By any measure, this will go down as an unfathomable year in so many ways, here in Hawaii and globally. For all of us Hawaii aficionados, it has been a tumultuous time. The relationship with visitors has and is being tested in ways we’ve never seen before. And that continues to be the case.
While it is painfully obvious that tourists need to return to Hawaii to prevent further financial ruin, we also know that the amount of tourism Hawaii has had isn’t sustainable in the long term. Things will need to change. And yet, there is nothing even remotely on the horizon to replace or even significantly augment tourism in Hawaii’s fragile economy.
Hawaii tourism numbers tanked.
As of last month, Hawaii had seen just over 2 million visitors instead of the previously anticipated 10+ million for the year. Together with that devastating figure came the highest unemployment rate in the country.
Just yesterday, Governor Ige announced the first round of what will be years of furloughs for state government workers. Also, more businesses have closed than we are able to keep track of, with some being surprises, and others not. This is just the beginning, and then too, we have witnessed unprecedented infighting at all levels.
Governing by edict or consensus.
Hawaii’s governor has flip-flopped on how to manage both COVID-19 and tourism. He is not a tourism person by training or experience, and unfortunately, that shows. At times he has given great latitude to the islands’ mayors to make their own decisions. Yet recently, he has taken that control back, saying both that the mayors may not make their own decisions without his explicit approval, and that, for example, the Safe Travels program will be defined by a single set of statewide rules rather than island by island. It leaves us shaking our heads in wonder as to what comes next.
Fewer crowds at a severe cost.
With all the negative aspects of a missing economy, there were some positives. One example is Hanauma Bay, and the coral reefs around the state too. Your editors spent the summer swimming at Hanalei Bay, where during the week, we were frequently the only people in sight.
Instead of rental cars adding to the islands’ congestion, these have largely remained parked at Macy’s and other unlikely places.
Us vs. Them. Misplaced.
Tourists remain the only economic lifeblood at this time. We wrote about how Hawaii residents feel about tourists a few months back and had tremendous input from you. In normal times there are 10 visitors to each local and that’s a lot. Also, locals like it when tourists respect island culture. And, even though we can feel overwhelmed sometimes by tourism, we don’t want to bite that hand that feeds us. The vast majority of working island residents are connected directly or indirectly with Hawaii tourism.
That’s where good communications and marketing go hand in hand. Visitors are getting the feeling that they aren’t really wanted. Oddly, the people visitors mostly engage with, the travel stakeholders, don’t feel that way at all.
Locals have wanted to blame tourism for covid, which from everything we hear from the state, is not really the case. Since the early stages of the pandemic, residents have been concerned that there may not be enough ICU beds if tourism was allowed to continue. Unfortunately, that resulted in bad feelings all the way around.
Issues visitors report include the ongoing threat of quarantine for approved, “trusted partner” tests not being returned in time. Then there was the sudden shutdown of Kauai travel, which left countless visitors hanging. The prospect of more and perhaps unexpected changes to the Safe Travels rules continues to leave people wondering if their vacation could be canceled.
Hawaii tourism – friend or foe?
Back in the day, tourism was largely seen as a great thing for Hawaii’s economy. What happened, however, is that all other industries in Hawaii have since failed. Virtually every attempt to move away from a solo tourism economy has not panned out. Hawaii will have to rethink alternatives while at the same time relying on tourism for the foreseeable future.
From the time of statehood until now, tourism grew from the 4th biggest industry to the largest by far. Since the 70s, military spending, sugar, and pineapple industries have all been eclipsed.
The state has tried repeatedly to kindle job growth in non-tourism, but it has never panned out. One example is that of high tech, which in spite of tax credits up to 100% of investment that were offered, turned out to be a complete boondoggle.
Instead of diversifying, the state has developed new tourism markets and not new industries. Examples of those, which have been largely spawned by the private sector again, include Australia, and Asia. And soon, courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines, there will be Europe.
Any efforts to move Hawaii to a more balanced economy will be far off and years away. Hawaii needs to have a great education system among other things to grow and diversify. Also, Hawaii is always rated as one of the if not the worst states in the country in which to do business, and that too needs to change.
Marketing Hawaii.
This has never been simple, but Hawaii previously was marketed without much help from the state due to its very nature. With our epic beaches, generosity of spirit, beautiful scenery, and near-perfect climate, Hawaii tourism and its post-COVID return once again seems like a natural.
