Introduction
Molokai Island is the fifth largest of the Hawaiian Islands. The island was built between two distinct shield volcanoes, with one forming the larger eastern Molokai and the lesser forming the western Molokai (Bardolet and Pauline, 905). The island is located in the Maui County and through its geography and culture it is perfect for tourism. Tourism is one of the economic boosters of the Maui County, and part of the tourism revenues of Maui County is from the Island of Molokai though in a larger proportion.
Molokai has an average of 1000 visitors per day in the name of tourists. A comparison of the tourism industry in Molokai with the other Hawaiian Islands reveals that Molokai tourism industry is not much thriving. The less vibrancy of this sector stems from the resistance of the residence towards a dramatic increase in tourism on the island. The resistance has resulted in very few accommodation facilities on the island with only one hotel opened on the island in the year 2014. Most tourists who visit the islands are served by either houses or rental condos on the island. The number of tourists the island of Molokai receives every day is large compared to the island’s size. Demands for Molokai tourists’ attraction and other related services are high as evidenced by the average number of tourists that visit every day. Resistance by the residents towards a robust tourism development is what pulls down the demand. With only one hotel in 2014 and an influx of 1000 tourists per day, it is clear that Molokai is potentially a tourist destination.
Molokai as a tourist destination is characterized by breathtaking tropical landscapes, rich Hawaiian culture and traditions, environmental stewardship and visitor-friendly Molokai culture. The supply of tourism services in Molokai is perfect in terms of sceneries, culture and food, but a lot of improvement needs to be done in terms of accommodation. Both demand and supply of tourism in Molokai are determined by the Hawaiian culture that is greatly upheld on the island. Every tourist service supplied by the island must be consistent with the Hawaiian culture and environmental stewardship standards prevailing in Molokai. The visitors that tour Molokai Island must appreciate and be ready to cope with the cultural demands. The Molokai people are ready to share their culture with visitors but not to sell the same.
Socio-Economic, Cultural and Environmental Impacts of tourism Activities in Molokai
Cultural Impacts
Unlike other islands in Hawaii, Molokai has a less developed tourist industry not because of the lack of attraction sites but due to the strict following that the residents have on their culture. Tourism has impacted greatly on the culture of the Hawaiian people inhabiting the Island of Molokai. The traditional culture alone forms a reason for culture-loving tourists to visit this Island. The rich culture adds up to the experience tourists get when they visit Molokai. Through tourism activities, Molokai has exposed the Hawaiian culture to the world and has put the island on the list of islands that are most fascinating in terms of geography, as well as culture. The preservation of culture has been promoted by the positive response coming from visitors who have had a chance to experience the culture as tourists. The rural setup of the island is an attraction to tourists who like the cool jungle setups, and this has made the island be known for its rural natural setup. It is the tourists’ feedback that promotes the preservation of the rural setup.
The existing tourism infrastructure has been converted to the best use within the island. The conversion has led to boosting the island’s tourism economy and through the incorporation of visitors to the prevailing standards of culture and environment; Hawaiian culture has greatly been preserved.
Culture clash is a major issue that is impacted by the tourism activities on the island of Molokai. Many people from different nationalities visit the island only to find a strict observation of the local culture than in most of the tourist destinations in the world. The culture clash has resulted into some tourists having worst experiences in Molokai while others who enjoy new cultural experiences get the best moments of their lives in this island.
Socio-Economic Impact of Existing Tourism Activities in Molokai
Tourists who visit the island are of varying economic capabilities and their presence lead to imitation by the residents who try to cope with the kind of lifestyle the tourists lead. The imitation has impacted negatively to the residents as some of them end up embracing living standards that are economically prohibitive to them. Molokai’s visiting tourists who cannot cope with the environmental and cultural standards of the island always end up being an irritation to the residents. The irritation, however, is brought about by the ignorant, careless tourists who are insensitive of the local people’s lifestyles.
Molokai experiences resource conflicts between the residents and the tourism sector. Locals would wish to make use of the available natural resources to benefit their households while the administration would wish to reserves some key areas for tourism activities. Such disagreements cause conflict in the tourism industry in Molokai. Growth of urbanization in any given area comes with an increased rate of crime.
Strategy for the future to address the impacts of tourism activities
So far the tourism industry in Molokai is at a fairly good level but still there is a need to address the betterment of some areas that are so important in tourism development.
Culture
Culture plays a major role in the tourism industry of Molokai as it is the basis of the tourism activities. Tourists coming to Molokai have had to respect and cope with the Hawaiian culture that is upheld on the island of Molokai, a reason for the pronounced Hawaiian culture in her tourism sector. The culture should be strengthened in order to be an identity of Molokai’s tourism. The rich Hawaiian culture if observed and preserved will be a reason for even more tourists who appreciate culture to come to Molokai for the nice experience.
More cultural preservation centres like museums should be established in various parts of the island to encourage and accommodate the increasing number of tourists. Much investment should be put in the research to help in establishing the unexploited cultural areas in order to boost the tourism industry (Sautter, Truly and Leisen, 316). The diversity in cultural resources and practices will go a long way in strengthening the cultural wing of Molokai’s tourism.
