“We envision Hawaii being a global leader in showing destinations worldwide how unique, welcoming travel experiences can be created for visitors while Hawaii’s environment is preserved and its culture treasured by generations to come,” said George D. Szigeti, president and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority. “We are pleased to support the launch of the Sustainable Tourism Summit at VERGE Hawaii. It’s vital that tourism leaders from the Hawaiian Islands and around the world come together to build a healthier, more sustainable tourism industry.”
The Sustainable Tourism Summit is a half-day, invitation-only working session that will convene more than 100 stakeholders — including global hotel brands and local operators, property owners and management companies, airlines, cruise lines, government tourism departments and policy makers, and service providers. The Summit will recognize the destination as a shared responsibility and focus on new technologies, policies and business models for accelerating sustainable tourism — in Hawaii and worldwide.
Reaping the economic, social and environmental benefits of tourism requires a shared vision of what it means for the industry to become sustainable. Addressing the myriad challenges and opportunities requires the entire ecosystem — industry, government, nonprofits and community stakeholders — in Hawaii and beyond.
