Culture and heritage are often taken care of, and creating a healthier relationship between Hawaiian culture and the tourism industry is a difficult task. Most countries or states use tourist brands to attract visitors and increase economic activity, presenting culture and heritage as unique elements of the place that contribute to its competitiveness in the tourism market. However, the creation of tourism brands is usually just one of many campaigns, along with other branding and public diplomacy programs. Mass tourism has commercialized and trivialized elements of Hawaiian culture, creating a specific culture to entertain tourists.
This “attractive” brand may draw visitors from all over the world and generate money, but it is disconnected from the cultural identity and heritage of the Hawaiian people. Cultural diplomacy, unlike cultural entertainment, can have positive effects, since it allows the creation of a more authentic and sophisticated image of Hawaii among foreign audiences. Although some of the large hotels and other tourism companies have increasingly supported cultural initiatives in recent years, foreign visitors are comparatively little exposed to it. Hawaiian language revitalization movement has been spearheading by ʻAha Pūnana Leo, which has been successful in restoring both culture and a sense of cultural pride among Hawaiians. A UNESCO study on “Tourism, Culture and Sustainable Development” defines cultural heritage not only as material sites, but also as “intangible expressions” such as oral language and traditions, social practices, rituals, and festive and scenic events.
Kahoʻohanohano is known as one of the main storytellers of Hawaiian Airlines, with ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi and Hawaiian culture as pillars of her work. In recent years, a culturally sustainable form of tourism has become a global trend. Authors can use multimedia elements to enhance their content on their Hawaiian culture blog by incorporating family participation into the educational model to normalize the Hawaiian language beyond the classroom. They can also create content that pays attention to indigenous cultures, such as oral language and traditions, social practices, rituals, and festive and scenic events. By doing so, they can help create an authentic image of Hawaii among foreign audiences. In order to maximize their blog's reach and impact, authors should consider using multimedia elements such as videos, podcasts, images, infographics or interactive maps to make their content more engaging for readers.
Videos are particularly effective for conveying stories about Hawaiian culture in an entertaining way. Podcasts are also great for providing an in-depth look into Hawaiian culture by interviewing local experts or people involved in cultural initiatives. Images can be used to illustrate stories about Hawaiian culture or to showcase traditional activities such as hula dancing or luau feasts. Interactive maps are also useful for providing readers with an overview of different cultural sites in Hawaii. Infographics can be used to present data about Hawaiian culture in an easy-to-understand format.
By incorporating these multimedia elements into their blog content, authors can help create a more authentic image of Hawaii among foreign audiences. In conclusion, authors can use multimedia elements to enhance their content on their Hawaiian culture blog by incorporating family participation into the educational model to normalize the Hawaiian language beyond the classroom. They can also create content that pays attention to indigenous cultures such as oral language and traditions, social practices, rituals, and festive and scenic events. By doing so, they can help create an authentic image of Hawaii among foreign audiences.
