{"id":35,"date":"2016-06-08T21:13:05","date_gmt":"2016-06-09T07:13:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eco-friendly-tourism.com\/?page_id=35"},"modified":"2019-05-28T21:20:42","modified_gmt":"2019-05-29T07:20:42","slug":"faqs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sustainabletourismhawaii.org\/about\/faqs\/","title":{"rendered":"FAQ"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id='page-faqs' class='avia-section main_color avia-section-huge avia-no-shadow avia-full-stretch avia-bg-style-scroll  avia-builder-el-0  avia-builder-el-no-sibling   container_wrap sidebar_right' style='background-color: #006eab; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-image: url(https:\/\/www.sustainabletourismhawaii.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/homepage-slider.jpg);background-attachment: scroll; background-position: center center;  '  data-section-bg-repeat='stretch'><div class='container' ><main  role=\"main\" itemprop=\"mainContentOfPage\"  class='template-page content  av-content-small alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-35'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_one_fifth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first  avia-builder-el-1  el_before_av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-first  \" style='border-radius:0px; '><\/div><div class=\"flex_column av_three_fifth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding   avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_one_fifth  el_before_av_one_fifth  \" style='border-radius:0px; '><p><div style='padding-bottom:0px; color:#ffffff;font-size:40px;' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h1 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote modern-centered  avia-builder-el-3  el_before_av_heading  avia-builder-el-first   av-inherit-size '><h1 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >FAQ<\/h1><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' style='border-color:#ffffff'><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<div style='padding-bottom:0px; color:#ffffff;font-size:24px;' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote modern-centered  avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_textblock   av-inherit-size '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >What is Ecotourism?<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' style='border-color:#ffffff'><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  av_inherit_color '  style='color:#ffffff; '  itemprop=\"text\" ><div class=\"faqs-desc\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">While different definitions of ecotourism exists, everyone agrees that ecotourism is a type of of sustainable tourism. STAH defines ecotourism as natural and cultural based tourism that is ecologically sustainable and supports the well-being of local communities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/section><br \/>\n<div style='padding-bottom:0px; color:#ffffff;' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote modern-centered  avia-builder-el-6  el_after_av_textblock  avia-builder-el-last  '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >In what range of issues are you interested?<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' style='border-color:#ffffff'><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p><\/div><div class=\"flex_column av_one_fifth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding   avia-builder-el-7  el_after_av_three_fifth  el_before_av_one_full  \" style='border-radius:0px; '><\/div><div class=\"flex_column av_one_full  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first  avia-builder-el-8  el_after_av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-last  column-top-margin\" style='border-radius:0px; '><div class='faqs-content-wrap'><div class='faqs-filter-list'><ul><li id='flter-1' class='active'><a href='#'><span class='icon icon-check'><\/span>Travel Planning<\/a><\/li><li id='flter-2' class=''><a href='#'><span class='icon icon-check'><\/span>The Organization<\/a><\/li><li id='flter-3' class=''><a href='#'><span class='icon icon-check'><\/span>Ecotourism<\/a><\/li><li id='flter-4' class=''><a href='#'><span class='icon icon-check'><\/span>Certification<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><div class='faqs-filter-content'><div id='data-flter-1' class='faqs-filter-item active'><div class='faq-item-wrap'><div class='faq-title'><h3>Visitors, Travelers, Adventurers<\/h3><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>What is Ecotourism?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'><span class=\"Apple-style-span\">The Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaii defines ecotourism as<\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"Apple-style-span\">nature and culture based tourism that is ecologically sustainable<\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"Apple-style-span\">and supports the well being of local communities.<\/span><\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>How do I find a STAH Certified tour operator in Hawaii?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>On this website you will find the most comprehensive listings and information about legitimate ecotours and accommodations in Hawaii. You can research this site by using our search or the Travel Pono page to find activities\u00a0based on island, keywords, and categories. Contact us and one our several specialists who will put together a package for you.<\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>Why would I use STAH's certified sustainable tourism operators versus those that are not certified?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>To quote Carol\u00a0Patterson\u2019s Reinventure(R) monthly ezine<i>, \"<\/i><i>Too often, North Americans resist spending money on a guided tour while on a domestic trip, preferring to lead themselves. Perhaps they want to save money or the environment seems too familiar to require an expert, but I\u2019m convinced hiring a guide is the way to find the best in every destination, even the ones you think you know!