28-07-2025
Forget 'Aloha.' This is the Hawaiian word every traveler should know.
There's an important Hawaiian phrase that all travelers should get familiar with, and it isn't aloha. It's malama.
In Hawaiian language, malama means "to take care of" and it's a core Native Hawaiian value; the belief that people have a responsibility to steward their community and island home.
It's often combined with the word "aina" (land) for a saying commonly heard throughout the islands: "malama aina," which translates to "take care of the land." It encapsulates the sustainable lifestyle of the ancient Hawaiians, who believed that if you take care of the island, it will reciprocate and provide sustenance.
However, living out malama isn't just reserved for residents, but can be especially impactful for visitors who choose to volunteer during their trips. By giving back, travelers can help regenerate the islands rather than just utilize resources before returning home. More people hope to leave a positive impact from their trips, with 69% of travelers saying they want to leave places better than when they arrived, according to a 2025 survey.
To make it easier for those wanting to be more responsible travelers, the Hawaii Visitors Convention Bureau (HVCB) and Hawaiian Tourism Authority (HTA) launched the Malama Hawaii Program in November of 2020. The program aims to connect travelers with volunteer opportunities with over 36 organizations across the state, with an incentive of earning a special discount from participating hotels.
"When travelers engage with our land, our culture, and our communities through enriching volunteer experiences, they discover what we have always known: that caring for Hawaii changes you," said Dr. Aaron J. Sala, president and CEO of the HVCB. "These experiences create a connection between visitor and place, fostering a deeper understanding of our values while ensuring that tourism serves both our communities and those who choose to journey here."
Why should you volunteer while traveling?
Across the world, destinations are facing challenges caused by overtourism, ranging from increased costs of living to the strain on natural resources and infrastructure. Some, such as Venice and Hawaii, have implemented a tourist fee to offset those impacts by placing the responsibility back onto the visitor.
Hawaii is a perennial destination that has historically struggled with negative impacts from the dominating tourism industry, which accounts for nearly a quarter of its economy. Some Hawaii residents believe that tourism "creates more problems than benefits," according to a 2024 Resident Sentiment Survey by the State of Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Locals cited higher costs of living, damage to the environment, and "a lack of respect" for culture and tradition.
Volunteering while traveling goes against the grain. As a regenerative tourism practice, "voluntourism" means travelers are actively improving a destination, according to the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. Like sustainable tourism, regenerative tourism focuses on "reducing negative impacts and enhancing positive ones."
Since an online dashboard was launched last spring, the Malama Hawaii Program has tracked 2,835 volunteers and over 11,412 hours statewide, according to an HVCB spokesperson. Travelers can browse volunteer opportunities, filtering by activity type and even island, and view available discounts, such as a complimentary night or meal.
When travelers seek out bettering a place, they not only forge deeper connections with the residents and local culture but also gain a more immersive travel experience. In other words, they get a more authentic look at Hawaii. A volunteer day spent restoring a loko ia (fishpond) means someone learns firsthand about how the ancient Hawaiians practiced sustainable aquaculture to feed their communities.
Their work also has the potential for a lasting positive impact, such as replanting native trees in reforestation efforts.
"For residents, this means tourism becomes a force that strengthens rather than strains our home, ensuring that the places we cherish are protected and preserved," said Sala. "This is how we move beyond consumption to contribution, creating pathways for visitors to give back to the very places that inspire them."
The practice of voluntourism can be problematic if someone views it solely as a "feel-good" opportunity. Still, as long as their intentions are to meaningfully interact with the host community, they can make a genuinely positive impact. They also have the chance to have a personally transformative experience by growing their worldview, according to a 2020 review in the Journal of Travel Research.
Malama Hawaii Program opportunities
Below are some volunteer opportunities from the Hawaii Malama Program:
Giving back anywhere
It's not just in Hawaii where travelers are encouraged to do their part in minimizing harm. Across the world, more destinations are seeking to connect their visitors to meaningful volunteer experiences as part of their efforts to build a more sustainable tourism industry.
In the Maldives and Fiji, travelers can participate in coral restoration projects to help conserve the pristine oceans that they hope to enjoy. Other destinations finding value in having their visitors volunteer to preserve nature – the very reason they come to visit – include the California State Park Foundation's volunteer days.
At the end of the day, all travelers can malama any destination they're visiting – not just the Hawaiian Islands – and it doesn't always take coordinating an event. Simply grabbing a bag and collecting trash on the beach or in the park follows the essence of malama.
