Haleakalā Awards Concession Contracts to Four Tour Companies
Haleakalā National Park today announced the selection of four tour companies for 10-year concession contracts to operate guided vehicle tours within park boundaries.
The contracts were awarded to Haleakalā Bike Co. doing business as Haleakalā EcoTours, Polynesian Adventure Tours, Skyline Eco Adventures, and Valley Isle Excursions.
Under the contracts these companies can provide guided vehicle tours for visitors in the Summit area and can offer guided vehicle tours in the park’s Kīpahulu District as well.
Haleakalā Eco Tours, Polynesian Adventure Tours, and Valley Isle Excursions have previous experience with guided vehicle tours in the park, as authorized under Commercial Use Authorizations. Skyline Eco Adventures is new to the park, but has experience providing visitor services on Maui.
These companies were selected by the Pacific West Regional Director of the National Park Service, as recommended by an evaluation panel of National Park Service staff. Haleakalā NP employees were not involved in the selection. Successful bidders had the highest scores among the proposals received. Each proposal was evaluated in accordance with the National Park Service Concessions Management Improvement Act of 1998.
“We believe the selected concessioners will do an excellent job providing memorable visitor experiences while protecting park resources,” said Haleakalā National Park Superintendent Natalie Gates. “We look forward to working with our new partners,” she added.
The contracts are effective Jan. 1, 2018 and will allow selected companies to provide guided and interpretative services to thousands of Maui visitors and residents.
“It is with great gratitude and graciousness that we humbly accept this awarded contract,” said Lewis Upfold, Vice President of Haleakalā EcoTours. “We look forward to working with Haleakalā National Park to facilitate the park mission to protect and manage the cultural and natural resources and to ‘interpret these unique resources for the education, experience, and inspiration of all peoples and future generations.'”
“As stewards of this beautiful island of Maui, and bestowed with this great opportunity to be partners with Haleakalā National Park, we feel obligated with the responsibility of providing the most factual and accurate information about Haleakalā, Maui, and Hawai’i that we can. Through our concentrated effort we will continue to display respect and love for the islands, its culture and its history through interpretative tours and other interpretative efforts,” said Upfold.