Mālama Hawai‘i, the visitor education program developed by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) in partnership with Hawai‘i Tourism USA (HTUSA), has been recognized by Virtuoso®, the esteemed global network specializing in luxury and experiential travel.
The 2023 Virtuoso Travel Awards were presented during the 35th Annual Virtuoso Travel Week, which took place from August 12 to 18 in Las Vegas. The Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau, which operates as HTUSA, was honored among Virtuoso’s network of travel agencies, advisors and preferred partners who set the standard in various categories and received the Celebrating Culture award for the Mālama Hawai‘i program on behalf of HTA.
“As HTA guides visitors and the industry toward a more regenerative tourism future for Hawai‘i, it is important that we continually educate our valued travel advisors about the ways in which their clients can mālama our people, culture and natural environment,” said Daniel Nāho‘opi‘i, HTA’s Interim President and CEO. “We are grateful to Virtuoso for recognizing Mālama Hawai‘i and to our HTUSA team for their work in developing and expanding the program’s reach through comprehensive training, certification programs, and ongoing communication.”
Centered around the voices, stories and work of community stewards, the Mālama Hawai‘i program inspires mindful travelers to visit with a sense of responsibility and care toward supporting communities throughout the state.
Under the Sustainability category, the Celebrating Culture award honors a Virtuoso partner that is a driving force in transforming and impacting others in their community, the travel industry, and/or the world around them through the expansion of knowledge, beliefs, arts, customs, or capabilities.
“To be selected by your peers, people with whom you’ve built lasting personal and professional relationships and who are choosing to recognize you for your contribution, is the ultimate honor,” said Matthew D. Upchurch, Chairman and CEO of Virtuoso. “These Virtuoso luminaries, legends and leaders represent what is foundational to this network, and that is building something greater together than we could do on our own.”
A panel comprising the network’s Global Member Advisory Board and distinguished preferred partners reviewed submissions covering five categories, with agency members reviewing partner submissions, partners reviewing member submissions and others determined by advisors’ sales production in the Virtuoso network.
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