Hawaii’s visitor economy faces a fresh challenge: rising fears among likely international travelers. With stories of weeks-long detentions at U.S. borders and growing anti-American sentiment in key markets like Canada and Japan, a troubling question is surfacing: Will global visitors turn away—and what happens to Hawaii tourism if they do?
In January 2025, of the 792,177 visitors to Hawaii, 197,507 were international guests, making up 25% of the total count. Over 100,00 came from Canada and Japan. Their absence would have consequences far beyond hotel bookings. Hawaii’s flights, local businesses, and even jobs could be at risk.
International visitors on edge.
Hawaii’s top international markets are showing signs of distress. Beat of Hawaii readers echoed the concern seen in mainstream media. Bruce M, a longtime Maui visitor from Canada, wrote, “Due to the treatment of the US to our country, we won’t be returning.” Another visitor added, “We used to go for 14 days. Now we only do 10. Basically, it is your loss.”
These aren’t one-off comments—they reflect a growing mood. Travelers from Vancouver to Tokyo to Western Europe voice concerns about being detained, harassed, or unwelcome. For Hawaii, the impact is compounded by the state’s physical distance and reliance on long-haul flights.
Hawaii tourism leaders recently confirmed in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that Canadians are rethinking trips. Some Canadians report backlash at home just for coming to Hawaii now. Others cited political tensions, economic retaliation, and a push to avoid U.S. travel as key reasons for staying away.
Detentions of international visitors spark fear.
Recent stories of detained international tourists are chilling. A German man spent 16 days in U.S. detention after a routine border crossing. Another tourist from Wales was held for nearly three weeks. A Canadian woman spent 12 days in custody before being sent home. The exact reasons were not released, but according to Customs and Border Protection, “if statutes or visa terms are violated, travelers may be subject to detention and removal.”
The issue isn’t necessarily about the detentions themselves—it’s the uncertainty and fear they’ve triggered in an unprecedented and widespread way. “Nobody is safe there anymore to come to America as a tourist,” one detainee said after being released.
The unease is spreading beyond those directly affected. Hawaii officials say they’ve received emails from Canadians canceling travel plans due to political tensions and uncertainty at the border.
Even travelers who were never affected now wonder if it could happen to them. For international visitors, Hawaii suddenly doesn’t feel like a separate destination—it feels like part of a country that may not want them.
The transparency gap in Hawaii widens.
Making things worse, Hawaii stopped reporting daily international arrival numbers on March 1, citing a long-overdue system overhaul we previously wrote about. At a time when businesses need clarity, the data gap has left everyone guessing.
Without visibility, it’s impossible to know whether concerns translate into cancellations. The pause in reporting couldn’t come at a worse moment—just as international markets are shifting.
Domestic visitors are under pressure, too.
Mainland travelers, Hawaii’s core audience, are also scaling back. Reader after reader shared frustrations about rising costs, service inconsistencies, and a fading sense of value.
Peterparker22, who brought his family of five to Oahu and the Big Island, said the only way they could afford it was to burn every airline and hotel point they’d saved. “The total cost would have been $25,000 in cash. It’s probably the last time I can afford to bring my family to Hawaii this way.”
Another reader noted, “Two weeks in Hawaii were going to cost more than our three-week cruise next year to three countries.” Others are opting for New Orleans, the Caribbean, or simply staying home.
Hawaii has recently tried to offset this with resident discounts and marketing focused on mindful travel. But affordability remains a sticking point, and even loyal visitors are weighing their options.
Flights and perks could fade.
When international demand drops, it’s not just fewer people—it’s fewer planes, especially widebody aircraft that serve long-haul routes from Japan and Canada. These flights support not just passengers but cargo and interline connections, too.
Reducing these flights could mean fewer total seats to Hawaii, higher prices, and less flexibility for all travelers—including those from the U.S. mainland. Premium experiences like lounges and first-class service also risk being downgraded if high-spend travelers disappear.
The next chapter isn’t written yet.
It’s clear Hawaii’s visitor landscape is rapidly shifting. Rising geopolitical tension, travel anxiety, and domestic cost fatigue could lead to real change. Fewer visitors—international or domestic—could impact everything from air service to hospitality jobs.
But Hawaii’s greatest strength has always been its ability to adapt. If the state and industry leaders respond with openness, cultural grounding, and true hospitality, Hawaii can remain a top destination even in a changing world.
Your comments about how government policies impact travel are appreciated.
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My wife and I recently considered visiting Hawaii but with the poor treatment by the US government to travelers and growing distrust of America and American people worldwide, we thought it best to steer clear. If the US wants to impose an import tax of 10% on a lot of Australian goods imported whilst Australia always has bought more from the US than it imports from Australia, it had better be prepared for boycotts that will cost more in the long run. We have booked a month long holiday to UK, Ireland, Scotland and Europe, and so glad we did.
I have come to Hawaii with my partner, Ohana & friends for at least 4 weeks every year since 2013.
We are all pono mindful visitors.
We love Hawaiian culture, nature and people.
As a Mahu and as an international visitor with everything my Hawaiian Ohana, the international news and friends have shown/told me it’s no longer safe for me or my loved ones in the USA.
It’s devastating to have to make this decision and I’m worried about my loved ones in Hawaii.
