Kauai Sea Tours has been taking travelers out onto the Pacific for more than 30 years, offering unforgettable experiences along the rugged Nā Pali Coast, located in the northwest of Kauai Island, Hawaii. 

The company has always made a conscious effort to preserve the very ocean that makes their work possible.

And in December 2024, they took that commitment to the next level.

Kauai Sea Tours partnered with Ecodrive and 4ocean to embed a new layer of impact directly into their booking flow: providing the option for each guest to pull plastic waste from the ocean when scheduling a tour.

Customers have responded positively, already contributing to over 1,500 pounds of plastic removed from oceans, rivers, and coastlines around the world. 

In between voyages, we spoke with the team about their environmental goals and why they partnered with Ecodrive to bring them to life.

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First up, why did you decide to give customers the option to contribute to ocean cleanups when booking?

The seed was planted years ago when we got involved in the 4ocean ‘bracelet’ movement. Once we then connected with Grace at Ecodrive, the technology you guys have in place seemed too easy to pass up. 

It makes the entire process of empowering our customers to clean the ocean smooth and seamless.

The option is right there at checkout and around 5% of customers choose to make a donation!

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How has your experience been working with the Ecodrive team and technology?

Partnering with Ecodrive has literally been one of our easiest endeavors! 

Operating in Kauai has hammered home how important even the simplest acts are to protecting our waters. Clean oceans are vital for our industry and for our planet. There are zero excuses NOT to embed ocean impact into our operations!

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A Closer Look at the Impact in Action

Kauai Sea Tours uses FareHarbor to power their online bookings. 

Ecodrive collaborated directly with the FareHarbor team to implement opt-in functionality for guests, providing best-practice guidance on the integration. 

Guests can choose how many pounds of harmful plastic and trash they’d like to remove from the ocean for just $2 per pound. This simple addition has fueled consistent customer participation and measurable results.

And with Ecodrive’s Impact Portal, KST can efficiently track and order additional pounds of plastic removal via 4ocean.

Beyond the checkout, Kauai Sea Tours is also leading by example with its newest vessel, Lady KaiLani. 

Designed with sustainability at its core, the boat includes refill stations, stainless steel cups and plates, cloth napkins, and a near-complete elimination of plastics and unnecessary waste.

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The Results

• 1,500+ pounds of plastic pulled from the ocean (track the exact impact data here)
• Seamless integration of impact into every booking flow
• Increased guest engagement with sustainability efforts
• A stronger brand story rooted in ocean stewardship

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Kauai Sea Tours is showing how simple it can be for tourism operators to integrate real impact into their customer experience. 

With Ecodrive powering the technology and 4ocean leading the cleanups, their guests are leaving Hawaii with memories of breathtaking coastlines and a tangible contribution to cleaner oceans.

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