The residents should be allowed to participate in the extraction of almost-forgotten cultural practices as they are truly the most reliable source of the much-sought-after cultural practices (Matsuoka et al., 32). Annual cultural festivals should be convened to help the island show the cultural prowess of its people. Such festivals will be in themselves tourists’ attraction and will complement the other key areas as well as boosting cultural development. Cultural heritage that is known should be preserved, and the almost vanishing elements of culture should be salvaged to enrich cultural diversity.
Tourists coming to the island should be notified about the cultural expectation in Molokai in order to avoid conflict between the visitors and the locals in terms of general behaviour. If the culture is going to be preserved in a higher level, then the achievement of a sustainable future is inevitable.
Infrastructure
The island is currently served by airplanes from Honolulu and other areas and also through the sea. Transport is an important factor in tourism as it is a link between destinations. More airstrips need to be constructed on the island in order to meet the transport requirements to the island perfectly. Molokai is a potential top future tourist’s destination. Hence, access to the island through air and sea should be improved and fashioned in modern standards.
Communication in Molokai is fairly efficient, but there is a need to face the rich tourism future with a more robust communications system. Modern technological advancement in communication should be established at all the tourist centres on the island from the reserves to the scenery resorts. Intensified communication systems do not mean environmental degradation or population explosion. It only points towards a tourism system that is more efficient in terms of how information is transferred within the island. Internet connectivity and feeder roads on the island should be improved to enhance accessibility and communication to the outside world. Accessibility is a route to the future and the island being a small area need a skilfully prepared transport network in order not to interfere with the natural resources, some of which are attractions.
Diversification
Tourism for any country or region is only more productive depending on the diversity in it. Molokai boasts its rich culture and landscape with outstanding natural features. The presence of the three major areas of attraction should not limit diversification. From the research, I suggested in the Infrastructure section the better ways of differentiating the available sceneries and landscape should be established for the fast-approaching future. Cultural diversity in Molokai can be stretched to lengths beyond the present levels through exploring the cultural practices that are almost being forgotten. Culture is a perpetual investment in the tourism industry that will see Molokai Island through to the future if it is taken advantage of and well explored.
Ethics
Molokai should face the future with more strict legislation on ethics in tourism. In many tourists’ destinations, reports of imported unethical conducts like child prostitution have been reported. Such moral decadence situations are brought about by tourists who are insensitive of moral ethics requirements. Laws should be established to govern the tourism industry with the provision of deportation of any visitor who intends to introduce activities that are considered unethical in the Molokai society. In order to avoid child prostitution, child labour should be prohibited by law and parents should be encouraged to educate their children (Kowalski and Samuel, 137). Underage children should not get access to the tourists lest they get compromised by tourists with a negative agenda.
Natural Environment
The natural environment is the base of all the tourists’ attraction. The environment comprises the natural resources which form the greater part of the sceneries that tourists come to Molokai to see (Strange, 96). Environmental stewardship levels should be improved with stricter environmental conservation laws put in place in order to control present forms of pollution and prevent or mitigate potential pollution. Molokai believes in environmental preservation, and there should be a reason for compromise on the already put down standards. There should be even stricter measures in the environmental conservation policies.
Environmental conservation is a critical issue in the modern world and any country that is a tourist attraction will attract more tourists in future only if it has outstanding management of environmental wastes. Waste management should, therefore, be at the centre of any environmental conservation policy. Molokai at the present state is fairly good in terms how the environment should be conserved. The future however is expected to be challenging thanks to the ever increasing population. A policy that factors in the population growth rate and its effect on the environment should be a major tool for Molokai to face the future of tourism. Molokai’s tourism is as good as its environment hence more resources should be invested in ensuring that future Molokai is as green and clean as it is now.
Accommodation
Molokai Island needs more accommodation facilities especially hotels to house the high number of tourists expected in future. The hotels should be designed with a waste recycling plant in order to control waste pollution in the island. The building materials should have a cultural theme. The cultural theme will sustain the strong tourism cultural base in Molokai.
Works Cited
Bardolet, Esteban, and Pauline J. Sheldon. "Tourism in Archipelagos:hawai’i and the Balearics." Annals of Tourism Research. 35.4 (2008): 900-923. Print.
Kowalski, Christopher L, and Samuel V. Lankford. "A Comparative Study Examining Constraints to Leisure and Recreation Opportunities for Youth Living in Remote and Isolated Communities." World Leisure Journal. 52.2 (2010): 135-147. Print.
Matsuoka, Jon Kei, Davianna Pomaika'I. McGregor, and Luciano Minerbi. "Molokai: A study of Hawaiian subsistence and community sustainability." Sustainable Community Development: Studies in Economic, Environmental and Cultural Revitalization (1998): 25-44.
Sautter, Elise Truly, and Brigit Leisen. "Managing stakeholders a tourism planning model." Annals of tourism research 26.2 (1999): 312-328.
Strange, Carolyn. "Symbiotic commemoration: the stories of Kalaupapa." History & Memory 16.1 (2004): 86-117.