Hawaii’s success has been driven almost exclusively by the private sector, which began with the airlines and the jet era. That exploded exponentially with more competition and cheap airfares starting nearly 50 years ago. Since then, visitor numbers exploded from a quarter million per year to over 10 million per year.
Even though Hawaii has had a state marketing wing for over 100 years, it has never been very effective. That began at a time when sugar was the primary industry of Hawaii, and tourism was still new and seen as a way of, among other things, weaning depending on agriculture.
Please let us know your thoughts! Mahalo in advance.
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I had never been to Mexico until about three months ago when my family and I went to Cancun. We have been regular visitors to the islands until this year. Always tried to be respectful of the culture and minimize our footprint.
However, after the loud disdain for travelers like me that I heard coming from the islands over and over; coupled with a stupid and paranoid (at best) response from the state government, I decided to give Mexico a go. And well, it was awesome! I am going back.
The restrictions were less, the people were warm and welcoming, and my vacation cost me a fraction of what it costs to go to the islands. I had been critical of returning to Hawaii – and the Mexicans showed me I was right. I don’t see myself (or my money) returning anytime soon. I am now looking for my next Mexican vacation.
It is sad to read about what is happening on a daily basis to my adopted home state. I would really love to just go to the airport and hop on the next flight and be able to go to HNL hassle-free. But unfortunate hoops have to be jumped thru….sometimes twice. Oh how I wish this virus would pack up and go home….wherever it came from. I know I could just head on down to the local trusted site and pay an astronomical fee for 72 hours before my flight departs heading home. But the trusted collection centers they can’t even guarantee results before your scheduled flight. Someone share. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Hi Frank.
There have been so many comments from visitors about testing that has worked. The more expensive and faster alternatives seem safer right now with testing under pressure on the mainland.
Aloha.
Ok thanks Beat of Hawaii staff. I will dig deeper
Hawaiian’s hate outsiders and deserve to feel the pain of no tourism. Don’t worry about over tourism. It won’t return to previous levels any time soon. Try, visiting Molokai; “thanks for visiting, now go home”
We found Molakai residents the friendliest, offering to share their birthday lei and home with our little family, parents and young child. Aloha in it’s pure form, and not meaning goodbye.
We will see where life returns to after 2020 ends and pray we all have learned we all need each other, from 5th Avenue NYC to the shanties of poorer nations.
This viris doesn’t discriminate and neither should we.
Last year my wife and I spent two weeks on Kauai and had a wonderful time. In past years we vacationed on Ohau and the Big Island in Kona. Every visit the local residents were gracious, kind, and wwonderful. We have never had a negative experience in the five visits that we had on the Islands. It breaks our hearts that Hawai’i singing through such a crisis. Our prayers are for all the wonderful people that we have me. God bless you all and may this pandemic come to an end and the Hawaian economy rebound. How to visit your wonderful state again soon. We are all in this together.
We were just there and due to the 72 hour turnaround time for covid that gov ige had set,we were quarantined in our room at ko olina without any room service or ice. We couldn’t leave ourroom and were threatened with a $5000 fine or jail if we left toget ice down the hall. We had no choice but to come home to Chicago and tell our friends what happened. We took our covid tests on Nov 29th but got the negative results on December 1st but the testing and results had to be on December 1st to the 4th when we arrived. They lost money and we lost money. Travelers should be informed of the strict regulations that the mayor has for covid. Not Good for their tourism business.
Very interesting article.
Its da flu you bunch of Babies….I recommend you stay closed until all the privleged locals take a dirt nap. HeHe
My husband and I at the time I am writing this Should be in Hawaii looking at land And looking at moving my business there and my husband starting one there. However due to the gov requirements we had to cancel our trip after we arrived at LAX due to both covid tests not uploading 8n time due to UPS screwup and 5he LAX test also not done with in the timeframe. I understand protecting the people of Hawaii However Iges rules tell me he doesn’t want anyone going to the islands! Oh and we lost a great deal of money on this whuch added insult to injury!
Amazing article. Mahalo. So whatever comes on a ship we need to make in Hawaii no more frozen pizzas or frozen bread that’ll solve our problem.
Hi Marc.
Thanks. Not sure about the frozen foods, however.
Aloha.
You are right on Marc ! An island culture can only be self-sufficient when its own people can produce their own food ! We are way too dependent on imported food.
