What best management practices do you base this certification on?

The following sources of information were used to develop the ecotourism certification program:

1. Green Globe 21 International Ecotourism Standard (Green Globe, Asia Pacific)
2. Nature and Ecotourism Accreditation Program (Eco Australia)
3. Sustainable Travel and Ecotourism Program (Sustainable Travel International)
4. A Simple Users’ Guide to Certification for Sustainable and Ecotourism (TIES, Rain Forrest Alliance, CREST)
5. Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (The Partnership for Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria)
6. Peer Review Process (Sustainable Tourism Association)
7. Putting Traffic Lights on the Road Less Traveled: Ecotourism Certification & its potential for Hawaii (Wendy Bauckham, 2005)
8. West Hawaii Voluntary Standards (Coral Reef Alliance)
9. E Malama, The Ecotourism Manual for Hawaii written by Barbara Mills

STAH 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.