Hawaiian Airlines
- Hawaiian Airlines has launched a new inflight video encouraging safe and responsible tourism on the islands.
- Five airline crewmembers give advice on how to respect the local environment and cultures when visiting.
- The video is an extension of Hawaiian's Travel Pono program.
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On Monday, Hawaiian Airlines posted a five-minute video to its YouTube channel to encourage visitors to be mindful of the Hawaiian environment, culture, and community when traveling to the islands.
The video will debut before landing on all transpacific Airbus A330 and Airbus A321 aircraft beginning next week, according to the airline.
The video titled "Travel Pono," meaning to explore with care in Hawaiian, features five crewmembers who give expert advice on how to visit Hawaii safely and respectfully. The employees include a firefighter, a cultural practitioner, and volunteers for marine and mammal conservation.
They ask for kōkua, meaning your help, to recognize the responsibility as a tourist to preserve the islands' natural resources and respect the local communities.
According to Hawaiian, the new video is an extension of the airline's Travel Pono program which it launched to equip guests with the tools and resources needed to safely and responsibly visit the state.
Hawaii has been battling an over-surge of tourism since the state reopened for vaccinated travelers in July, and government officials and locals - including Hawaii's governor - have been begging people to stay home. The rate of visitors has met or surpassed 2019 levels, according to Hawaii's travel data, and the influx has taken a toll on businesses and the environment.
"The people of Maui County have lacked sufficient time to prepare for the sudden, large influx of tourism, even as health restrictions remain in place. Many of our hospitality-related businesses are still struggling to fully staff their operations to provide a high quality of customer service, Brian Perry, a spokesman for Maui county mayor Michael Victorino, told Hawaii News Now in July.
Meanwhile, Hawaii's rental car shortage has created problems for companies like U-Haul. Due to low car availability, travelers are renting U-Haul trucks and vans instead, creating a shortage of moving equipment needed for locals and adding extra strain to the communities.
According to locals, Hawaiian beaches and wildlife are feeling the impact of tourism, and visitors have harmed historical landmarks and the state's fragile ecosystem.