“Creating the Paradise of the Pacific”. How “American” is Hawaii? Examining the Link between Tourism and Colonialism in Hawaii

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2025-02-25

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en

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With pristine beaches, impressive landscapes and exotic cultures, Hawaii is known as a ‘paradise on earth’. Nevertheless, the growing tourism industry is making it difficult for native Hawaiians to sustain themselves. This thesis examines how this current situation with tourism in Hawaii is a result of its complicated history with colonialism and the United States. Through analysing tourism promotions as well as two case studies of tourist attractions in Hawaii through the concepts of orientalism and colonial nostalgia, it can be concluded that the image of Hawaii is constructed based on the commodification of Hawaiian culture in order to be able to sell an exoticized version of Hawaii to tourists.

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