Below, and by link, is an article you may find interesting from The Garden Island (tgi), the local Kaua’i daily paper, and a link to an earlier article.  It’s a citizens view of how government should act, based on both the Master Plan and a recent Tourism Report by the Kaua’i Tourism industry. It is a view, based on frustration with both government’s, and the tourism industry’s, inattention to what really matters, and what the writer suggests is the true ‘gold’ involved: conservation, and in some cases, preservation, of the natural beauty and resources of the area. This is, of course, why tourists come to an area in the first place.

As you know, the Business School at CSUMB stands for the five principles of Responsible Business: Profit, People, Planet, Equity and Ethics. I think that Dean Shyam Kamath, and Drs. Roberta Atzori and John Avella would be true allies in helping to create a solution beyond one solely derived by government.

A few notes on the Hawai’ian words used:

By the way, the underlines in the text, below, are mine… (in addition, here’s a link to and earlier article on the same subject.  Interesting to read the ‘comments’ section!  http://www.thegardenisland.com/2018/09/16/hawaii-news/overtourism-on-kauai/).

Article, below, link:

Overtourism: Time for some limits

William J. Fenandez

“Overtourism” is a word coined by the international news media after rebellions against tourism in several European cities occurred in the summer of 2017. There are many reasons for locals in cities like Venice, Barcelona, Dubrovnik and other localities to demand: “Visitors Go Home.”

Streets are overcrowded, the costs of rent, food and other essentials have exceeded what locals can pay, monuments are desecrated, and beaches are littered and polluted. In short, the benefit of tourism money is outweighed by its burdens.

The focus of the tourism industry has been on the numbers: how many visitors and how much money they spent. The tourism industry and government fail to focus on stewardship of the product that is being sold.

The product is the place: its natural beauty, its culture (here not only Hawaiian but of the many ethnic groups brought to work in the sugar fields), and the aloha spirit of the local population.

Overtourism describes destinations where hosts or guests, locals or visitors, feel that crowds and the quality of life in the area and quality of the tourist experience have deteriorated to an unacceptable level. (Kauai Tourism Strategic Plan 2019-2021, hereafter KTSP.)

What is acceptable for Kauai? The KTSP lists 25,000 visitors per month as the acceptable limit. Kauai County agrees with this sustainable capacity limit in its 2018 Master Plan (KMP). The reality is that in the first six months of 2018, the monthly number of visitors to the island averaged 29,300 with June at 33,300 (KTSP).

One glaring problem often reported by destinations is that the visitor does not treat the place like his home. Trashing of a site is commonplace. (Review examples on the internet.) Respect for the people and locality is essential. Iceland has created a visitors’ video and extracted a pledge from tourists to be responsible and respectful. (The KTSP supports this idea.) Education is a two-way street, locals must be educated as to the importance of tourism. It “is the mainstay of Kauai’s economy” (KMP).

Fear that we will destroy the tourist economy by regulating it is often voiced by naysayers. It is a misplaced fear.

To do nothing will destroy the place that is the very product that tourism sells. If we as a community demonstrate by thoughtful regulation and marketing that we are making Kauai a quality place to visit, then people will come. People like to feel exclusive.

We just need to control the visits. It would follow that it will help solve many internal problems: traffic, affordable housing, etc.

I place great stress on local government to take the lead in protecting our unique island home. Too often lack of funding and will to accomplish has produced failure in implementing needed changes.

Though the tourist industry by its KTSP suggests a refocus from marketing to managing this place, there primary motivation in the past has been marketing. Because local citizens elect our local government, they are a prime motivator in ensuring that this place is protected.

By that I mean, we malama the beauty of Kauai, its culture and the aloha spirit of our people by motivating our county government to do so.

This effort to keep our island pono is not a “go it alone” project. Government must embrace and collaborate with the tourist industry, the environmentalists, other stakeholders and the community to avoid the pilikia of overtourism.

The travel industry must stop using our product just for profit. The industry must help protect the place. It appears from the current KTSP that our local bureau has a will to so. It is governments turn to join in the effort.

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William J. Fernandez is a resident of Kapaa.