Airline demand btw. Canada and US collapses, down 70%+
I don’t see the problem here. The morons currently running the state keep discouraging tourists from visiting by ever-increasing fees and coming up with new ones. And now, there is talk about a 20% room tax. Hawaii keeps finding new ways to bring bankruptcy to the state. I hope the state is preparing for a wave of unemployment benefit filings because they’re coming.
We have been coming to Oahu for over 40 years, started out at 2 week vacation kept increasing and has been 3 months for many years. It’s probably our last year as the uncertainty in US is not good neither is the continual rise in prices from increased hotel taxes to transient taxes to higher rates for groceries, drinks etc. It was more affordable when we only had to pay the 4.712% tax. We didn’t notice the spirit of Aloha this winter. It’s to bad we live in an unsettled, greedy, unsafe world. Hawaii used to be safe but not anymore.
There is no uncertainty in the US, it’s just not a political party you agree with. I’m a Canadian so don’t accuse me of voting for either party in the states. Unsafe compared to where? I’m from Vancouver, Canada and it’s worse than Hawaii for homeless and Petty crime. I also spend at least a month there every year and just came back from a month in January and the aloha spirit is alive and well. As I mentioned in previous posts, maybe you should check how you are treating people because I never seem to have an issue in Hawaii like many people in these posts claim. I understand the cost thing, but even when you start to add everything out for an all-inclusive in mexico compared to staying in a VRBO or Airbnb in Hawaii. The cost is pretty much the same. Stop listening to the news. All political parties are pretty much the same. It will not affect your life. Just get out there and live it. Aloha🤙🏻
Just came across your article, From Aloha to Uncertainty. Our extended family of 13 (my husband and I, our four children, their partners, and our grandchildren) have been planning a trip to either Maui or the Big Island, for February, 2026. We were about to book when the on-again-off-again tariffs, and the ridiculous and insulting comments from your President about invading Canada or making us the 51st state, have caused us to cancel our trip which would have, between restaurants, the house rental, day trips, flights, and car rentals, amounted to about $50,000 American dollars. We have now rebooked, and paid for a trip to Puerta Vallarta next February. Our concerns and fears are real and justified. I will miss our many extended vacations, like last years month long camping trip to the US. Kathy
Canadian here. We won’t be travelling to Hawaii or anywhere in the US as long as we are not shown respect from the US administration. Questioning our sovereignty and calling us the 51st state is unacceptable. If anyone can understand that it would be Hawaiians. We are not travelling to the US or buying anything from the US as long as this situation continues. The supermarket and liquor store shelves have been stripped of US products. This is happening all over the world. It’s not reported in US mainstream media (surprise, surprise). Soon USA will stand for U Stand Alone if things don’t change which is sad given our long history.
Canadian here as well, I’m pretty sure that’s what they voted for. The idea to buy American and have everything built in America. Was it not? So who are you hurting the administration or Hawaiians who mostly voted Democrat. The side effect of all this rhetoric from the American administration is people in Canada are be more patriotic which is actually more of a conservative value, strange.
OK, I’m sorry, but I can’t let that pass. “…more patriotic which is actually more of a conservative value…”. I’m going to try and keep this as clean as possible. But as a veteran who did multiple combat tours in Vietnam I resent the fact that you are suggesting that Conservatives are somehow more patriotic than Liberals. I’ll leave it at that.
Well said!!
Can we please get off all the political leaning message/opinions inserted from Canadians and Americans in their posts and get back to concentrating on a more direct comment/suggestion about Hawaiian news/issues?
People from both countries are entitled to the way they feel.
However, these issues are already covered relentlessly in the daily news, and don’t feel this is the forum to grind the axe further.
We will be visiting Maui for the last time in May. No reason beyond it has just gotten too expensive overall. Wish it wasn’t so. Thank you.
“Your comments about how government policies impact travel are appreciated.”
This was the caption at the top of the comments section so that’s what people are doing.
Peter there is way too many homeless people in Hawaii which has lead to more crime in Hawaii too. For the highest price vacation!
Many places in the world are more beautiful and much better priced.
Plus the Elites are mean to the natives.
America Hates Bill Gates and Oprah!
We are property owners in Kauai. Currently we are in French Polynesia right now and except for a little longer flight from the mainland, costs here a considerably lower for food. Activities are very affordable. We stayed a couple nights on land and the rest of our time on a catamaran. Lodging seems
Similar maybe slightly lower here. Taxes a considerably lower for lodging. Hawaii needs to understand there are competitors out there and they could be pricing themselves out of the market.
It’s not a competition.
It really is!
There are absolutely zero issues for international arrivals from Canada or from Japan for passengers who fly to Hawaii with current passports. On the other hand, why would any foreign citizen who has kept up with the news for the past year, want to now cross into the US from either Mexico, or from Canada, without 100% current, valid, legal, and up-to-date, impeccable documents? Anyone who has been paying attention knows that the goal of border crack-downs is to (finally) do something about the approximately 100,000 Americans per year who die of Fentanyl overdoses. Drastic crisis situations demand drastic actions. So our friends on the other sides of our borders would be more productive in solving this horrible drug crisis if they pressured their own governments to do more… vs. merely boycotting travel to Hawaii.
Your comment makes too much sense for those who keep drinking water from the well poisoned by the legacy media.
Thank you for your post, I’ve 2 friends that lost their sons from drug overdose. Their families will never have a vacation with them. I wish everyone had your common sense.