Even with crowd-control procedures in place, Hanauma Bay accommodates an average of 3,000 visitors a day.
A rebound in visitor numbers
has rekindled the debate
about sustainability
It's not hard to see how Hanauma Bay could became a victim of its popularity.
The magic of the pristine aquamarine waters and rainbow-colored sea life drew 10,000 visitors a day during the peak years of Hawaii's visitor industry.
"We had as many as 42 people coming by bus every 57 seconds," said Alan Hong, Hanauma Bay manager. "It got to the point that we didn't want to promote Hanauma Bay any further because it just made our job harder."
When headcounts began to threaten the region's delicate ecosystem and coral reefs, officials limited access to the bay to preserve the experience for everyone, he said.
Hanauma Bay in many ways is a microcosm of Hawaii's visitor industry, and efforts to preserve it represent the broader struggle of Hawaii's tourism officials to manage the state's economic resources while safeguarding environmental and cultural resources.
A recent surge in visitors has brightened the outlook for Hawaii tourism, but the good news also has prompted the industry, state officials and environmentalists to evaluate how mass tourism could challenge the integrity of Hawaii as a viable destination for the future.
It's caused others to question if the state has the room inventory and infrastructure to grow as a destination. And as tourism officials attempt to set goals for the coming years, its prompted some of them to soul-search about how much is enough when it comes to visitor numbers.
Paul Brewbaker, vice president and chief economist for the Bank of Hawaii, worries that more planning is needed as Hawaii's tourism evolves.
Gates to Hanauma Bay are closed once the parking is area is full to manage visitor traffic.
"The largest single thing in the economy is tourism and it's an industry that we won't allow to grow anymore physically," Brewbaker said. "Who thought that up and why?"While economic forecasts indicate tourism will surpass all benchmarks in 2005, developers haven't shared plans to add to the state's inventory of hotel rooms or build new attractions to give visitors something more to do when they visit the islands, Brewbaker said.
Leaders also should consider the impact increasing visitor numbers will have on the state's infrastructure, Brewbaker said.
"We really need to be looking forward while maintaining our defensive postures," he said. "This is particularly important when we are talking about infrastructure. Give me a break, we can't even fix the potholes, yet we need to talk about the train that's got to be built or the next freeway."
A recent travel industry survey, published in the March issue of National Geographic Traveler, speaks to Brewbaker's concerns about Hawaii's evolution as a destination. In the survey, a global panel of more than 200 experts rated 115 top destinations. The team scored Hawaii at 62 out of a possible 100 points, with experts issuing warnings about the region's tourism management and social and cultural integrity. This is what they had to say:
>> Too much emphasis on increasing numbers of visitors without adequate management planning or impact assessment.Sharon Weiner, a board member of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, said Hawaii's outlook is more positive than was indicated by the National Geographic survey. However, Weiner identified several trends that could halt further tourism development and market growth.>> Hawaii is still a paradise when visitors plan vacations properly. New initiatives and public policy offer hope that both the culture and the environment can be better protected, and in some cases restored.
>> Significant improvements to save the culture are under way. Danger of overuse of some areas still exists.
>> The tourism products and experience have changed and some are degraded, but as a whole the islands of Hawaii still offer a broad range of opportunities.
"The overriding constraint is that geography and community desires limit the amount of land that we have to develop," Weiner said.
A cap on the number of rooms allowed in Waikiki and shoreline setback legislation have limited new hotel construction and slowed renovations, she said.
"If the community says we can live with less revenue from tourism that's fine," Weiner said. "It's not our role to tell the community what to do; we need to implement those things that it wants."
Hotel room numbers are dwindling and average room rates may begin to rise as a growing number of hotels are converted into timeshares and condominiums, she said, adding that more than 10 conversions are taking place in Waikiki.
It's unlikely that Hawaii can grow visitor revenues by building more hotels or attractions; that's why the future of the state's tourism industry lies in increasing visitor expenditures rather than numbers, Weiner said.
"It's not about bodies; it's about money," she said, adding that if the state's hotel room inventory drops, it will become more critical to offer visitors new experiences and attractions.
Hawaii's natural resources provide a strong tourist draw, but the city and state have to limit access to these resources if they want to preserve them for future tourists and kamaaina, said Hanauma's Hong.
Buses of people still come to Hanauma Bay, but now the preserve is more vigilant about how many visitors may snorkel or frolic in the flooded volcano. Regulations, which were once challenged by state tourism officials, close the parking lot during busy times. The preserve's entry process also limits beach traffic to no more than 2,000 visitors at a time.
At Hanauma Bay tourism and the environment have been intertwined, and that's the way it needs to stay, Hong said.
"If revenue generation ever becomes the main priority, we will lose Hanauma Bay," he said.
