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Here's the latest progress on the plan to better manage tourism at Oʻahu hotspots

Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority

The latest progress report on the plan to better manage Oʻahu’s tourism numbers has just been released online.

Catherine Orlans, the Oʻahu Visitors Bureau Destination Manager, is responsible for the oversight and execution of the Oʻahu Destination Management Plan.

Its initial phase included the reservation systems at Diamond Head State Monument and Hanauma Bay State Park, which Orlans says has helped to reduce visitor impact.

She says integrating technology and using an app to message visitors at the outset of their trip has also impacted tourist behavior.

"There's the GoHawaii app, that one we do promote heavily for visitors and we can also support that with messaging, and ping them as they reach around hotspots on the island going forward with some beacons that we'll look to implement in the next phase," Orlans said.

"We're also using geotargeting on social media with messaging as they're venturing around to places on the island that are points of interest for visitors. And we've used DBEDT data, on the HTA’s website there’s the Symphony Dashboard, so we've pulled data over time to make sure that we're data-driven and implementing these messages where they will actually reach the visitors," Orlans told The Conversation.

Orlans says the next phase of the tourism plan will focus on impacting transportation and traffic congestion, and how visitors get around and explore the island.

She will also be holding public meetings on Oʻahu to get feedback on the plan later this fall.

This interview aired on The Conversation on Sept. 12, 2022. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.

Catherine Cruz is the host of The Conversation. Originally from Guam, she spent more than 30 years at KITV, covering beats from government to education. Contact her at ccruz@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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