Byline: Honolulu, July 28, 2025 – By Kahea Kalama, Island News Network
HONOLULU – As the number of tourists returning to the Hawaiian Islands continues to climb in 2025, a powerful Native Hawaiian value is reshaping how visitors experience paradise—not just as consumers, but as caretakers. The word is malama, and it’s changing tourism from the ground up.
While most travelers recognize aloha as the spirit of Hawaii, it’s malama—meaning “to care for” or “to preserve”—that is becoming the guiding principle behind a growing movement toward regenerative tourism. It reflects a deep-rooted Native Hawaiian belief: when you care for the land, the land will care for you.
At the heart of this ethic is the phrase malama ʻāina, or “care for the land.” This cultural value, once solely practiced by local communities and conservation groups, is now being embraced by a new wave of eco-conscious tourists and promoted by the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA) as part of its Mālama Hawaiʻi program.
“Malama ʻāina isn’t just a slogan—it’s a kuleana, a responsibility,” says Dr. Nohea Lindsey, a cultural advisor for HTA. “When visitors understand that they’re guests not just in a hotel, but on ancestral land, it shifts their perspective from taking to giving.”
A New Kind of Vacation
According to a 2025 survey conducted by Sustainable Travel International, 69% of global travelers say they want to leave destinations better than they found them—a clear sign that the concept of giving back is no longer niche.
Hawaiian nonprofits and community groups are responding. Opportunities for voluntourism—where visitors engage in environmental or cultural service—have expanded across the islands:
- On Oʻahu, visitors can help restore the sacred taro patches of Waimea Valley.
- In Maui, travelers lend a hand clearing invasive species from the slopes of Haleakalā.
- On Kauaʻi, programs like Malama Huleʻia invite guests to rebuild ancient Hawaiian fishponds using traditional techniques.
- On the Big Island, volunteers work alongside locals in reforesting native ecosystems near Volcanoes National Park.
Travelers who participate often report a deeper, more meaningful connection to the land and people.
“We spent one morning planting koa trees and learning about Hawaiian chants,” says Emily Chen, a visitor from Seattle. “It changed everything. We weren’t just tourists—we were part of something sacred.”
From Exploitation to Regeneration
The push toward malama also comes as the islands continue to grapple with the environmental and cultural impacts of over-tourism. At its peak, Hawaii welcomed over 10 million visitors annually—nearly seven times the state’s population.
The pandemic forced a pause. In its aftermath, community leaders and officials saw an opportunity to rethink tourism entirely.
“We don’t want tourism that only extracts,” says Keahi Keawe, founder of the nonprofit Hoʻōla ʻĀina. “We want tourism that regenerates—where travelers contribute to the healing of our lands and our people.”
The state government has echoed this sentiment by offering incentives to travelers who participate in voluntourism programs—sometimes in the form of discounted hotel rates or curated cultural experiences.
Looking Ahead
With climate change, rising sea levels, and erosion continuing to threaten the Hawaiian Islands, malama ʻāina is not only a cultural imperative—it’s a survival strategy.
Efforts to embed malama into tourism are also educational. Increasingly, hotels are offering guests Hawaiian language lessons, storytelling nights, and information about cultural protocols, ensuring that visitors don’t just see the islands, but truly understand them.
“Malama is a lesson for the whole world,” Dr. Lindsey adds. “If we can learn to live in harmony with our environment and each other, Hawaii can be more than a vacation—it can be a model.”
As more travelers seek purpose-driven experiences, Hawaii stands poised to lead the way with its ancient wisdom and modern vision. After all, in the words of the kupuna (elders): “He aliʻi ka ʻāina, he kauwā ke kanaka” — The land is chief, man is its servant.
Sidebar: Want to Malama During Your Visit?
Here are a few ways to give back during your stay:
- Malama ʻĀina Days (All Islands): Join volunteer workdays to clear trails, plant trees, or clean beaches.
- Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa (Oʻahu): Help restore ancient Hawaiian fishponds.
- Pacific Whale Foundation (Maui): Participate in marine debris cleanups and citizen science.
- Hawaiʻi Land Trust (Kauaʻi & Big Island): Assist in preserving cultural landscapes.
Visit malamahawaii.com to learn more or sign up before your trip.