The impact of tourism on Hawaii’s fragile ecosystem

Hawaii is a paradise for many travelers, who come to enjoy its natural beauty, cultural diversity, and warm hospitality. But tourism also has a dark side: it can have a devastating impact on Hawaii’s fragile ecosystem, which is home to some of the most diverse and endangered species and habitats in the world. Here are some of the ways that tourism affects Hawaii’s environment:

• Tourism causes habitat loss and degradation: Tourism development often involves clearing land for hotels, resorts, golf courses, roads, and other infrastructure, which can destroy or fragment natural habitats for plants and animals. For example, tourism has contributed to the loss of 90% of Hawaii’s lowland dry forests, which are among the most threatened ecosystems in the world⁵. Tourism can also degrade habitats by introducing pollution, noise, light, and invasive species that can harm native flora and fauna⁶.
• Tourism causes overexploitation of natural resources: Tourism consumes a lot of natural resources, such as water, energy, food, and materials, which can deplete or strain Hawaii’s limited supply. For example, tourism accounts for 25% of Hawaii’s total water use⁴, which can affect the availability and quality of water for local communities and ecosystems. Tourism can also overexploit natural resources by harvesting them unsustainably for souvenirs or attractions, such as coral reefs, shells, plants, or animals⁶.
• Tourism causes disturbance and displacement of wildlife: Tourism activities often involve interacting with or observing wildlife, which can disturb or displace them from their natural behaviors and habitats. For example, tourism can cause stress or injury to marine animals such as dolphins, whales, turtles, and seals by approaching them too closely or touching them². Tourism can also cause displacement of terrestrial animals such as birds and mammals by crowding them out of their preferred areas or scaring them away with noise or movement⁶.
• Tourism causes climate change and its effects: Tourism contributes to climate change by emitting greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere and cause global warming. For example, tourism accounts for 8% of Hawaii’s total greenhouse gas emissions⁴, mainly from air travel and transportation. Climate change can have serious consequences for Hawaii’s environment, such as rising sea levels, coral bleaching, droughts, floods, storms, and wildfires, which can damage or destroy habitats
  and species⁶.

These are some of the ways that tourism impacts Hawaii’s fragile ecosystem. By being aware of these impacts,we can take steps to reduce them and travel more sustainably
in Hawaii.

Source:
(1) Environmental issues in Hawaii – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_issues_in_Hawaii.
(2) Have visitors finally overstayed their welcome in Hawaii? – CNN. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/overtourism-hawaii/index.html.
(3) Tourism’s Impact on Sustainability in Hawaii – EnergyLogic. https://theenergylogic.com/blog/tourisms-impact-on-sustainability-in-hawaii/.
(4) 4/24/23 – Measuring the impacts of tourism on marine ecosystems. https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dar/measuring-the-impacts-of-tourism-on-marine-ecosystems/.
(5) Hawaii’s existential choice: Tourism, food and survival. https://www.resilience.org/stories/2018-01-07/hawaiis-existential-choice-tourism-food-survival/.
(6) Hawaii Is Rethinking Tourism. Here’s What That Means for You. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-12-30/hawaii-is-rethinking-tourism-here-s-what-that-means-for-you.