Maui County and Hawaiian Airlines have released the first of multiple videos designed to instruct Maui visitors on appropriate behavior, aloha, and respect.
Maui County and Hawaiian Airlines have released the first of multiple videos designed to instruct Maui visitors on appropriate behavior, aloha, and respect.
I am 75 years old and have been coming to Hawaii every year since 1965. We have a vacation place on Kauai, but we vist a neighbor island every year as well. Have been to Maui many times over the years. Stayed at the old Maui Palms Hotel in Kahului back in the day.
Don’t need to be preached at about being respectful. All of Hawaii is our Ohana too.
Maui Strong!
Aloha ke akua.
It goes both ways…
Thank you so much fir publishing these articles. It’s where I actually get the information I trust on the situation on Maui. We have been going to Maui for years. Some years, we go twice a year and are now owners at the Westin Villas. We have a trip scheduled for December 1 and, to tell the truth, I’m scared of going. I don’t want to say or do the wrong thing. I’m even scared of having a good time or “just” sitting by the pool as that might be seen as being disrespectful. We’re so confused and not sure what to do. Money wise, we can’t just switch hotels. Help
Chris , go to Maui and have a good time. I can tell you have a thoughtful attitude ! A lot of this negativity is Hyper-Bowl. I will be in Kaanapali on Oct 20th I expect much Aloha from many locals. I am a little apprehensive but I think I will be pleasantly surprised by the people on Maui .
So the County of Maui and Hawaiian Air have presumed to take it upon themselves to “instruct Maui visitors on appropriate behavior, aloha, and respect …”??
I’ve lived in the Islands off and on since the ’50s, am 15 years older than the Mayor of Maui, and many decades older than the rest of these “instructors”. As such, I find it extremely condescending for them telling me or anyone else “how to behave” while livin’ and breathin’ in Paradise.
Being a confirmed Kama’aina, I have many local friends. I think the “presenters” would be better off attending to their own personal failings … and we all have them. Q.E.D.
As a “confirmed Kama’aina” the videos are probably not meant for you.
Yes, I’m in favor of this. It can’t hurt and could help.
If you want visitors to watch these videos; then see how you can get all the airlines flying in to Hawaii to show them to all of their passengers flying into Hawaii.
Sadly, yes. Guidelines are needed. I only hope the tourists who need to see them do.
We spend a good part of the winter in West Maui and have for nearly 20 years. We plan to return in January to support the economy and to volunteer. Our friend, who lives there and lost everything including family members, was in an elevator where she is being sheltered with tourists who were talking about the selfies they were planning to take as close to town as they could get. She is clearly Native Hawaiian and not dressed like a tourist.
Others have flaunted their fun vacation spree. Do people need to be taught how to behave? As I said, sadly Yes.
As a Hawaii resident I understand the need for tourism in Hawaii, but if 17000 residents of Maui signed a petition to not open up the devastated areas, why would I spend my hard earned dollars to go there?
I for one, would not want to get into the middle of the animosities that are always brewing right at the surface. The need for tourism is obvious, but people want to go on vacation to get away and have fun.
We live in a world where everyone has to broadcast everything. I do not see locals being kind to people wanting to take photos of everything.
Great job gentlemen keeping us informed.
I suspect maybe 2000 Maui residents signed and 15,000 who saw it on Facebook.
I think the messages about traveling Pono are appropriate, and frankly should apply and appear All the time. I’ve seen people walking on beautiful reefs and causing irreparable damage, then being belligerent and combative when asked not to. Respect for Aina, for Moana, and for Ohana should always be in the mind of visitors to the Islands and to everywhere.
Resect for Aina= land , Moana =sea, and Ohana =family if any was is wondering 🙂 I googled it .
Thanks for taking the time to actually Google those sacred Hawaiian words and interpreting for all Rob! 🙂
Aloha!
My husband and I love Maui and have visited several times. We always try to be kind. Many of us visitors have lived through disasters and lost everything, including loved ones. We have been through floods, hurricanes and tornadoes. We want to visit and support Maui, but the residents have not welcomed us back and act like they hate us. This is not the same love that you expect from us? We understand your grief, but life goes on, and many would love to come visit so your economy can grow once again…. But sadly we don’t feel welcome. Visitors can help rebuild Maui. Be thankful for us and show us the love you expect from us. Thank You ❤️
Respectfully our locals shouldn’t have to act appropriately because you’re giving them money money cannot replace everything they’ve lost. This is not the time for a vacation, even as an Oahu resident I don’t plan to return to Maui for a while because I don’t want to get in their way of recovery and it’s disrespectful at this time.
