The data is in, the causes are clear and now even Hawaii officials are rapidly growing concerned.
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193 thoughts on “Concerning Hawaii Tourism Decline | Ten Reasons It Happened”
The data is in, the causes are clear and now even Hawaii officials are rapidly growing concerned.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
We go to Maui and send relatives almost every year. We were in Kauai in September and going to Big Island in November. My wife loves Maui but after out 23 day visit in February I am no longer a fan. Listening to the plans of your Governor to punish offshore owners and charge taxes and fees on visitors I was disappointed. Then I found that I did not fell welcome in many stores and particularly when dealing with local native Hawaiians. They outright refused to help me find things and were just not friendly at all. Will we be back? Not for a while or never. Also watching and hearing how everyone is fighting about fixing Lahaina and as a result nothing is getting done as well as hearing that they intend to pay families who had a member die an
First thing I would do is get a new governor. He of all people should understand how important tourism is.
Second thing I would do is reduce the ridiculous tourism taxes. Nothing says Welcome better than getting hit with burdensome taxes.
Third thing I would do is lower the cost of hotels and other vacation rentals
Fourth thing would be lower the cost of car rentals.
The last thing I would do is bring back the Aloha spirit and stop the preaching to visitors about respecting the islands when many of the Islanders do not. We love the Hawaiian islands. We treat it and the people with the greatest of respect and aloha spirit. We’ve really been priced out of coming back. We will try Costa Rica. We’ll see if we’re wanted there.
My experience. Kauai. Someone cut the gas line on my Jeep. Tow truck and repair. Ohahu. Homeless tent cities were common. I tried to hike a trail in western Ohahu where a local told me that “white people are not allowed.” Not private property. Signs at shopping area telling whites to leave.
On the other hand a local guy tells me that his job doesn’t pay enough to pay for a $800000 small house while Mark Zuckerberg owns 800 acres of land on the same island. There are plenty of expensive homes with security gates on a long driveway. Local villages look poor. Abandoned cars and junkyard style decor.
Mixed bag of experience. Probably will not go back. Really expensive.
My wife and I travel between 4 and 5 months a year. We’re in the islands for the twelfth time right now. Hawaii is getting too expensive. If we couldn’t stay in vacation rentals, we wouldn’t come; we’d rather spend our money on experiences than on hotel rooms with outrageous prices. The governor’s attitude about vacation rentals is truly disappointing.
We’re never in HI long enough to consider a short term rental but you hit the nail on the head for hotel prices.
We like the south end of Waikiki by the zoo and for years have stayed at the 3-star hotels like Park Shore, Lotus, and Kaimana. Now these places want $400+ for a room – used to be about $250 max. I just can’t stomach paying that much for these budget, long in the tooth hotels.
Aloha spirit? Meh, I never noticed if any locals were nice or not and if this has changed. I suppose I don’t care that much. Coming from San Francisco where everyone is cold and unfriendly, I doubt I would notice any attitudes from Hawaiians.
From the perspective of a family that has waited, booked a vacation for this year and cancelled one for 2025….
#1 Governor and local groups are highly dependent on tourism dollars but also making tourists feel unwelcome. I want to teach my kids respectful enjoyment and cultural learning. I don’t want to be a burden.
#2 Prices are raising everywhere a family of 5 for a week is getting astronomical even on a decent IT guy salary. $5k in plane tickets, 3-4k in housing, 2k in food. Almost 1k for a minivan or SUV for a week. No joke we booked the best cruise ship in the world instead for the same tickets and time and will save thousands going to the Caribbean.
And now hawaii wants visitors to reciprocate their “5star” experience and pay back to hawaii with learning and participation in their culture:
How about starting with instilling this with “your people”
The star compass at the former KBH is covered with canvas so the band can sit on it.
Locals stack rocks on cultural sites like La Perouse.
I watched 6 locals riding mopeds on the sacred burial grounds at the Ritz.
Businesses stopped playing traditional Hawaiian music years ago playing rap instead.
The list can go on.
There are other beautiful, less expensive places to visit and feel welcomed.
Maui is over rated and the locals are shooting themselve’s in the foot by not wanting tourist. They suffer from an inferiority complex.
Josh Green talks about abolishing short term rentals yet he owns 5 of these himself. The Irony –
Do you have proof that Green owns 5 short term rentals!!??
I Love Hawaii as it’s my birth place. I always feel welcome each January for my yearly visit to see my family. The prices are getting outrageous for sure. I feel a lot of visitors feel differently about the experience because they think of Hawaii as a show or movie on tv. It’s not it’s a lifestyle. A love of the environment and a willingness to preserve it. To enjoy it but not harm it as it is alive.
Hawaii is not a show. It’s not a movie on tv. It’s not a lifestyle. It’s a place.