\"<\/i><\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>Why is sustainable travel popular?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>A significant portion of the population are interested in traveling and learning on their holidays or vacations.\u00a0Another portion of the population are also interested in being more sustainable, and in their travels seek out ecotourism or sustainable travel options. \u00a0That, and they enjoy outdoor activities in cleaner areas!<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id='data-flter-2' class='faqs-filter-item '><div class='faq-item-wrap'><div class='faq-title'><h3>Joining the STAH Ohana<\/h3><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>Is the entire STAH Ohana listed on this site?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'><span style=\"color: #333333; font-family: Arial;\">Yes. You will have a listing on the number one portal for Sustainable Tourism information in Hawaii with a place for your logo and a link to your website. View all our members using our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sustainabletourismhawaii.org\/travel-pono\/\">Travel Pono Planner<\/a> or see our member list <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sustainabletourismhawaii.org\/membership\/\">here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>Who can join STAH's Ohana (become a member)?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>Anyone can! If you are a provider such as an ecotour operator or bed and breakfast operator you will join as a Business Member. If you support the principles of ecotourism and the Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaii, you can join as a Friends of STAH Member.\u00a0 There are also categories for Student Members, Non-Profit\/Government Members and a new category for Corporate Supporters.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id='data-flter-3' class='faqs-filter-item '><div class='faq-item-wrap'><div class='faq-title'><h3>Market &amp; Benefits<\/h3><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>Is there a market for this type of sustainable travel in the tourism industry?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'><span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"color: #333333; font-family: Arial;\">There is a market for this type of sustainable travel, although it is not large.\u00a0 Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaii members are providing ecotours to Hawaii's visitors daily. \u00a0If all of the more than 8 million visitors to Hawaii each year wanted to do ecotourism, however, we soon would not have anything left to see. Natural and cultural resources are very fragile and many people do not understand the impacts large groups of people have on a resource. Ecotourism and sustainable travel are considered niche markets. \u00a0The people who want to lay in the sun and drink mai tai's might also love to shop, so they can utilize the paved areas, while leaving the natural areas to those who deeply appreciate nature and want to learn more details about the environment.<\/span> <span style=\"font-family: Arial;\"><span style=\"color: #333333;\">We hope that our visitors<\/span> <span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"color: #333333;\">recognize that Hawaii is a mass tourism destination, not an ecotourism destination. \u00a0We would never want Hawaii to be an ecotourism destination entirely, unless we could control the numbers of visitors and the impact to the resources.<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>What are the benefits to this type of holiday \/ vacation?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>The benefit of this type of holiday is that people are learning and experiencing topics, and seeing sites, that fit their interests. \u00a0A large pre-packaged tour can never be personalized because of the commercial nature of it. \u00a0The typical tour provider is more interested in the profit than in providing an unforgettable experience to the guests, but this is not the case with an ecotour<i>.<\/i><\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>Can you justify the price for this type of vacation \/ holiday to this destination?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>In Hawaii we do not have ecotourism destinations, but rather have providers of day trip activities that focus on natural and cultural resources. \u00a0Because of the impact of many people on \u00a0the natural resources, most tours are for small groups of 10 to 15 passengers. \u00a0Day trips can run from less than $100 to $500 depending on various factors. \u00a0Someone visiting Hawaii for a week or two, can plan a trip that encompasses several \u201cecotours\u201d, so paying for a tour does not add that much more to the price.\u00a0 We have board members who can plan personalized itineraries for visitors that provide them the planning expertise, the accommodation and the transportation that are in general less expensive than a commercial package for a vacation to Hawaii, who can tailor the itinerary to their interests and hobbies.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id='data-flter-4' class='faqs-filter-item '><div class='faq-item-wrap'><div class='faq-title'><h3>For Visitors<\/h3><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>I went on a tour that I thought was really good and they are not certified. What should I do?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>Mentioning your positive experience with the company on social media and urge them to seek certification. Others may agree with you, which may be the encouragement the operator needs to seek certification. The cost of becoming certification is not excessive and STAH wants visitors to know about operators that are using best management practices to support sustainable tourism.