I just was moved by the military here, and am an interested, curious and I think or try to be, respectful person of places my family visits. I love history and can’t help but think the ‘tourist’ debate is not that simple. Many states on the mainland suffer from similar fates I have traveled to. I don’t know the secret sauce to success; but the amount of $$$$$$ that has been allowed to infiltrate the islands seems crazy to someone new. Yes military subsidized my stay, but I would never have been able to afford jack on a visit here without it. Maybe stop the money train and focus on something else.
As a recent visitor it’s is great to have so few people around the island but I have to disagree with feeling welcomed. If Hawaii really wants tourist to visit they should have a testing option once you arrive with no threat of quarantine. Negative test before you leave and one where you arrive will keep the locals safe and get people out of quarantine if results on the main land are delayed.
I have traveled to Kauai almost every year since 1994. I have always loved that Island. But the attitude and perception coming from the island is disconcerting. Kauai is not going to see me anytime soon. I miss the island, but I have absolutely no intention of going there with the anti-tourism attitude emanating from the island.
Yes you are absolutely correct. Tourism is the main business in the state of Hawaii and until we find another viable industry to support Hawaii’s economy we need them. On the same note, we welcome tourists to the state with a lot of Aloha, but there’s many that visit here that have no respect for the people, culture, laws and the local rules. Our state is unique from
All others. We have a very tight and respectful community and a lot of respect for everyone, including visitors to the island but they need to respect that. Like you said about the hand that feeds you… well, I understand that but will not bow down to
People with no respect.
Thank you…alot of people of Hawaii are very intelligent,just being held back, if you know what I mean.
My husband and I just returned from Kauai from a 3 week visit. We have owned property there for over 20 years and we head over about 5 times a year. We were so welcomed by everyone we came in contact with. We respected all the measures that were placed and coming from CA we knew what was needed. Two days before we left the 14 day quarantine went into effect. Interesting that the two locals who flew home knowing they were positive didn’t seem to infect others on the flight. The Mayor obviously isn’t following the science. It’s so hard to see the businesses struggle to keep the doors open. We will be back but without the quarantine. We are both 67..healthy and have had Covid. It’s not that scary.
We have postponed our trip to Oahu/Kuala for the last time…cancelled and looking elsewhere. I’m sure the majority of islanders are pleased with that. At $10k per trip, the tourists are the cream. Of course there are idiots in any group, however in my 3 trips I have not seen anything myself. I know aloha also means goodbye.
Tech is on it’s way. Please learn from the mistakes CA made regarding ‘brick and mortar’ offices and unnecessary commute. Don’t let Tech millionaire mentality drive housing costs too high
Hawaii has an opportunity to dictate it’s future as the next tech hot spot. Bay Area ultimately failed because, underneath all the hype, they allowed a ‘brick and mortar office + daily commute’ lobby group to control the workforce.
Please, let them buy in Pahoa and Keaau. Work from home and I vest in delightful community gardens and all that lovely yuppie, farm to table, sustainable rhetoric they were especially fond of before burying CA’s working class under outrageous housing costs.
They are on the way.
This is the best article I have read yet on all of these topics. Thank for not being bias one way or the other. I personally feel the locals may not like it but you’ve created your own monster in the tourism industry. Also due to Covid you can clearly see you cant have it both ways. I’ve also noticed as an outsider looking in(lived here 1.5 years) that the state of Hawaiis govt from top to bottom seems very out of sorts and all over the place(trying to keep it family friendly). Again excellent article
Hi Patrick.
Thanks. Welcome to Hawaii.
Aloha.
Well said.
I have been to Honolulu 3 times since covid. I do feel pressure from the local. I understand the fear but let’s be honest, treat tourists bad and you will starve
As I stated, We welcome all visitors here, but not the ones that have no respect. Just because you come here and support our economy, that doesn’t mean you
Can do whatever you want to do.
Tourists are treated badly due to skin color Al. Its the new Hawaiian way during covid. Ratchet up the ignorance and fear mongering and find a scapegoat. Voila!
The tourists must be at fault and must be the only ones spreading covid to the desired colony status of Hawaii. Hope for the best though and do nothing, no plan to diversify jobs and vote any different.
Just keep respecting and expect others to respect Hawaii. But do nothing. Just expect. Aloha this, aloha that, and now hello covid!
Please notice the covid pandemic is far more than a pause to Hawaii’s tourism industry. It’s a paradigm shift.
Waikiki is no longer vertically occupied and controllable. Tourism will choose to be horizontal for many years ahead.
The Airbnb shift is ensuing, while covid tracing of tourists is impossible to enforce. Why endure failure ?
State, County & City government needs to bite the bullet. Stop dancing on the edge of approach-avoidance.
