As Hawaii grapples with high vacation costs, travelers are turning to Europe’s more budget-friendly destinations. How this shift is reshaping tourism dynamics and what it means for the Aloha State.
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63 thoughts on “From Aloha to Arrivederci: Are Europe’s Open Tourist Arms Closing Doors in Hawaii?”
My parents lived in Kihei for 51 years. I visited them about every other year. My last few trips have been involved with setting up my father in assisted living. They aren’t necessarily happy visits but necessary nonetheless. He passed away in February. Now that he’s gone, I’m not so sure I’ll be going to Hawaii much. It is expensive, the heat is much more intense due to global warming and it’s inhospitable. I was attacked by a mentally ill, homeless man. Each time I visit, I’ve felt a little less safe. Maui has a huge homeless problem; unhoused people and feral chickens.
I sense several different trends in the comments thus far.
1. The folks who actually do travel to Hawaii are having a great time, and are being welcomed with our usual aloha.
2. The folks who say they aren’t coming anymore don’t seem to cite any specific incidents but rather just a general negative feeling arising from the loudest voices.
3. While fees and costs may be higher in Hawaii, they’ve risen pretty much everywhere.
4. There is a pervasive and irritating sense of entitlement from a select few who seem to think they are owed aloha from anyone and everyone in Hawaii. Those few who have actually experienced first-hand negativity may have invited it upon themselves. Something something throwing stones… glass houses.
Once people have tasted the “I get so much more quality for less money”, it’s going to be difficult to lure them back to the islands. Folks here have been used to charge tourists (and locals)whatever they wanted and people would still pay under the allure of tropical aloha. The decaying tourist infrastructure is becoming as well an issue. Partially it’s the unfortunate combination of the American system of providing very little money for the public good with political ineptitude (e g. banyan drive in Hilo, Ali’i Drive in Kailua). The misguided campaign against STRs is the next step in the wrong direction. Though justified for some STRs (mega houses for Airbnb in residential neighborhoods), restricting STRs for farms and small communities is going to hurt the local population but surely help the overpriced resorts. All under the disguise of wanting to increase affordable housing. Restricting STRs, in reality, will do very little to increase afforable housing.
Maui has lost the spirit of welcoming the vacation traveller. We have let the minority have to strong a voice in their script to turn away visitors. The citizens of Maui who welcome the visitors and provide services have been left in the cold.
I’ve been to all the Hawaiian islands multiple times but no more. I go where I’m treated better and that is certainly not hawaii. Last time I was there a year ago, service was indifferent or hostile sometimes…tired of the “go home haoles” mentality. The family is headed to Greece which has as good as beaches as any in hawaii but at half the cost. Hotels are cheaper and the food so much healthier than the artery-clogging junk that was served in hawaii last time. So sad to see hawaii hit rock bottom with how they treat tourists and don’t even get me started on car rentals there and Hawaiian Air and the Maui Airport. Until hawaii gets their act together, many people will stay away. Be careful what you wish for locals.
Just returned from Hawaii and found the beaches in the north and west lined with homeless. It’s incredibly sad. Tourist taxes, sub par accommodation for dollar spend and the cost of food are all big deterrents. I was in Europe last year and felt welcome everywhere we went. Sadly that’s no longer the case in Hawaii.
We visit Ireland and Hawaii on alternate years. We’ll probably hit Spain and Italy next year. This year, after we visit Molokai, we will have visited all the legal islands in the chain. That leaves only Kaho’olawe, so we’ll probably volunteer to pull weeds, but Ni’ihau presents a problem. You have to be invited. But I have a plan.
Anyhow, I have made friendships on every island. I have promoted my Hawaiian friend’s small family owned businesses on the mainland. I love Hawaii. And my great-great
I have been going to Maui since 1976. I was heart broken when I heard about last years lahaina fire. I was a couple of days from boarding the plane. Needless to say the trip was cancelled. Maui was saying don’t come, same for condo, airline, etc. All understandable. I am returning to Maui in August. I want to see for myself if all these comments about being treated badly and told how to act are true. In the 40 something years I have been going there I have never been treated badly. I would never quiz people about the fire or their circumtances at present. They are hurting. Why rub salt in a wound. As to expensive, Maui has always been pricey. It’s all the crazy fees that are tacked on above and beyond the actual room fee that is the killer and no body takes any action to stop this gouging of tourists. This happens every where you Travel now days.
I pray that. Maui will be the Maui I fell in love with all those years ago. I am keeping a positive attitude.
As a Hawaii native visiting home I just revert to local island boy pretty seamlessly and I fit in not least by being “Hapa” or half – Japanese in my case. It allows me to hear from the locals what they’re dealing with and what’s important to them, and tourism is not anywhere near the top of the list for most I talk to. It’s the economy, cost of living, the housing crunch, low wages, multiple jobs, rising crime and drug violence. So many of the folk’s across the economic spectrum are “Living lives of quiet desperation”. They don’t see much of a future for themselves and their families and increasingly they’re dealing with it by leaving the state. The people I see most against tourists and tourism are the ones who are against “insert issue here”. They generally don’t work, are angry at the world, and at anybody they perceive to be doing better than them. The activists who use them to push various causes all make a living doing so. Follow the money…
Truer words were never spoken. Mahalo!
If the real plan here is to do everything they can to cut tourism in half to open up more housing for those who can’t afford it and turn Maui into a welfare island, they are accomplishing it!
Hawaii resident who travels to a beach town in Southern Italy.
It’s different than Hawaii -a traveler pays to go to the beach ,food is very good but not diverse.
