A New Kind of Tourism
OER is starting to shape the city's role in a new kind of tourism that protects our environment, celebrates local culture, and provides good jobs for our people. The mission of the Regenerative Tourism Program is to work with the community and the hospitality stakeholders to enact the goals of Oʻahu’s Destination Management Action Plan (DMAP). The Oʻahu DMAP outlines a new community-focused approach to rebuild, redefine, and steer the hospitality industry in a better direction. DMAP goals for the City are related to improving the management of Oʻahu's visitors, including enhancing and protecting Oʻahu’s special places, limiting short-term vacation rentals to resort-zoned areas, enhancing awareness of public transportation options to minimize rental cars on our roadways, and creating opportunities for residents and visitors to buy local.
What is Regenerative Tourism?
It improves the quality of life for a community while taking care of their place. Regenerative tourism supports Oʻahu’s residents, communities, environment, cultural, historical, and recreational sites, ensuring they benefit from the visitors welcomed to our shores.
The Office of Economic Revitalization supports the adaptation of the hospitality industry on Oʻahu to better take care of our people and place.
A way to describe regenerative tourism is that visitors have kuleana to our island and our community.
The City is a partner to the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA) in implementing the Oʻahu Destination Management Action Plan (DMAP).
The Oʻahu DMAP details a new community-based approach to rebuild, redefine, and reset the direction of our hospitality industry. OER works with the HTA, community, and other hospitality sector partners on DMAP goals including:
Limit short-term rentals to designated resort areas and return these units to long-term housing for our community.
Provide more options for residents and visitors to travel in our community, including public transit, biking and walking, carpooling and ride shares, and more.
Manage popular visitor destinations for the benefit of residents and visitors, such as Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, and Oʻahu’s botanical gardens.
Promote locally made and grown products from Hawaiʻi-owned businesses to visitors and the hospitality industry.