Ecotourism Principles

Specializing in community-based cultural eco tours of Oahu, Hawaii - hiking, star gazing, storytelling and more...

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The Principles of Ecotourism

We at Hina Adventures proudly and diligently try our best to stand by the principles of Ecotourism. Hawaii is a fragile environment, and 50 years of mass tourism has taken it's toll. Our precious island of Oahu has been hit worst of all, with the vast majority of tourists filling our tour busses daily, and the numerous tour operators claiming to offer "eco tours" but with no regard to the environmental effects of their actions.

We are fortunate, however, that while many Hawaiian people, sacred sites, and cultural activities have succumbed to the effects of commercialism, some things of value do still remain. We strive to responsibly bring those aspects of our people, land and culture to light so that they may strive in their original and authentic forms, and that Oahu's visitors can learn to appreciate the true value of each.

Ecotourism is still a relatively new concept in the world. Many states do not have any kind of certification in place for Eco Tour providers, with Hawaii being one such state. The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) has been leading the way in Ecotourism since 1990, and has come up with the most widely accepted definition of Ecotourism in use today. For more information, please see their website at http://www.ecotourism.org/.

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Definition and Ecotourism Principles The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) defines ecotourism as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people."
This means that those who implement and participate in ecotourism activities should follow the following principles:	How Hina Adventures abides by these principles:
Minimize impact	We keep our tour sizes to a maximum of 12 people while on hiking trails. When sites are able to accommodate more, only then will we allow more.
Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect	This is the main reason why we started this company. In Hawai‘i, our culture has been so commercialized that most guests don't realize that what they're seeing is not real. Our driving force is to educate visitors and locals about the rich history of these islands, both environmentally and culturally.
Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts	We are upfront with visitors about what they will experience on our tours. We feel that by being honest about what we provide and what we don't, visitors are better able to make an informed decision and enjoy their experience with us. We also market ourselves as a company that will provide an educational experience, thereby attracting the type of visitors who want to learn more. We also work diligently to form collaborations with local community groups that otherwise feel they are being bombarded with irresponsible tourism. When we are able to bring visitors together with locals, both end up enriched from the experience.
Provide direct financial benefits for conservation	We also donate money and volunteer hours to the community groups we work with when we bring visitors to their sites.
Raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate	We share what we know willingly and tactfully. There are movements towards sovereignty from the United States here in Hawai‘i; we try our best to inform guests of the background behind these movements and current status of them without prejudice.
Support international human rights and labor agreements	We are a small company that currently does not require any action that would impact this point. However, we do support human rights and labor agreements whole-heartedly.

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