Accommodations can be equal to prices in Hawaii -for me it’s different. Italians can be blunt ,direct-may take some getting used to -as a traveler they;the Italians call the shots and customer service is not like in America-if you complain about your food you may get kicked out of the restaurant /travelers should decrease their expectations of the Aloha spirit and enjoy Hawaii’s-unique natural beauty and diversity
I run a tourist-based business in Hawaii that has seen a significant drop in visitors year over year. This can be traced 100% to the decrease in total visitors to the islands in 2023 and 2024 to date.
I am not sure what the people of Hawaii, the government, the governor and the hotels are thinking. How can you be that arrogant to assume your attitudes and gouging weren’t going to cause significant hardship for other people?
Our employees depend on tourists for their livelihoods, but no one seems to care.
If small businesses go out of business, unemployment, crime, homelessness goes up, how does this help anyone? Even the tourists you still want to come will stop, then what?
Hawaii has always been shortsighted and influenced way too heavily by greed and the good ole boys, but these past few years are ridiculous. Wake up before this problem gets so bad it is not recoverable!
Dee
Well said. Good point saying employee’s just don’t care. I found that attitude with native Hawaiian’s back 15 years ago. Just don’t care. Sorry but one concern to consider is if everyone is heading towards welfare then who can afford to purchase my tourist business if things get worse and the big question When ?
Get out with a profit not a Loss. Aloha
Hawaii is incredibly anti-tourist. The anger and vitriol aimed at “outsiders” is pervasive.
Both the governor and head of the tourism authority referred to vacation rental guests as “low class tourists” who aren’t welcome in Hawaii while hotel rates are through the roof. There are few affordable options to visit the state.
Why in the world would anyone visit Hawaii when the entire rest of the world is open and welcoming?
The rhetoric that the government is using about taking away property from “mainlanders” and giving to the local people is sending the message that Maui doesn’t like people coming to Maui. Only locals welcome and Maui is cutting off tourism.
If the bill passes to ban 7,000 STRs that are legally permitted, then tourists will have even less options of where to stay. Also business related to STRs will suffer because of loss of customers.
Not really an Aloha welcome. It’s all in the news, so that is the message that is coming across.
We were in Hawaii in Feb of this year for 10 days. Spent 2 full days looking for those disgruntled natives. Could not find any. I did however, find over priced rental cars, and dining out. Got back last week from 12 days in Europe. Awesome. People were so friendly and welcoming. Booked another trip for Feb next year. But, we are coming back for 2 weeks in Dec. My love for Hawaii probably won’t die out. We just don’t come as often anymore.
That’s us, as well. We love Hawaii and have been coming as a family for 35 years now. My father first brought me as a young person, and it branded itself in my heart. But, like you, we will come less often. We will alternate it with mine and my husband’s countries of heritage, France and Spain. They love us and welcome us, like long-lost family.
My customers know I travel regularly to Hawaii after pandemic I helped several of them plan Hawaiian vacations. All had a great time the universal compliant was how expensive it was.
Then the Lahaina fire and all the negative vides coming out of Maui put an end to it. I’ve not helped anyone plan a trip to Hawaii since the fire. Fact is no one even talks about Hawaii now.
My belief is Hawaii was a one and done post pandemic vacation for east coast travelers. They’re now returning to their usually pre-pandemic travel to Europe, Florida and Caribbean hot spots.
Richard C
You and your customers are missing one of the best vacation deals ever. Maui prices are down (STVR’s and air). Don’t miss out. The governor and others beholden to the big hotels are completely wrong. Did you know the Lahaina Banyon tree is doing well and the Old Lahaina Luau is back in operation?
Mahalo ! I live in Lahaina and can say, things are picking up for sure :)..I can fly cheaply to California (Long Beach via Hawaiian Air or LAX via Southwest) to visit family. Things are still opening up weekly and many well-known restaurants are looking/preparing temp sites to re-open till Lahaina Town is ready…Aloha Mixed Plate and Mala Tavern on Front Street are now open, as is Old Lahaina Luau !!! Are things expensive….about the same as California which is getter higher each day under incompetent government; Hawaii is actually less in some areas. Local workers/businesses want visitors and need them to survive. Lahaina town’s 1st permit to rebuild was given & everyone I know is very anxious and ready to rebuild. Mahalo for coming to Maui..we welcome you !!!
Incompetent government in California? There are 53 Counties in California, and 30 of them have a bigger economy that Hawaii.
When a 2 bedroom condo on Maui started charging a $700 cleaning fee I started looking elsewhere. We had a great trip to New Zealand.
Joe. Just find another condo. $700 is crazy and it’s not typical. We rent our 2Br/Ba right on the beach in Kihei and would never think of charging $700 for cleaning. We just pass on what it costs us.
Why did you post this?
Yes, I understand that $700 for cleaning is not typical, but that one condo opened my eyes. Taxes and fees are typically more than 50% of the room rate. Other venues are becoming very competitive based on that.
My wife and I own a condo on the ocean in Oahu. We spend about 5 months a year there split into two trips. The rest of the time we are at our other home in Washington State. Last fall, we spent 3 weeks in Europe. I had never been there before. It was fantastic. We liked it so much that we are returning in mid to late September for a full month this year. My wife thinks we should buy a place there. Maybe she’s right.
I have come to Maui twice a year for years and have contributed thousands of dollars to your economy. Unfortunately I no longer feel welcome here so I am going to Europe twice this year instead. Shame on you for doing away with STR’s. Aloha Maui
Done with Hawaii. Only losers go there to get ripped off and treated badly. Respectfully yours, Canadian in Europe!