Hawaii has made history as the first destination ever to receive the Travel Weekly Sustainability Leadership Award, a new honor recognizing places that embrace sustainable tourism as a fundamental part of their identity and travel experience. The accolade was presented as part of the Travel Weekly 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards, an annual industry-voted gala celebrating excellence across the travel sector.
“[The award] recognizes the state’s approach, where culture and the stewardship of land, ocean, and community are integrated alongside tourism,” Travel Weekly writes.
Central to Hawaii’s recognition is its Mālama Hawai’i philosophy—an invitation to visitors and travel professionals alike to “take care” of the land, the people, and the cultural heritage of the islands. Through initiatives like the Mālama Hawai’i program and the Hawaii Meaningful Map—created in collaboration with nonprofit Tourism Cares—travelers are encouraged to engage deeply with local communities and contribute positively to preservation efforts. These tools link visitors with community-driven experiences, volunteer opportunities, and responsible travel partners that prioritize ecological protection and cultural respect.
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“Mālama Hawai’i is more than a promotion or campaign; it’s the direction in which our brand is headed,” Hawai’i Visitors and Convention Bureau President and CEO John Monahan said in a press release. “Our goal is to attract mindful visitors who will leave Hawaiʻi better than when they arrived. By doing so, visitors will experience a deeper connection and a vacation that really becomes more meaningful to them.”
Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative Executive Director Jeff Dunster added that the program gives guests the opportunity to give back.
“Together we will provide guests with a unique opportunity to give back through the restoration of Hawai’i’s rarest native forests,” he stated in the press release. “These ecosystems exist nowhere else on earth, and now with visitors’ help, we can all leave a lasting legacy for this generation and for generations to come.”
Industry professionals have praised Hawaii for its integration of sustainability into every aspect of its tourism strategy, from visitor education to conservation efforts that help protect fragile ecosystems and support local economies.
Unlike many awards that recognize individual hotels, airlines, or tour operators, this Sustainability Leadership Award honors an entire destination. It’s a testament to Hawaii’s holistic approach to responsible tourism and the ways in which it preserves the islands’ cultural values, environmental stewardship, and community wellbeing.
Robyn Basso of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau accepted the award on behalf of Hawaii.