\r\n\r\nYou can also email STAH at <i><a href=\"mailto:travelpono@sustainabletourismhawaii.org\">travelpono@sustainabletourismhawaii.org<\/a><\/i> and we will follow up with the company.<\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>Who is the Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaii and why are they qualified to certify tour operators?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>STAH is a 401(c)3 educational non-profit who has served Hawaii for over 20 years. Our mission is to protect Hawaii\u2019s unique natural environment and host culture through the promotion of responsible travel. The certification program was designed as a way to educate tour operators about best practices for tourism and to educate visitors about which tour operators were actually committed to those principles. Click here to see the full history of the certification process.<\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>Why should I choose to travel with a certified tour operator?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>When you travel with a certified tour operator the benefits are many!\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Enjoy more authentic and memorable experience by choosing a tour operator that cares to create these experiences for you<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Learn from highly trained tour guides who provide accurate insight about Hawaii\u2019s unique culture and environment<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Feel secure knowing that you are traveling with companies that meets or exceed all state and federal safety requirements<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Support businesses that use best practices to protect Hawaii\u2019s precious environmental and cultural resources<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Gain permitted access to protected areas otherwise off-limits to other groups<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Embrace local companies who minimize your impact and give back to the community<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>I\u2019m considering an \u201cEco\/Geen\u201d tour, but they are not certified. What does this mean?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>The certification fees for STAH are very low and the process is very inclusive, so it might be a red flag about greenwashing if the \u201ceco\u201d tour you are considering is not certified.\r\n\r\nThe most current list of certified tour operators can be found on the Travel Pono page.\r\n\r\nOf course, plenty of great companies out there exist who do offer legitimately \u201ceco\u201d friendly options and if you think you\u2019ve found one, you should encourage them get certified and join the community of tour operators committed to responsible travel.\r\n\r\nHave them contact us at: <i><a href=\"mailto:travelpono@sustainabletourismhawaii.org\">travelpono@sustainabletourismhawaii.org<\/a><\/i><\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>Who can join STAH's Ohana (become a member)?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>Anyone can! If you are a provider such as an ecotour operator or bed and breakfast operator you will join as a Business Member. If you support the principles of ecotourism and the Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaii, you can join as a Friends of STAH Member.\u00a0 There are also categories for Student Members, Non-Profit\/Government Members and a new category for Corporate Supporters.<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class='faq-item-wrap'><div class='faq-title'><h3>General Questions<\/h3><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>One of your Certified Tour Operators is doing something that I don\u2019t think is sustainable, what should I do?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>Email us at: <i><a href=\"mailto:travelpono@sustainabletourismhawaii.org\">travelpono@sustainabletourismhawaii.org<\/a><\/i>\r\n\r\nHEA\u2019s certification is not intended to say that every tour operator is 100% sustainable. What we are doing is helping to identify tour operators that are going above and beyond to try and reduce the impacts of tourism on the natural environment; improve the community in which they work; and share a sense of place with visitors. We look at the company as a whole, particularly their management practices, to see that they have a commitment to continually improving how they operate.\r\n\r\nFor example, our tour operator of the year in 2014 was <i><a href=\"http:\/\/hawaiianlegacytours.com\/\">Hawaiian Legacy Tours<\/a><\/i>. Every tour they operate, a portion of the proceeds are donated to a local non-profit, they operate as a certified B-Corporation, and they work to reforest the Hamakua coast with native Koa trees. Nonetheless, to offer tours up the mountain and into the forest, they utilize 4 wheel drive, fuel <i>inefficient<\/i> vehicles. With limited alternatives, an emphasis on vehicle maintenance to minimize impacts, and a full portfolio of other positive actions, STAH certified this operator because overall the company uses the best management practices that are available to them.<\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>What best management practices do you base this certification on?