A PUBLIC WORKSHOP SERIES OFFERING FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND CONNECTIONS FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN ENTERING THE VISITOR INDUSTRY.
REGENERATIVE TOURISM CARES FOR LIVELIHOODS.
For generations, Hawaiʻi has thrived through systems designed not just to sustain, but to regenerate.
At the heart of these systems is the loʻi kalo: fed by mountain streams, rich in nutrients, and teeming with life. As clean, fresh rainwater makes its way from mauka to makai, it passes through the poʻowai: the “headwaters” that serve as the introduction of resources that feed and nourish the entire ecosystem. The poʻowai is the genesis of that which comes after, a reminder that the start of any system depends on the essential, foundational nutrients that continue to sustain it well beyond its genesis.
The Foundational Technical Assistance program by Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority carries this forward.
Hawaiʻi’s economy and ecosystems are deeply intertwined. The same businesses that nourish our communities also shape how we care for land, food systems, and culture. The Foundational Technical Assistance program exists to support the people behind those businesses: those who grow local food, create local products, and offer experiences grounded in place. These farms, vendors, and community-rooted enterprises are not just economic actors; they are stewards of waiwai (abundance), keeping value circulating within Hawaiʻi and nourishing the systems that sustain us.
They are the poʻowai of today: sustaining communities, ecosystems, and futures beyond their own.
THE 2026 FTA SERIES
The Foundational Technical Assistance (FTA) Series has been completely reimagined for 2026: more content, more voices, more activities, and more opportunity to network with those within the visitor industry.
2-Day Registration: $80
Day 1 Registration Only: $45
Day 2 Registration Only: $45
CLICK THE CORRESPONDING IMAGE BELOW TO REGISTER FOR THIS YEAR’S WORKSHOP.
HONOLULU
NOVEMBER 13 & 14
NOVEMBER 20 & 21
20: KAILUA-KONA | 21: HILO
LĪHUʻE, KAUAʻI
DECEMBER 4 & 5
Cost of registration includes breakfast and lunch.
Travel scholarships may be available for attendees from Moloka’i and Lānaʻi. Email aloha@regenerativetourismhawaii.info for more details.
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
Day 1: Finding Your Place in Hawaiʻi’s Visitor Industry
Registration, Coffee & Talking Story (8:00 AM - 8:30 AM)
Welina (Welcome): Setting the Day’s Kahua (Foundation)
Place, Community, and Culture: What should what we create grow from?
Operator & Maker Panel: What have others learned?
Morning:
Afternoon:
Understanding Our Visitors: Who are the visitors we want to reach?
Storytelling, Communications & Marketing: How do we attract visitors?
Day 2: Creating Visitor Products, Experiences & Opportunities
Registration, Coffee & Talking Story (8:30AM - 9:00 AM)
Welina (Welcome): Setting the Day’s Kahua (Foundation)
Understanding Hawaiʻi’s Visitor Industry: How does the industry work?
Industry Panel: How does Hawaiʻi’s visitor industry work in practice?
Morning:
Afternoon:
Designing Your Visitor Offering: What will visitors see, learn, do, learn, feel, and remember?
Pricing & Viability: What should we charge, and what should that make possible?
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE & CAPACITY BUILDING (TACB) BY
To support development of a more regenerative tourism industry, the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority introduced the Technical Assistance & Capacity Building (TACB) programs in 2024. Click below to learn more about how these programs are empowering businesses and nonprofits across Hawaiʻi.
The Foundational Technical Assistance program seeks to connect local businesses and nonprofits with foundational knowledge and connections with the visitor industry through a series of workshops held across Hawaiʻi pae ʻāina.
The Community Stewardship program is a cohort based initiative aiming to assist local nonprofits that care for ʻāina and community. In 2024, focus was on building internal capacity of organizations stewarding areas designated as tourism “hotspots.” In 2026, the program shifted to developing voluntourism, managed access, or other community benefit programs engaging visitors.
The Regenerative Experiences program is a cohort based initiative that aims to expand Hawaiʻi’s regenerative visitor industry by working with local businesses and nonprofits to develop more culturally-based, sustainable experiences for visitors that support local communities.
CONTACT US
Hoping to learning more about the move toward a more regenerative visitor industry for Hawaiʻi?
Interested in joining one of HTA’s cohort programs, or learning more about upcoming Foundational Technical Assistance workshops?
Fill out the contact form to the right, and we will be in touch soon.