Stop non essential tourism now and until America has an effective vaccine across the Country. Then restart a scientific protocal.
In the meantime State government, please release state and federal funds to assist local business, disburse accrued unemployment benefits, account to the public regarding budget funds lingering in suspension; fund the food banks. Use all federal assistance possible to leverage funds necessary to keep Hawaii’s essential workers in place in this hub of the Pacific basin’s economy. Lift us up ! Bring our top business and industry leaders together in an emergency symposium with our Government leaders and representatives and create and publish a Plan to identify, modify, and enhance Hawaii’s best chances for a new economy. Prepare for a multi disciplined new start. Redirect tourism to activities that are more compatible with Hawaii’s higher roads to economic enhancement in sustainable agriculture, ocean related industries, ecology, biology, geothermal, wind and solar energy, etc. Trust in Hawaii’s brain power and spirit to achieve. The people of Hawaii have the talent to envision a new economy built on far more than a vertically stacked economic base exclusive to tourism in Waikiki. Thank you.
I have a vacation rental and some long term rentals. I pay a lot in property tax. My feelings are mixed. Some tourists are horrible but most are nice and happy to be here.
I can see that enjoying the islands is hard for locals. Having to pay to park and paying the high cost of rent makes life hard for many. There should be some high tech industries on islands for the educated locals. Tourism does not pay the workers well enough for them to live here.
We are so disappointed that our planned trip to Kauai in January will probably not happen. From what I can understand, we would have to quarantine for 14 days before we could start to enjoy our trip. We usually stay for a month, but this time we planned to stay for 6 weeks. But spending 33% of our time in quarentine is not appealing. I really don’t understand why we can’t provide a negative test within 72 hours of arriving. We love Hawaii and Kauai especially.
My wife and I have traveled to Hawaii 8 times since 1988. We love the islands and the spirit of Aloha. We were planning another trip in April but have to take a “wait and see” approach.
Being a Hawaiian on the mainland, gives me a different view. Being primarily tourist driven, the State has NO ideas/plans for anything else, now or ever. The people voted for these politicians and they have failed to do what’s best for the people and the Islands! Sorry but I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Covid-19 has exposed the lack of foresight.
I totally agree with what you have said. Over the many years the “local” mentality overrode all the ideas that could have benefitted the State. Thinking that tourism would be there forever has been a real eye opener. I myself initially left the islands in 1975 and returned home in 1988 to give it another try of living there. Needless to say that I left again in 1996, permanently, because the salaries were to low and the cost of living to high. A mainland corporation offered me $10K more than what I made in Hawaii to come back to the mainland. I love the people of Hawaii, its foods, and all of the life style that is associated with it but I have to be practical, the 9th Island is where I retired to and am very happy here.
Not sure how it is now but in the 70’s when I went to high school on Oahu, the public schools/education really sucked. If it’s still the same, then it’s no wonder that there isn’t a qualified workforce capable of doing much more than basic tasks. And those that did succeed in their education are working on the mainland with many wishing they could return to their Hawaii ohana and get a decent job. I considered moving back in the 90’s but the wages offered in Hawaii for technical jobs was so low compared to CA that it wasn’t even close to being feasible. The lack of education here has created a bunch of locals whose only choice is to work in the tourism industry doing work suited for high schoolers. I think it all starts with a good education but it’ll be a long road probably. Maybe create a way to entice good teachers to relocate to Hawaii? More incentives for the kids in school would help too- especially if they get little/no support from parents.
We are annual travelers to Maui and twice have had to postpone our plans, once out of acceptance that the islands did not need more people flocking in during an outbreak, and the second time because the travel situation has become confusing, constant changes and a nonsensical evolution on those rules. Only the elite are able to travel, those with large pockets and unlimited time. We estimate spending over $80,000 on the island from the time we fell in love with Maui to last year. And we are not the richest. But we are now soured on a return, one instance is our resort refuses a refund and required we pay more to move our dates from this year to next. Next is the feeling we get from our island friends we stay in contact with. At many levels, visitors are being vilified. The very industry that puts food on the table is being torched by special interest. We’ve even read articles where locals have suggested that low levels of tourism become the normal, reducing environmental impact. Yet the state has no plan to supply food or housing for the thousands of workers who will be displaced, and with poor communication and horror stories coming back to the mainland about how us haolies are not wanted at all, puts a whole outlook on future travel as bleak. We won’t go where we are not wanted, it is sad, for Aloha always made our lives brighter when we returned to the mainland, but we have traveled to countries that did not want us there in all reality and are now afraid of being treated the same way from a place we respect and honor for its diligence as a paradise destination and the love of all the islands represent. We are no longer looking forward to our trip next year…
I have exactly the same story. My family lost several thousands of dollars (that we could not afford to lose) on a canceled trip this year (after resheduling the trip several times). We want to support the islands that we love but I now feel unwelcome, plus I am bitter about the money lost.