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>The following sources of information were used to develop the ecotourism certification program:\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li><i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecotourism.org\/certification-and-standards\">Green Globe 21 International Ecotourism Standard<\/a><\/i> (Green Globe, Asia Pacific)<\/li>\r\n \t<li><i><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ecotourism.org.au\/eco_certification.asp\">Nature and Ecotourism Accreditation Program<\/a><\/i> (Eco Australia)<\/li>\r\n \t<li><i><a href=\"http:\/\/sustainabletravel.org\/our-work\/our-approach\/education-and-training\/\">Sustainable Travel and Ecotourism Program (Sustainable Travel Internationa<\/a><\/i>l)<\/li>\r\n \t<li><i><a href=\"http:\/\/idbdocs.iadb.org\/wsdocs\/getdocument.aspx?docnum=1028822\">A Simple Users\u2019 Guide to Certification for Sustainable and Ecotourism<\/a><\/i> (TIES, Rain Forrest Alliance, CREST)<\/li>\r\n \t<li><i><a href=\"http:\/\/www.gstcouncil.org\/sustainable-tourism-gstc-criteria.html\">Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria<\/a><\/i> (The Partnership for Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria)<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Peer Review Process (Sustainable Tourism Association)<\/li>\r\n \t<li><i>Putting Traffic Lights on the Road Less Traveled: Ecotourism Certification &amp; its potential for Hawaii<\/i> (Wendy Bauckham, 2005)<\/li>\r\n \t<li><i><a href=\"http:\/\/coral.org\/west_hawaii_standards\/\">West Hawaii Voluntary Standards<\/a><\/i> (Coral Reef Alliance)<\/li>\r\n \t<li><i>E Malama, The Ecotourism Manual for Hawaii<\/i> written by Barbara Mills<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nSTAH also worked with experts at the University of Hawaii, tour operators, other local non-profits and concerned citizens to ensure that the certification was relevant specifically for Hawaii.<\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>What is Sustainable Tourism?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>Sustainable Tourism is defined by the United Nations World Tourism Organization as Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.\r\n\r\nThe Hawaii Tourism Authority defines it as a way to maximize social and economic benefits to Hawaii\u2019s communities and businesses while respecting, nourishing, preserving and enhancing Hawaii\u2019s natural, cultural and human assets.\r\n\r\nWe try to incorporate the spirit of both definitions into the checklist process we created.<\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>How does STAH authenticate Hawaiian culture?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>While STAH does work with local cultural practitioners to integrate Hawaii\u2019s host culture into our programs, we do not intend to be the authority. Certification requires that each tour operator provide credible references for the cultural material they share with visitors.<\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>What is Ecotourism?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'><span class=\"Apple-style-span\">The Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaii defines ecotourism as<\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"Apple-style-span\">nature and culture based tourism that is ecologically sustainable<\/span>\u00a0<span class=\"Apple-style-span\">and supports the well being of local communities.<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class='faq-item-wrap'><div class='faq-title'><h3>Residents<\/h3><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>It frustrates me when I see big tour buses pilling visitors onto my favorite beach\/hiking trail\/etc. Doesn\u2019t certification encourage more of this?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>At STAH we do encourage visitors to travel with tour operators versus traveling on their own for a number of reasons:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>When visitors travel on their own, they do not get educated on how to interact with the area they are visiting, or what types of behaviors can cause issues. Tour operators can provide this education.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>We highly encourage our tour operators to work with the communities they visit to rotate the locations they visit and avoid peak times when residents might want to enjoy these places too<\/li>\r\n \t<li>If all the people on a tour bus got into rental vehicles, traffic would actually be much worse<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The carbon footprint of a tour bus compared to rental vehicles is substantially lower<\/li>\r\n \t<li>By educating visitors about the splendor of Hawaii\u2019s resources, they are more likely to feel connected to them and protect them<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>How does Certification help Hawaii\u2019s environmental and cultural resources?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>Since we require all our certified tour operators to provide fact based interpretation, all their tour participants learn about Hawaii\u2019s unique environmental and cultural resources. Through this education, visitors learn how to travel pono and preserve the beauty of Hawaii for future generations.<\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>Does the program encourages tour operators to buy and hire locally to keep profits within the State?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>Yes! This is one of the points of emphasis and we work to find resources for tour operators to make this cost effective and practical.<\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>What benefits are in it for residents?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>As a part of certification, it is a minimum requirement for all tour operators to ANNUALLY participate in at least TWO community service projects\u00a0<b>AND\u00a0<\/b>TWO natural resource protection\/restoration projects. Tour operators must demonstrate a commitment to serving Hawaii and the community in which they operate.<\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>Who can join STAH's Ohana (become a member)?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>Anyone can! If you are a provider such as an ecotour operator or bed and breakfast operator you will join as a Business Member. If you support the principles of ecotourism and the Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaii, you can join as a Friends of STAH Member.\u00a0 There are also categories for Student Members, Non-Profit\/Government Members and a new category for Corporate Supporters.