Seeds of Transformational Tourism Found at Fairmont Orchid in Hawai‘i

In July of 2021, tourist arrivals reached a high of over 879,551. Islanders reported over-crowded beaches and impassable roads in popular sightseeing areas. Shortages of supplies and food caused rural residents to drive miles away for the basics. Rental cars were scarce, and rates were astronomical. Tourists rented U-Hauls and pick-up trucks for touring, making it impossible for locals to rent them for household moves. Visitors in rental vans slept illegally in state parks and on neighborhood streets. They trespassed through private property to hike, following the advice of pay-for-play tour apps. Feeling that the State of Hawai‘i was placing tourism before their quality of life, residents and native Hawaiians rallied, holding protests at airports and government offices.

Some airlines, hotels, the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) and the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association (NaHHA) have implemented initiatives to inform tourists of proper behavior while being a guest in Hawai‘i. Visitors can take the Malama Pono Pledge or sign up for volunteer programs via the Malama Hawai‘i Program. Albeit these are voluntary and there is no way to ensure their efficacy. But they are the start of a redirect and revamp of the broken tourism model, which focuses primarily on increased visitor numbers to Hawaii.

Many resorts and hotels share Hawai‘i‘s unique stories and experiences through their cultural programs, encouraging their guests to become conscious travelers. The Fairmont Orchid on the Kohala Coast of Hawai‘i island offers an exceptional array of enjoyable Hawaiian cultural activities that nurture the creation of a personal relationship with Hawai‘i.

The Ulu Pono Garden Experience is one of their programs, offered complimentary to guests. The Director of Hawaiian Culture at Fairmont Orchid, Ka’iulani Blankenfeld, a native Hawaiian cultural practitioner, guides guests on a walk through the Chef’s Garden. She shares about the plants, trees and their importance to Hawaiian culture. Native plants used for medicine, cordage for Hawaiian canoes, lamp oil, kapa cloth, water storage, food, fishing lures and myriad other uses are a fascinating study of Hawaiian life only a few centuries ago on this land.

Teaching a visitor to embrace the land, people, ocean, wildlife and culture of Hawai‘i to enhance their own island experience and improve the quality of life for Hawai‘i‘s people may be as simple as a meaningful interaction with a Hawaiian practitioner or by volunteering with a local work project. Once planted, the seed of knowledge and malama will grow into a deep appreciation and respect for Hawai‘i. And in the garden with Ka‘iulani is a natural place to start. The Fairmont Orchid’s Ulu Pono Garden Experience for hotel guests debuted on Tuesday, November 23, 2021.