It’s a place, just like any other place. It has as much “love for the environment” as any other place, which isn’t much to be honest. Witness the burned out, rusty cars at the side of the road, among other eyesores that were not put there by visitors.
It has pretty beaches and palm trees. There are lots of pretty beaches and palm trees elsewhere as well, as well as majestic mountains, gorgeous lakes, and many other awe-inspiring wonders that we get to enjoy on our beautiful planet.
We here in Hawaii need to get over ourselves.
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest dreaming of the ultimate Hawaiian experience. Nature, culture, food, all were part of the plan. However, as I reached my goal of finally realizing a dream come true. . . Reality set in. Hawaii no longer exhibits the aloha spirit. Hawaii is too overpriced and very unhospitable. Never will I see my beloved Hawaii, which I am told is not mine because I am not indigineous. Well, factually, no one born there is indigenous either. What a selfish attitude. Rather than spending my hard earned honest cash in Hawaii, I spent it in the Caribbean. Great choice because no matter what island I visited, my family was welcome and treated like part of their family. So long Hawaii.
Great article. The primary reason for the decline is well stated, albeit number three. The Aloha spirit has been replaced by a virus that is but one of a long string to threaten the islands. The virus of entitlement has taken root and is threatening to displace the practice of Aloha. Can Hawaii return to its roots and stop biting the hand that feeds? Only time will tell. The people of Hawaii were the reason people came, only the people can bring them back.
Well….just like the article says. Ridiculously high accommodation rates and the continual messaging that they will limit short term rentals. Every day it seems there is an article from some governments agency giving mixed messages to come or stay away. Has no one figured out that without tourist dollars their single remaining industry is dead? I’ve been coming to Hawaii yearly for the last 30 years and feel like it’s a second home for my family, but lately the high prices and the look from (some) of the locals makes me wonder if I will keep coming. Yesterday I booked for October again as long as the government doesn’t stop the person who owns the condo I rent in Maiu from using it for short term rentals.
We have been to Hawaii many times over the last 20 years. Each time the experience was less and less enjoyable. Accomodations are now very expensive. The homeless have taken over waikiki Beach. There is a general feeling uneasiness and that we are no longer welcome. We have not been back to Hawaii now for atleast 5 years. We now go to Mexico and Costa Rica. Both are beautiful and much more affordable. We loved Hawaii but have moved on.
As a displaced local who can’t afford to live in the place of my birth, and a family tree going back 7 or 8 generations I can tell you why tourism is down. No more authentic hawaiian cultural experience and a focus on maximum dollars spent. No more Aloha, just gimme the bucks. Doesn’t help that the old time locals are being driven out by costs to places like Nevada and Washington state. Congratulations you’ve created a second rate Disney land with out the fun. Also doesn’t help that the land and water have been polluted beyond healthy, the infrastructure is a poor second world mess, and there are restrictions on what’s left of the nice places.
When you figure out how to draw the kamainas back you’ll have a healthy tourist industry
Being born someplace doesn’t give you the right to live there forever. There are 50 states in the UNITED States of America and all are free to live where ever we want. There are plenty of nice places in the USA that I can’t afford to live – Hawaii being one of them.
The gov. is still insisting on banning the short term rentals. Many repeat visitors spend over 2 weeks, some 2 to 3 months on the islands every year. Who in the world wants to spend that long in a hotel? We spent a few days in a hotel on Oahu. We had to call room service just for a bucket of ice, and of course tip the employee who delivers it. We could not wait to get out of there, and this was long before the outrageous taxes had been implemented. How much revenue is the state going to lose when they lose those longer stay short term renters? Gov. Green is setting a perfect example for the anti-tourist locals. The anti-aloha genie is out of the bottle now and it is going to be difficult to put it back the way it used to be.
I recently completed a bucket list dream of visiting Hawaii. I was in Waikiki for one week. I was very disappointed and doubt that I will return. From the air, it looked like someone dumped all their trash, raised the water, lowered the water and all the trash remained. From 30,000 feet, the foliage looked beautiful. Street level, lot of trash in foliage and along Beach edges. Many homeless. I loved my hotel and spent safely spent many hours there. I bought a 7 day bus pass and rode around every day. Bus sentiments were frustration, huge disrespect for native Hawaiians and extreme commercialism. Wasn’t the Hawaii I expected. Other places in world are er and more rewarding. Glad I experienced it once.
I’m curious – Can you please describe the “huge disrespect for native Hawaiians”? I live on Maui and don’t see this here.
look in the bushes next to the highways? so many trashed burned cars.. no one tows away..
I was watching the maui fire on line. When a Hawaiian woman was on the news telling people they didnt want tourists, that when I decided to travel elswhere.
