to how it has changed to meet tourists’ expectations. According to Haunani Kay Trask, critic of the Hawaiian tourism industry, “the sacredness of the dance has completely evaporated while the athleticism and sexual expression have been packaged like ornaments.”
Economic Impact: Industry and Housing
Outside of cultural changes brought about by tourism, the economy has experienced change as well. You might think that tourism would be helpful to Hawaii’s economy, and to some extent you would be right. It stimulates the economy and benefits businesses that make profits. But tourism has established itself in Hawaii as not only the biggest but also the lowest paid industry employer. As Hawaii’s vacation popularity has skyrocketed, so has the cost of housing. The average “single family home price on Oahu has reached 750,000,” a price that is almost impossible for tourism workers to afford. This has resulted in a majority of the native community being “priced out,” or pushed into impoverished neighborhoods far away from tourist attractions. These areas are usually void of public transportation and other public amenities. Kayte Jones, a writer for the Honolulu City Beat, said it best when she said “no one invests in locals, the people that actually live here. We only build nice things for tourists.”
What can you do?
While everyone enjoys a tropical vacation, we cannot ignore the impact that our tourism habits can have on the Hawaiian people and their culture. We must make a conscious effort to support these communities and make sure that our own actions don’t negatively impact others. So what can we actually do?
- Do your research. If you are planning on taking a trip to Hawaii, make sure to do it in a way that is sustainable. While you are there you can support local businesses and restaurants, stay in eco-friendly hotels and resorts, and use local homestays and programs.
- Donate. There are many organizations that are advocating for sustainable tourism, fighting for environmental justice, and working to preserve Hawaiian culture. Consider donating to organizations like The Sustainable Tourism Industry of Hawaii and Kahea, the Hawaiian-Environmental Alliance.
- Learn more about the impact of tourism by reading articles from The Honolulu Civil Beat, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, and other news sources.
- If you are looking for a long-term stay, consider volunteering or looking into programs like GoFarm Hawaii. These offer sustainable stays that help local communities and put money into the local economy, as well as increase the amount of local producers.
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