With all the media coverage surrounding the death of Steve Irwin I immediately thought of the “Crocodile Hunter” when I heard about this next travel item.
I recently found out (through family members who work for the county of Hawaii’s Planning Department) that famed ocean explorer and environmentalist Jean-Michel Cousteau is lending his name and expertise to a resort proposed for the Big Island of Hawaii (the island that I was born and raised on). According to planning documents, the resort, which has yet to be named, will be designed “in the style of a historical plantation town and offer a marine conservation center, along with retail and commercial areas.” In addition, the resort will include an eco-hotel, renovated golf course and up to 1,500 homes and condominiums.
The creation stems from a partnership between a development group and Cousteau’s nonprofit group, Ocean Futures Society. As many of you already know Cousteau, is the son of the late Jacques Cousteau. The younger Cousteau has spent the better part of his life following in his father’s footsteps exploring the world’s oceans, and has long been an advocate for the environment. But more recently, he has been forming more partnerships with large eco-resorts like the one in Fiji, which bares his name. The new resort will be Cousteau’s first development venture in the 50th state, however, local media reports say it remains to be seen whether his name will be on the resort, as it is with the Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort.
What will make this resort stand out from the others on the Big Island is that it (like the one in Fiji) will be developed as an “eco-resort” catering to a growing niche of eco-tourists. Cousteau explained to local reporters that he believes the resort will be “the perfect destination for people to understand the connection between the ocean and the land.” Having recently completed a two-hour documentary on the Hawaiian Islands, Cousteau said the islands hold a special place in his heart and he is eager for others to share in the beauty of Hawaii.
“When you have people come out to the ocean, you want to give them the best cultural experience from an environmental point of view,” said Cousteau. “When it comes to the Hawaiian culture, you have everything to gain by understanding that culture.”
Construction on the new resort is estimated to start in 2009.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this blog I immediately thought of Steve Irwin when I heard about Cousteau’s plans because I think it would be a wonderful tribute to Irwin if a similar eco-resort was built in Australia and in memory of the “Crocodile Hunter.” It too could be an eco-resort and like Cousteau’s it could include educational programs designed to teach visitors about animals and the environment—the very things that Irwin dedicated his life to preserving.