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Town hall to discuss sustainable tourism

The Maui News

Panelists will discuss sustainable and regenerative tourism during a virtual town hall hosted by Maui County Council Member Kelly King on Monday evening.

The event will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. via Zoom and is open to the public. The featured panelists are:

• Dr. Genesis Young, chairperson of the volunteer Climate Action Advisory Committee Sustainable Tourism Subcommittee, who will speak about the carbon footprint and ecological impact of tourism.

• Orion Cruz, international associate with Defenders of Wildlife and former legal counsel to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Tourism of the Republic of Palau, who will present best practices from his experiences as Palau transitioned to becoming a leader in sustainable tourism policies.

• Ekolu Lindsey, president of Maui Cultural Lands and co-founder of Polanui Hiu, who will discuss efforts to grow the regenerative eco-tourism industry, including opportunities for Maui to promote cultural and environmental activities for visitors.

Following short presentations from the panelists, time will be allotted for public questions and answers as well as panelist discussion. To conclude, King will lead a conversation with the panel and the public to summarize concerns and possible solutions, and plan next steps for Maui County.

“The pause in visitor arrivals during the pandemic highlighted the benefits of a break from tourism,” King said in a news release. “With visitor numbers now exceeding projections for post-pandemic economic recovery, we have seen community outcry and concerns about the impacts and expansion of the visitor industry.”

To participate in the town hall, visit zoom.us/j/910386 13207. The event also will be livestreamed at facebook.com/CMKellyTKing.

For updates and reminders about the event, follow King on Facebook and Twitter @CMKellyKing.

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