You dont want my hard earned money. There are other tropical paradise areas that will welcome it!
I spent a month in Europe last year. I had a wonderful time. They were honestly glad to have me there!
Number one place to start: Recall Green. He’s 100% a controlled tool.
100% agree with you. He is the #1 instigator of negative remarks about tourists. His plan to charge a $50 “per night” visitor fee is showing his true feelings towards visitors. Pricing out the tourists that can barely afford a trip to Hawaii while promoting tourism to wealthy travelers from any country other than the US.
He’s welcoming and promoting the anti-Aloha vibe.
Excellent point. Further inflating hotel prices will not help anything or anyone. They usually also charge parking fees and other costs.
It’s not anti-Aloha necessarily, it’s pro hotel.
Too bad. I used to visit multiple time each year, and haven’t been back since 2022. Hotels are ridiculously expensive- and a lot of them are dumps. Also, Waikiki used to have a mix of food choices, now it’s mostly “high end” and the more casual restaurants are out of control expensive. I look forward to watching tourism decline until the greedy hotels and restaurants lose enough business that they are forced to be realistic with their pricing. Don’t get me wrong, I am not opposed to spending some serious coin on vacations, but not when I know I’m getting ripped off. I’ll be in Bali this summer – waaaaaaay less expensive and equally beautiful.
Visited many times, most recently in January of this year. Like many Alaskans I cherish my mid winter getaways to the Islands, and with direct flights from Anchorage Hawaii is accessible in ways that Costa Rica and Mexico, not to mention the Maldives, will never be.
But yeah, as your article points out, it’s gotten really expensive, as in I don’t know when we will go back expensive.
I also understand that the disaster in Lahaina brought passionate and perhaps overdue attention to some difficult questions about how much tourism is too much & who has won and who has lost during the past generation of development.
For what it’s worth I wish Hawaiians the best as you debate this. Good luck!
We just got back from taking our family of seven to Maui in later January. The anti-tourism sentiment is definitely present but we’re still had a great time.
The potential short term rental is much more of an issue for us. We have five kids and very few hotel arrangements work well for us. Even many of the timeshares top out at 6 guests.
If you hold in there and they shut down all the short term rentals that are run by residents trying to keep their homes, you will be able to stay in a short term rental owned by a hotel. Just wait, it’s coming.
It is really sad reading through the comments. I agree with some but I don’t feel that it is my place to tell the people of Hawaii what to do. I am only a visitor. We decided last year to go back to vacationing elsewhere. In the meantime we will continue to read what is happening on the islands.
I think it’s a whole host of things, most of all the insane costs, fees & hostility of the locals towards tourists. I know I won’t be going back, especially because I live on the East Coast & there are so many other beautiful islands near here that don’t financially gut tourists.
Surely top of the list is the gov attack on affordable short term rentals, and the coincidence of sky rocketing hotel cost. Who can afford?!
My wife and I Love Hawaii, we have visited many times
Our favorite island was Maui. Was is the operative word. We just came back from a 14 day visit and I must say the welcoming committee is somewhere else.
First the prices of the short term rentals (we rented a condo) have doubled since our last visit. That alone took away from our spending budget. Then the prices of going out for meals also doubled or more. More money out of our usual spending budget. We normally do at least two whale watching tours, this visit we only did one. We also usually do 2 snorkeling/diving tours ( I dive and my wife snorkels). We did none of those trips due to the higher costs. We will be planning our next trip to some place other than Hawaii.
To be short. We visited Hawaii about 13 times, 1983 to 2000. On our last visit, we were attacked near Spouting Horn on Kauai by crazed locals. I phoned 911. When the police sergeant arrived, he had ME arrested for “reckless driving” – which was slowly passing the locals car when they parked on the roadway. This was from their statement; there was no officer there.
We’ve now been to Costa Rica 15 times.
I can deal with anti-tourist sentiment from the locals but I can’t deal with the cost of accommodation almost doubling since 2019.
I usually find a reasonable deal on flights and car rental, but the cost to rent a condo in Kihei now is over my budget. If the government bans these rentals then it’s game over.
Instead of putting a deposit on next year’s accommodation, I’m looking at options in Arizona, Mexico, Costa Rica, etc.
I honestly get why the locals are angry. Housing policy is a disaster in Hawaii.
We enjoyed Hawaii travel for many years but the costs don’t justify the trip anymore. On top of this is the explosion of online shopping that means we can get most things without paying a premium to visit Hawaii. Too touristy now and that reflects in how the population treats the visitors. Don’t think we’ll be back now.