Erika,
Everyone should act appropriately…that means locals as well as visitors. Common sense. Seems like the world has lost this!
Very well said…
Well said to Kathren F
We are here now and have been welcomed. We are supporting local businesses and tipping extra. I photograph everything and would Never consider even capturing a glimpse of the Lahaina devastation. Like you guys said above, people either get it or they don’t, I’m not sure these videos will make a difference.
I feel it’s appropriate for these videos. If you can’t show your aloha……stay away! JMHO
It’s unfortunate that some marketing whiz decided that all travelers needed to be condescended to and don’t possess common sense and an understanding of the devastating fire in Lahaina. While some younger travelers (gen z, for example) don’t show respect for anyone, this should not be extrapolated to paint all travelers with a broad brush.
I’m saddened that you are offended by this. And a bit ironic that you are objecting to ‘all travelers’ being painted with a ‘broad brush’ in the same breath as you are doing the same to gen z :-D.
Clearly, you chose to ignore my statement that ‘some’ younger travelers don’t show respect. Thanks for your confirmation of my observation.
This applies to all visitors equally not just young people
Aloha! I’ve always felt videos would be a great tool on flights headed to the islands. My thought is those who are new may learn a bit from the video, and those who are returning will be reminded. Yes, especially, Maui needs us but more so they need us to be respectful. I already see “guests” are clamoring to visit the west side of Maui, but in their excitement I feel they’ve forgotten the pain being experienced. The Mayor’s video is nice but to me not explicit enough. Just like Lahaina’s beloved banyon tree is repairing itself I pray the west side of Maui will be repaired, understanding the time it will take. Mahalo & Aloha
We can have videos on planes everywhere. Flying to Texas, you have to watch a video on being nice to Texans. Going to Florida, you have to watch a video about being nice to Floridians. Maybe instead we can just make everyone on every flight in America spend the last 30 minutes thinking about how they will behave when they land.
I would venture to say that there isn’t a single person traveling to Maui that is not aware of what has taken place there. The overwhelming majority of people will be respectful of the people and do not need to be told how to act. There will always be people who are idiots no matter what the situation. A video is not going to change those kind of people. Overall, I would say for the majority of travelers, being lectured on how to act while on vacation is extremely insulting. Just one more dig at the people who spend their hard earned dollars to support the island. Any wonder why people are staying away? Show a video to local Hawaiians traveling to the mainland telling them how to act while there and see if they are offended by it.
We live on a small island perhaps you’re forgetting that and Hawaiians are more respectful than mainlanders honestly because culturally they are raised differently. Yes when we see visitors taking selfies in front of the destruction in Lahaina with their fake leis I say yes videos need to show how to treat our home with respect it is not your home.
Sheryl, I agree with you here. I just started reading social media posts recently and getting so exhausted of condo sites, restaurants, social sites, & locals telling us how to behave if and when we patronize from them! This is the worst marketing management I have ever seen. No wonder that tourism is lower. The marketing of Maui is on the wrong track by how every avenue of travel begins with a finger pointing. For many of us, it is not our first rodeo in life!
Based upon a lot of comments by locals over the last year it appears that they have just as much reason to watch the videos as anybody else! The disparaging remarks directed towards the actual “life blood” of Hawaii, namely the tourists, the negativity has just been way over the top.
Visitors to any location bring money, many benefits….and always, some level of negative effect to where they visit. “Life blood” is a bit of a narcissistic viewpoint on your importance. And really tonedeaf wording in referring to a place where many lives were actually lost. If you are that offended you may be one of the people who needs to hear it the most.
I think the videos are fine, albeit a bit preachy.
Videos should also be developed to lecture the locals on how to show aloha to tourists. Apparently that art has been lost to some.
Seriously? They do whether they should or not because that is who they are and this time they shouldn’t have to because we are all human and they’ve lost so much at least you all have homes to go back to they do not and they are being evicted as we speak to make room for visitors so how would you expect them to act
Very helpful videos. It would also be good to also mention the Aquarium and whale watching. Also Whalers Village.
Watched the Mayor yesterday and some of these today. I know that this won’t be popular, but I have to say I’m beginning to run low on Grace.
Please……perhaps a video for both the locals and visitors is in order on how too behave. James V