We want to help repair long-standing tensions between the native community and visitors.

We’re engineering a way for tourism to give back.



Hawai‘i deserves the utmost care — and we believe most visitors are ready to travel with intention.

Rooted has reimagined tourism from the ground up: making it regenerative, not extractive, and helping travelers engage with Hawai‘i as a living culture to be honored — not consumed.

More travelers than ever are seeking meaningful, ethical experiences. But too often, local businesses are buried by paid listings, hidden in outdated guides, or overlooked by algorithms.

Rooted will bridge that gap by connecting values-driven visitors with small businesses, Native Hawaiian-owned enterprises, cultural educators, and local makers. Our goal is simple: use modern tools to redirect tourism dollars back into the hands of those who make Hawai‘i what it is.

We’re currently inviting local businesses to be part of our launch. Please reach out. Let’s grow this together.

Our Plan of Action

  • Partnerships

    Key to our strategy is building a directory of local and Native Hawaiian-owned businesses. We want to provide this information in a way that helps visitors explore Hawai‘i more meaningfully — and spend intentionally. Whether you’re an artist, shop, expedition or experience guide, gallery, restaurant, boutique, or anyone who helps visitors understand, experience, or connect with Hawai‘i — Rooted needs to hear from you. We want to understand how this platform can specifically support you and any challenges you’re experiencing.

    We also extend a direct invitation to cultural leaders, educators, and practitioners. Your insight is essential. We will not move forward without your continuous guidance and approval.

    Relationships are at the heart of our philosophy — and the primary way we intend to create real-world impact. Every feature, recommendation, and user journey is being designed to drive genuine support to local communities and the people who call them home.

    We’re actively collaborating with business owners across industries to ensure Rooted is shaped from the ground up. This is a mutual investment: we support our partners in growing ethically and sustainably, and they guide our mission with lived expertise.

  • Progress Bar

    Rooted is in its foundational phase. We’re laying down values that will hold strong through future storms. Our announcements and engagement aren’t about speed — this is a grassroots, community-led effort that moves at the pace of deep listening and relationship-building.

    We have established a Native Hawaiian executive team member in a cultural leadership role and are recruiting new Native Hawaiian advisors. We are excited about our current collaborations with Native Hawaiian artists in building our visual identity.

    Right now, our focus is on gathering insight from local businesses and community members across the islands. This feedback will directly shape our work-in-progress before we introduce a visitor-focused survey at a later stage.

    Every story, suggestion, concern, and lived experience will help shape what we’re building. As we move forward, we’ll be sharing updates widely and continuing to seek input from community stakeholders.

    If you believe in a more ethical future for tourism in Hawai‘i — whether you’re a resident, leader, practitioner, or business owner — we’d love to discuss our vision with you directly.

Go To Surveys

Open data collections

  • Kamaʻāina Voices Survey

    Help shape the future of travel in Hawai‘i.

    This 5-minute survey is for kamaʻāina. Your voice will help guide a new visitor app that puts local values, small businesses, and cultural respect first.

    Take survey

  • Small Business Survey

    This time, the platform is yours.

    We’re building a platform to uplift Native Hawaiian and local businesses, and to ensure tourism gives back. Your input will help us design a tool that serves you.

    Take survey

We’d love to connect.

Do you have questions about what exactly Rooted is? We can (and would like to) share a lot more by speaking with you directly.


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