Just came back from 11 day trip to Oahu. I come back every year for 15 years but this will most likely be my last unless things change. It’s ridiculously over priced to stay in Oahu. When the state is run by a bunch of Libersl morons then you get what you deserve., a state that’s broke. Hawaiians need to wake up. Tourism is your bread and butter and your bread is overcooking.
Love Kona. We’ll be going in May hopefully all will be good. Looking forward to our vacation. We have time share and enjoy Aloha spirit.
Your comment about prices soaring in Kauai after tourism picked up there says it all.
Lower your prices!!!
It is unconscionable that when faced with a downturn in visitors, partly because of high prices, Hawaii’s first response is to Raise the lodging tax! Are you crazy? Do you hear yourselves? Hawaii really needs some sane management.
To take the punitive sting out of additional entry fees, how about handing out on the plane a flyer with: a) specific details about the beach restorations on the destination island that the fees will help fund, and b) one free entry and/or parking pass for a beach or park for each fee paid. This makes the visitor a partner rather than merely an annoyance. If that means the fee increases from $25 to $30 to cover the parking, so be it. Everyone feels like a winner. Mahalo.
What is left out of this article is that 26 States are already in recession. California, the largest in the country, is in recession. Also, Japan is in recession. Other countries are in recession.
The giant stimulus free money bomb from the Feds mostly ended, although they are taking record debt right now (1.8 trillion last year). Why the massive deficit spending if everything is “booming”?
Also, on the monetary side, the Fed raised rates quickly, but probably not enough, or are going to hold them here for longer. Rates at this level are historically normal.
Everyone got used to the low rate and free money absurdity for many, many years, and now it is all falling apart.
If it weren’t for the Hale Koa in Honolulu and other military facilities on the islands, I wouldn’t bother to visit.
Those facilities provide first-class amenities while side stepping the Hawaiian tax shake down because they’re on Federal land.
Hawaii is doing its best to kill the tourism Golden Goose and will realize their mistake only when it’s too late.
After traveling to Hawaii every year we stopped going after 2021. The reason is multiple cost – I can go to many other places just as beautiful for a lot less
Welcoming- used to be the people and businesses were very friendly and eager to help. In 2021 we felt as though we were scum encroaching on them.
Taxes and fees- Hawaii has become a place that taxes and charges fees for visitors beyond belief.
I see airfare coming down all the time and airlines begging for travelers to buy tickets to Hawaii but until Hawaii changes it’s attitude it will continue to dwindle.
This article sums it up pretty well. Hawaii is offering less and less yet charging more and more. I think the main draw of Hawaii has always been because it is an island location that can be visited by people on the mainland without a passport. Exotic yet safely American. However a passport is cheap, younger generations are more adventurous and they are looking to maximize their vacation dollar.
My sister-in-law keeps talking about doing a family vacation in Hawaii. My wife and I have been 6 times to 3 islands. We have also traveled around the Caribbean and Central / South America. We will be pushing for a family trip to Costa Rica. CR is fantastic, with friendly people that actually want visitors, and the cost is much less.
Wendy: What? No aloha spirit on Kauai?
We own a home and have lived on Kauai nearly 40 years & I would not choose to live elsewhere. We are surrounded by friends and family and strangers who respond to our smiles and the rain and the rainbows and the best collection of world-class beaches on the planet. We support our community, be it arts or theater or senior softball and those involved support us.
I am sorry that Wendy no longer felt comfortable on Kauai. I hope she sold her house at a fair price to a local resident. Us? We are staying. Much Aloha.
Hawaii won’t see us again. I know, dry your tears. It isn’t because locals don’t kiss my butt (I respect you, you respect me and we’ll get along just fine) but the sheer expense of a Hawaiian vacation and you get a lot less for your buck. Your Governor needs to go away. His expertise is medicine, not business, or running a state. Tacking on additional fees on top of high food and hotel expenses are not the way to win the hearts and minds of tourists. Tourists have many choices of where to go for a vacation. The dismal numbers reported here show Hawaii is losing the luster.
I have always enjoyed our annual trip to Hawaii, something to savor when there and look forward to in between visits.
Yes, its is true even with that said I have been actively looking at alternatives. Why?
My reasons:
Cost, particularly the taxes on lodging and rental cars.
Poor infrastructure, eg. Roads. (one has to wonder where is all that tax money going??)
Poor airline experiences. Hawaii really needs to look at how airline policies affect the key industry for the state. Sorry but I simply refuse to fly on a single isle 3×3 seating 737 or 320 over 2300 miles of ocean when that plan is nearly maxed out on its fuel. Wide body plane options seem to be decreasing!
Commenting today from my Southwest flight, which is about to depart from OAK to Lihue. The plane is full. Plenty of tourists on their way. Maybe they didn’t get the “don’t go to Hawaii” memo?? Not sure if any of us are mindful or uber wealthy. 🤔