3 priority hotspots identified in Hawai‘i Tourism Authority’s draft management plan for Big Island

The draft of the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority’s latest destination management action plan for Hawai‘i Island has honed in on three priority hotspots: Keaukaha, Kealakekua and Ka Lae, also known as South Point.

The draft Big Island Destination Management Action Plan for 2026-2028 capture months of in-person and virtual community engagement in 2025 to identify and prioritize hotspots – sites under strain that are cherished by residents and visitors – and undertake collaborative action to improve natural and cultural resources across the state, according to Hawai‘i Tourism Authority website.

The 2021-2023 destination management action plans were the first community-driven plans to rebuild, redefine and reset the direction of tourism in Hawaiʻi following the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown that showed what the islands are like without visitors.

The previous destination management action plans for the islands were more sweeping in scope, in part to address the renewed backlash against overtourism. Lessons were learned and these new draft plans are more narrowly focused in order to be able to take action that is achievable during the three years of the plan.

The community identified the following priorities for Keaukaha:

• Community-led shoreline stewardship
• Protection of nearshore ecosystems and marine habitats
• Resident access
• Improved visitor orientation/education
• Better alignment of guided tour activity with community expectations
• Enhanced management of cruise-day impacts
• Long-term local capacity for management and governance

To address these priorities, the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority identified the following solutions:

• Build long-term capacity for a Keaukaha Steward and Education Program
• Support county-supported, community-led management initiatives
• Establish a standing East Hawai‘i Cruise Coordination Hui
• Fund a Mobility and Visitor Flow Feasibility Study for the port

The community identified the following priorities for Kealakekua:

• Protection of cultural and lineal descendant practice
• Stewardship of marine and coastal ecosystems
• Managed visitor access across land and water
• Improved visitor orientation
• Better alignment of guided tour and commercial activity with resource capacity

Management actions for Kealakekua include:

• Implement a reservation-based access system for Kealakekua Bay
• Implement an on-site visitor experience pathway for Kealakekua Bay
• Disseminate the bay’s Code of Conduct across visitor-facing channels
• Establish and implement a proactive rest-day communications and visitor industry support process for Kealakekua Bay

The community identified the following priorities for Ka Lae in South Point:

• Protection of cultural landscapes and ancestral sites
• Managed vehicle access and parking
• Clear visitor expectations
• Reduction of environmental degradation
• Improved safety measures
• Sanitation and waste management

Management actions for the area include re-engaging and advancing priority components of Department of Hawaiian Homelands South Point Management Plan.

While not part of the main hotspot focus for this DMAP, Hawai‘i Tourism Authority proposed Hilo as a site of
opportunity to alleviate pressures from strained sites. Community-identified priorities include:

• Strengthening Hilo as a place where visitors more meaningfully spend time
• Articulating a clear, community-informed sense of place
• Featuring existing community assets and offerings
• Leveraging Hilo’s capacity and readiness
• Elevating agritourism and food-based experiences
• Strengthening the accuracy, consistency, and coordination of visitor information

Proposed actions include developing a community-defined destination identity for greater Hilo area as well as updating and digitizing the historic Downtown Hilo Walking Tour.

The content of the plan will be finalized on March 16 and will be reviewed by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority at the end of the month.

Public comment on the draft plans are welcome until 11:59 p.m. today. Click here to comment.