Zenbird Editorial TeamHalekulani Okinawa, located in Onna Village, Okinawa, has received Gold certification from Green Fins, an international standard for sustainable marine tourism initiated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Onna Village is a designated SDGs Future City and has declared itself a “Coral Village.” It was the first municipality in Japan to formally introduce the Green Fins code of conduct, which currently operates in 14 countries. Halekulani Okinawa aligned its operations with these local and international standards to reduce the environmental burden of tourism on the surrounding marine ecosystem.
The certification process evaluated the resort’s ability to maintain luxury service standards while implementing rigorous environmental protections. Key operational changes include the use of specialised clips on diving equipment to prevent physical contact with coral reefs. The resort also replaced disposable identification tape for diving tanks with reusable tags, reducing plastic waste.
In addition, the staff provide detailed briefings before marine activities to ensure guests maintain a safe distance from coral and wear life jackets correctly. The resort also practices “co-creative” hospitality by involving guests in litter collection alongside regular underwater cleaning performed by staff.
Kenji Fukunaga, General Manager of Halekulani Okinawa, stated that the certification represents a milestone in the resort’s commitment to the local community. The resort intends to continue its partnership with Onna Village to promote sustainable tourism practices that protect the region’s natural assets.
[Reference] PR Times (Japanese)