<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class='faq-item-wrap'><div class='faq-title'><h3>Tour Operators<\/h3><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>Our company offers multiple tours, how does certification work with that?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>No, Evaluations are conducted on only one tour, with an emphasis on the tour that offers the most narrative along the way. Certification focuses mostly on management practices, the tour evaluation is conducted to ensure those practices are actually put into place.\r\n\r\nHOWEVER, if a company markets their different tours under different names, we do require each type of tour to be certified separately. We want to ensure that each of the tour operations are meeting STAH\u2019s standards, once again to avoid greenwashing. (i.e. you offer sightseeing tours and zipline tours and they are marketed under different names, the two companies need to be certified separately.) Most companies find certifying a second company is very simple as most of the checklist answers will be the same.<\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>What are the benefits of certification?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>See our <i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sustainabletourismhawaii.org\/get-certified\/\">Benefits of Certification<\/a><\/i> page for the most up to date list of benefits.<\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>How long does it take to get certified?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>Generally certification takes approximately 4-6 weeks to complete. Generally, the longest portion is the self-evaluation checklist. Many tour operators begin to see easy areas for improvement as they work through the checklist and therefore the time to complete varies.\r\n\r\nOnce STAH receives a completed checklist, it is assigned to an Evaluator who will then schedule a tour. After participating in a tour, the Evaluator will meet with the tour operator\u2019s management to seek clarification and review their findings. This portion usually takes approximately 2-3 weeks to complete.<\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>Who can use the certification seal of approval?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>Tour operators who complete the certification process and are awarded STAH\u2019s seal of approval are eligible to use the seal for a two year period. They can also utilize the STAH logo too. After two years, the tour operator must complete re-certification or remove the seal from their marketing materials.\r\n\r\nTo avoid <i><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dictionary.com\/browse\/greenwash\">Greenwashing<\/a><\/i>, non-certified tour operators are NOT allowed to utilize the seal of approval or STAH\u2019s logo in any fashion to assure our certified tour operators are easily identified.<\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>Who is eligible for certification?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>Tour operators principally engage in activities which involve guided excursions for the purpose of engaging Hawaii\u2019s natural environment and\/or cultural resources.<\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>What is the cost of certification?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>STAH charges a yearly re-certification fee based upon the size of your organization.\u00a0 A $200 Certification Administration Fee for new certified operators is also taken. Tour operators must also host an Evaluator on one of their tours and for re-certifying operators provide 2-tickets for our Pono Traveler program. Finally, tour operators must remain current with their annual Ohana membership dues.<\/div><\/div><div class='faq-toggle'><a href='#'>Who can join STAH's Ohana (become a member)?<span class='icon icon-angle-dow'><\/span><span class='icon icon-angle-up'><\/span><\/a><div class='faq-desc'>Anyone can! If you are a provider such as an ecotour operator or bed and breakfast operator you will join as a Business Member. If you support the principles of ecotourism and the Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaii, you can join as a Friends of STAH Member.\u00a0 There are also categories for Student Members, Non-Profit\/Government Members and a new category for Corporate Supporters.<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/main><!-- close content main element --><\/div><\/div><div id='after_section_1' class='main_color av_default_container_wrap container_wrap sidebar_right' style=' '  ><div class='container' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-small alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-35'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3159,"parent":33,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"yst_prominent_words":[333,326,273],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sustainabletourismhawaii.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/35"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sustainabletourismhawaii.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sustainabletourismhawaii.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sustainabletourismhawaii.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sustainabletourismhawaii.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.sustainabletourismhawaii.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/35\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21267,"href":"https:\/\/www.sustainabletourismhawaii.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/35\/revisions\/21267"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sustainabletourismhawaii.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sustainabletourismhawaii.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3159"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sustainabletourismhawaii.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sustainabletourismhawaii.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=35"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}