Meaningful Travel in Maui with Tourism Cares and the Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau

In case you missed our shout outs on Instagram, we closed out 2024 with aloha spirit! I had the absolute privilege of traveling with Tourism Cares and the Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau to Maui, attending a trip focused on meaningful travel. This trip was a part of my partners' continued effort to promote mindful travel to the islands and build connections with Hawaii-based organizations dedicated to preserving Hawaii’s cultural heritage and biodiversity. 

The heart and soul this trip revolved around education, and I was over the moon to be invited as this trip through and through sings my tune. We spent our days learning from one another and brainstorming, believing and ensuring we all continue to make a real difference through tourism - for local residents, communities, and the stunning ecosystems that make up Hawaii (and beyond!).

Additionally, I was honored to sit on a panel next to our partners at Virtuoso and Pleasant Holidays to chat about how we integrate sustainable travel into all of our itineraries and trips, create authentic hyper-local trips that are not only responsible, but respectful for the local community and how we creatively collaborate with our partners to make sure that all of our travelers are “doing good" and traveling with a positive impact. 

Our manifesto at Salt Sanctuary Soul has always been deeply rooted in connection - and throughout this trip, we were able to experience connection with our fellow colleagues, travelers, and the earth we walked upon (quite literally!). Some highlights from this magical week included:: 

- Touring a working pineapple farm

- Experiencing the most incredible and authentic luau

- Learning about how the Maui Ocean Center is protecting Hawai’i's marine life 

- Eating chocolate from Maui Chocolate’s farm and watching their fruit harvesting techniques

- Chasing the sunset while sailing up and down the Ka’anapali

- And planting trees to help restore a national forest, to name a few.

There were a so many beautiful moments not listed, all of which I will cherish for a long, long time. Experiences like this one truly embody the spirit of Salt Sanctuary Soul - I feel incredibly lucky to work with such impactful partners in all different pockets of the world to help bring meaningful tourism into all of your lives.