Even as Hawaii visitor satisfaction remains near 90%, concerns are rapidly escalating. What does that mean to your Hawaii travel plans?
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200 thoughts on “Changed Visitor Habits Crush Hawaii Travel Outlook”
Even as Hawaii visitor satisfaction remains near 90%, concerns are rapidly escalating. What does that mean to your Hawaii travel plans?
Sorry, will try this again. That’s what happens you try speaking into your phone.
To repeat, the greedflation that affected all sectors of the economy, but even more so in Hawaii, has finally come home to roost.
The locals complained that there were too many tourists, and it was affecting everything from traffic to the ecology, didn’t want to risk coming, the state, and its infinite wisdom only wanted tourist willing to spend the big bucks. We have been coming to Hawaii, every year since 2012, sometimes twice a year, I look back on our old bills and find out in the last five years condo rates where we normally stay have tripled. This is simple greed, not inflation. The old saying remains true, be careful what you wish for you may get it.
I would challenge your assumption on 100% greed. Much of the rising rates are a result of the extraordinary cost for a Vacation rental. As an investment these units have doubled in price in just 1 or 2 years. Its tough to make the investment numbers work today.
Yes, not to mention the rising costs of cleaners and handymen, rising cost of utilities, and the government raising the property tax rate on vacation rentals to be more than any other classification except timeshares. In Maui, vacation rentals pay more taxes than hotels now.
And even with all that, in Maui vacation rental condos are still half the price of hotels.
That sounds like a great deal. So the average Joe with a rental regardless of whether they live there or not doesn’t mean you’re rich but yet you still pay more than a corporate Enterprise that is probably housing hundreds of more tourists than a average condo owner and they’re getting twice the money for each room they rent/condo. The government there definitely seems to have their priorities and they’re hidden agenda. I look at the amount of time it takes for them to update a beach park such as Hapuna on the big island and how much money they spend to do it. So much red tape and bad governmental processes
C’mon folks! Yes, Hawaii has other assets like oceanography and volcanology, but face it:
Tourism is the number 1 product Hawaii has to sell! And we should be proud of it!
From our mountains to the ocean it is a pleasure to share with family and visitors and I, for one, never considered it “slavery” working anywhere that supports our tourism trade.
And the Airbnb restrictions took a major bite out of tourism.
The rentals were in the neighborhoods and disrupting the peace and quiet. Although, by instilling restrictions on rentals, hotels are doing a booming business. Again, Hawaii is Not Disneyland. Tourists should learn a bit of Hawaii’s history.
I’m glad you enjoyed working in hospitality. However, the workers are at the bottom of the pay range. How are they supposed make a living?
You keep saying Hawaii is not Disneyland. As I pointed out in another post in which you said that recently, all the flame-throwers, hula dancers, announcers blaring through their speakers and all of the fake luaus are Promoting and Advancing a Disneyland environment. The people doing the exploiting, many of whom are natives, need to stop if they don’t want Hawaii to be treated like Disneyland. Don’t blame the tourists.
I’ve been following the comments about prices and lack of Airbnb rentals. Coming from a beach town in Florida in our neighborhood they had to change Airbnb rules. The short term rentals were very disruptive big parties trespassing garbage not cleaned up. I can understand both sides of these comments. Hawaii was my favorite place but as I stated earlier I’m not paying 19
Dollars to park at a beach
Been going to the big island since 2013. Always stay in VRBO condos and rented from the same people. Their rates have almost doubled nightly stay price and no longer offer a down season rate. They’ve told me there is no down season anymore. We have been priced out of their condos and struggle to find decent places to stay. The second biggest challenge is with rental cars. Paid $1,100 for 16-day Jeep Rental in 2021 1900 this year and 2600 for next year through Costco which I think is the cheapest. Airline tickets have bumped a bit but it’s amazing that gas/food this year was not much worse than where I live in the NW. Seems rental cars/condo prices are killing the visit to the Big Island where a rental car is needed to experience the island
This year we got 2 weeks for $600 Budget via Discount Cars Hawaii. They are often cheaper than Costco and have been in past years too. I check prices often, because they change and usually come down a lot in the days before the trip. Hope this helps. We can only hope the hotels and vacation rentals will be more than aware of falling occupancy and will adjust rates.
Thanks Jennifer that’s what I do with Costco though since they let us cancel to basically the day before your trip and usually can get a lower rate but didn’t happen this year hopefully it will next. I will definitely check out your suggestion
Economybookings.com has the best car rental deals
What are best deals on Maui, for sightseeing please?
Hi Halle.
That’s outside the scope of what Beat of Hawaii is about. We’d suggest your search for activities of your choosing online.
Aloha.
I believe the drop in travel is not related to COVID, but directly aligns to the policy decisions made within Hawaii – particularly to no. Allowance of Air BnB as a shrt term rental. While that decision had immediate results for residents- it had almost immediate results for tourism. This article could be stronger if it looked at timing of that those decisions and drop in expected tourists.
I go to Hawaii(Maui) often with my wife and read articles about it regularly. I do not feel welcome there unless I pay a significant sum of money, only stay at a resort, and accept getting nickle and dimed everywhere I go.
Our favorite two-week vacation for the past 15 years has been Kauai. We had not traveled since Dec 2019, and were stunned at prices. Not just condo rates/rental car rates — but the travel taxes and fees were higher than ever. Not only that, but beautiful sights now Charge to park and enter, such as Waimea Canyon. We could choose Europe, but we prefer to spend our travel dollars to US destinations. We will definitely consider other places now; that makes me sad but HI wasn’t alone in being hit by Covid. Many travelers had to rethink how/when to go. Now it’s just not feasible. And that makes me truly sad.
Maui has always been our magical place.
We have gone every other year since 2002.
We spend lots of money every time we go.
We just got back from a 2 week vacation at the Whaler which is one of our favorite places to stay in Maui.
I hate to say it. But I wish we didn’t even go.
This trip was horrible!
People were not friendly at all, which I thought was very unusual for Maui, but apparently from reading other reviews on this page this is the norm now for tourists.
customer service was horrible everywhere we went
Prices were outrageous.
This trip changed my whole view on Maui.
I don’t have that magical feeling when I think about it anymore.
A charge for Ohana care on my Rental that I have never had before and it was $650.
I believe what’s happening, is that a good number of other options are now becoming available. With Hawaii’s increased cost, that is making people look around.
This has been my experience as well. I’ve been traveling to Hawaii on a yearly basis, but probably won’t be going this year due to gauging costs and rude attitudes. There are plenty of places where tourists are valued and treated well – Hawaii is no longer one of them.
I really think Hawaii will kill the goose that laid the Golden Egg. The add on taxes and fees now of both state and counties is outrageous. There is getting to be the perception that Hawaii no longer welcomes tourists and even those part time residents unless they have millions that can be soaked for taxes.