Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority Partners With Kanu Hawaiʻi Connecting Visitors to Volunteer Opportunities

As the hybrid travel experience of voluntourism continues to grow, the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (HTA) has announced its partnership with the non-profit organization, Kanu Hawaiʻi, to better connect visitors to local volunteer opportunities across the state.

Accessible via the Mālama Hawai‘i Volunteer Dashboard on the state government’s visitor website, those seeking volunteer opportunities can sign up by submitting an RSVP form. An email will then be sent to the organization’s partner, and they will respond with further information. The partnership comes just in time for the Aloha state’s volunteer month this April with the dashboard recognizing 36 different organizations. With plenty of options to choose from, including recovery efforts following the 2023 wildfires, there’s no shortage of ways for visitors to connect to the local land.

“Travelers are seeking a deeper, meaningful experience, and what makes the Hawaiian Islands unlike anywhere else in the world is our people, multi-cultural heritage, and reciprocal connection with the land and ocean,” said Mufi Hannemann, HTA board chair. “The Mālama Hawai‘i dashboard allows visitors to easily connect with nonprofits seeking volunteers to support our community in ways such as restoring Hawaiian fishponds, sorting food donations at food banks, and helping at community events.”

In addition to connecting visitors with once-in-a-lifetime volunteer opportunities, HTA will use the dashboard to track metrics for the number of volunteers who sign up and the hours of service provided both statewide and by island. The custom dashboard aims to remove the burden from the organizations to report the information while also providing quantifiable data to show if the initiative is making a difference in the community.

“We need to invest in quantifiable actions that will inform whether we are making a difference when it comes to responsible and regenerative tourism,” Keone Kealoha, executive director of Kanu Hawai‘i explained. “Not only is it a positive giveback to Hawai‘i, it’s an experience that many will say was the highlight of their visit.”

For more information about the Mālama Hawai‘i program, visit GoHawaii.com/voluntourism.