I can’t believe they already reopened Hanauma Bay. It should stay closed for a good long while. It is obvious that it was starting to make a comeback and now they’re going to completely destroy it again -so sad Hawaiian government is only concerned about money!
Eveyone can contribute to Hawaian Food Banks, which help also school children’s nutrition. And at the same time, write to Ige not to cut school funding
Key to the future is funding the schools, and I dont mean Punahou.
I live on the mainland and love to visit the islands. It is sad to see the impact COVID has had on so many people and businesses on the island.
I reinvested some of my vacation funds that I had planned to use this year while visiting Maui back into the Maui Food bank. I will continue to do so and encourage others to do the same. Although I may be viewed as a tourist when I am visiting, I value the people and Aloha of all the islands.
I was born in Hawaii. My folks were among the diaspora of Hawaiians who left our homeland for better opportunity that they foresaw in the 50’s. After a 63 look back things have not changed much over time.
While visiting family on Big Hawaii during Thanksgiving, the process was unbearably difficult due to the Hawaiian government and the disconnect with medical Covid 19 verifications. I ended up taking 3 tests within the the 72 hour window. Test 1 was with an approved tester who did not have a PDF neg. verification form to download to the State of Hawaii, test 2 which was a rapid test with the airlines that was 3 hours late making my family get a 3rd test at the airport. All the while we were not going to get a rental car and the place where we going to stay would not accept us either. You get quarantined.for 14 days. We were there for 10. After many hours, we got the verifiable negative results to the state. Would we do this again? Emphatically NO! We were traumatized. You wonder why people don’t go? It was easier to get in and out of Israel. How can this be?
Conclusion: I feel bad for the people who work to live in Hawaii. I don’t feel sorry for the moguls who own and control the wealth, just the people. The moguls and politicians will survive the ho’oulu lahui will not! The people of the land will succumb to either the treat of the china virus or starve to death as Hawaii continues to sink to massive debt.
To be honest, this sounds like a mess that may never be solvable. While I enjoy Hawaii far more than Mexico, I think Mexico is going to be a major beneficiary of Hawaii’s ineptitude – at lease for U.S. mainlanders.
It appears that Hawaii is stuck between a rock and a hard place. A move to another industry will be painful, but likely worth it for generations to come.
I love Hawaii and the people, but have wo served about its future. Some hard thinking needs to be done.
Mahalo for all you have done, are doing and will do.
Love your little piece of property in the Pacific.
Mahalo for my longtime daily connection to the important issues going on in Hawaii. Do you have any suggestions of organizations we can contribute to for the economic disaster that is happening in Hawaii? Many people contribute to help the people in places where there are natural disasters. This pandemic is a natural disaster that is causing so much economic harm to the people of Hawaii. We may not be able to help the government figure out how to get tourist to visit safely right now, but maybe we can help the people hold on until the right answers come along. Your obvious love of Hawaii makes me believe you may know how we can help the people we depend on for our amazing Hawaii experiences hold on until we can travel again and provide them with jobs to support themselves.
Hi Dedra.
Good question. There are so many opportunities for contributions, and it becomes a very personal choice. Just for starters, we’ll mention the various Hawaii food banks, schools and youth organizations, Hawaii Public Radio, gardens, the Hawaii Community Foundation, cultural centers, humane societies, health organizations, arts and cultural organizations, and Aloha United Way.
Aloha.
Mahalo for reponding. My email thought this was spam and I just found it today.
Mahalo!
There were comments earlier in the year from wealthy “mainland transplants” that have permanently tainted my thoughts on Hawaii travel. To all of those people….enjoy your uncrowded islands. Perhaps you can adopt a few local families and pay their monthly expenses. I have discovered a haven in the Caribbean with wonderful island people who appreciate my dollars. Many fond memories of the Hawaiian islands…..I wish all of the true locals the best. Aloha.
What Caribbean island?
Until this year, I visited HI twice a year on business. Made it a point to learn about and respect the culture and land and people. That didn’t keep a local from verbally attacking and threatening me on the street last Spring. No more “aloha” on the island.