Home Publisher's Point of View Hawaii Officials Invest in Science to Gauge Climate Impact on Tourism

Hawaii Officials Invest in Science to Gauge Climate Impact on Tourism

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What impact is climate change having on tourism in your state? Do you know the science behind it? The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) cares enough about the issue that it recently partnered with the University of Hawaii to produce a report entitled, “Climate Change Impacts in Hawaii: A summary of climate change and its impacts to Hawaii’s ecosystems and communities.” The report addresses such questions as, “What does climate change look like?” and “What is the current state of scientific knowledge regarding climate change globally, and how does it relate to Hawaii specifically?”

“HTA is a knowledge-based organization and we believe it’s important to be informed about Hawaii’s environment as it relates to tourism,” said HTA President and CEO Mike McCartney. “We will use this study to help guide us in how we address our environmental initiatives.”

I recommend reading through the report. It is a template for study that can be replicated in your state or province. The report begins by summarizing the local impacts of climate change and where Hawaii is particularly vulnerable. For example, the rate of warming air temperature in Hawaii has quadrupled in the last 40 years to more than .3 degrees F per decade. Global ocean acidity has increased by 30 percent due to marine uptake of carbon dioxide. Sea level has risen over the last century on each island as much as 1.3 inches per decade. In some areas shoreline retreat has been averaging 1 foot per year.

Potential Dramatic Impact of Sea Level Rise

By the end of the century, sea level rise could have a significant impact on Hawaii’s beaches which are of course a huge tourism attraction. A 2008 economic impact analysis of the potential complete erosion of Waikiki Beach on the island of Oahu suggests the economic impact on total hotel revenues could be as much as $661.2 million annually. This same report estimates that nearly $2 billion in overall visitor expenditures could be lost annually due to a complete erosion of Waikiki Beach if no other economic sector replaces tourism there. In addition to potential direct impact on visitor expenditures, the estimated decline in room demand due to beach erosion could also result in a hotel industry job loss of 6,352 jobs based on the analyses and data provided by the State of Hawaii.

As the number of tropical cyclones has increased in the last century, the likelihood of Hawaii taking a direct hit has increased. Plant life and rainfall rates are also being affected and human health may even be impacted as temperatures increase.

The report concludes by stating that “in the face of these changes, residents, elected officials, resource managers, and researchers will need to work together to find timely and effective adaptation and mitigation strategies.” In 2012, Hawaii’s legislature passed Act 286, HRS 226-109, amending the Hawaii State Planning Act to incorporate climate adaptation into county and state actions, including land use, capital improvement, and program decisions.

The report, which includes an appendix that provides links to valuable resources and references for tourism planners, is part of a series that also includes “Climate Change and the Visitor Industry: People, Place, Culture, and the Hawaii Experience; and “HTA Stakeholder Outreach Workshop: Summaries and Risk Perception Analysis.” Digital versions of all three reports are available by clicking here.

Impact of California Drought on Your Hotel

Local water agencies across California are taking action in the face of record-dry conditions in 2014. Many water suppliers are implementing mandatory restrictions on water use and stepping up conservation outreach to help their customers reduce water use and protect water supply reserves for a potential dry 2015. What steps have you taken at your property to reduce water consumption? How effective have those steps been? I would love to hear from you for a Green Lodging News article on the drought topic. I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com, or by phone at (813) 510-3868. 

Who is Your Sustainability Champion?

Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.

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Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.

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