132 thoughts on “Hawaii 2020: Biting The Hand That Feeds Us”
Ann B.
The University of Hawaii should beef up their high tech school, so that there is a stream of graduates who come from the islands who can work in the field. If the university has a world-class school of technology and engineering, along with a business-friendly atmosphere, we can attract tech companies to come to the islands. Our location in the middle of the Pacific is ideal for attracting companies and doing business with Asia and the mainland.
It will take time to do this; the university will need to bring in top notch professors and really build the school from the ground up, but I’ve seen it done in other places and they have been successful.
There really is no reason not to try this.
Michael K
You need to offer solutions.
Tina S
Thank you for this site I have learned a lot. I do have a question. My husband and I are moving to Honolulu in April. Retiring. Are any of the travel restrictions different for people moving vs vacationing?
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Tina.
Thanks. The travel restrictions apply to everyone.
Aloha.
Fred W.
As an individual who has visited Hawaii 25+ times over the past 10-15 years I am appalled at Hawaii’s governor and the constant “Peyton Place” and changing rules and guidelines for vacationing. The governor should be impeached for his lack of leadership! I am so sorry for all of the employees in hospitality and restaurants. I fear as we come out of Covid, Hawaii will lag in their recovery given abysmal and disastrous governor leadership. Such an albatross!
CF
Great article
Beat of Hawaii
Hi CF.
Thanks for that.
Aloha.
Kim P
Thank you for the very objective summery of the current state of Hawaii tourism. We loved coming all these years but now found a new first choice beach vacation spot. I don t think we will return any time soon and certainly not the frequency that we did before this. I sympathize with the small business owners who put their sweat and blood starting their business only to be snatched away by terrible governance. I am sure they and their employees would love to go back to being sugar and pineapple farmers. Good luck. See you in Mexico
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Kim.
Thanks. Enjoy your time in Mexico.
Aloha.
Bob L.
Where are you going in Mexico that beats out Hawaii? I might want to join you.
Maryanne G
I visited Oahu with my son in August 2019 and was hoping to return this past year with my other son. Thank you for your hospitality. We enjoyed your beautiful island. I am hoping to return soon.Maryanne
Rob T
The comments from the tourists in the past month have been enlightening. Visiting every year even for a few months does not make you a local. Taking hula classes doesn’t work either.
The Biden-Harris plan is called- Building Back Better. The goal is to reduce private property ownership and re-invent the whole economy.
People will be encouraged to make sacrifices for the good of the planet. Either you will be one of privileged like Mark Zuckerberg or you will serve them. I am sure they are buying up distressed properties as we read these comments.
Bob L
Distressed properties? Does such a thing exist in Hawaii?? Seems like the entry price for anything with land in Hawaii (not the Big Island) starts at $1M.
Laurel M.
Absolute truth!!
The whole time I was reading this excellent article, I couldn’t help but think “until Hawaii gets rid of leftist ideals of crazy high taxes, non-business friendly tax laws, making unemployment attractive through significant subsidies…Hawaii will always be dependent on tourism.”
My husband and I have wanted to relocate to Hawaii during our working years, but he received a job offer equivalent to what he does in DC for $50-75k less. Low wages, high taxes and high cost of living made us choose to stay where we are. We so regret that Hawaii has such an environment that does not encourage business growth.
Hope this pandemic has opened the locals’ eyes to the real needs of Hawaii!
Moonbaka
I love Hawaii but facts are facts.
Without tourism, Hawaii simply dies. This is a fact. Hawaii is America’s smallest exporter by state well behind front-runners Texas, California, New York and Washington state. The value of Hawaii’s exports equals just 0.03% worth of United States’ overall exported products for 2019. Since exports of past have dried up such as sugar cane, pineapple etc. a Hawaii without tourism cannot sustain itself.
Sure, folks that are retired and receiving Social Security can live somewhat intact, but anyone working for a living is in deep trouble without tourism since it’s primarily the only game in town. At some point, even the most anti-tourism individual has to admit. No tourism = no $. No $ = no survival for local folks. Zero $ = zero tax base for Hawaii
Figure it out…
Jim K
Great post. Letting the facts get in the way of the truth!
Kent Z.
Thank you All for these interesting points. I agree with Moonbaka, above. I have visited my timeshare in Kauai for nearly two weeks every year for the last 20ish years. It was sad to see the numerous shops and vendors closed, some permanently, in early November 2020. We also got snagged, stuck in our condo room for 2 days with a glitch in our Covid test results. Losing visitors like us who love HI will have a huge negative impact. For example, just consider our rental car invoice of $440, with almost $200 of that fee being taxes. That’s nearly 40% for taxes. Multiply that by the minus 8 million visitors per year (just for rental cars) and you begin to see the death spiral. That’s sad for the islands, the culture, the people. Mahalo, Kent
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Kent.
Thanks for your first time comment and for sharing your experience on Kauai.
Aloha.
Carol M.
We just spent 3 wks in a condo we rented right on the beach in Waikiki. We had a wonderful time & supported local restaurants & musicians at local restaurants. We felt welcomed wherever we went including the tour we took at the Royal palace in Honolulu as well as the Queen’s Summer Palace. We enjoyed beaches on the west side, North Shore & Kailua. We hiked to the lighthouse near Hunauma Bay but weren’t willing to wait in the 2 hr lines for Hunauma Bay. We used Vault Health for our COVID testing & jumped through all the hoops for Hawaii.gov. We had a great time!!
Tom K
Jeff, Rob – Mahalo for a great blog. I read it all the time. Question for both of you – Has Hanalei Bay fully recovered from The Great Flood? My wife & I visited Kauai (where we plan to retire in 2021) in August-September 2018, and Hanalei Bay was still in very rough shape – the beach, the pier and even the water. We’re very jealous that you spent this summer enjoying Hanalei Bay. Aloha
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Tom.
LOL. The last time Hanalei was so quiet was in 2008/2009. It was a unique time this summer. Hanalei has recovered but we know exactly what you mean. After the flood, even the ocean floor there was changed, and swimming was quite challenging. Much more normal this year in all ways. There are quite a few changes in terms of infrastructure and park usage, and we’ll update on that soon, so thanks for asking.
Aloha
Julie M.
Aloha
Its sad to hear all the people who have money complain… that they can’t go to the islands.remember the people of Hawaii do not get your 800 a night or better.for your stay at a fancy motel that is owned by rich corporations who built on the prime land
The working people of Hawaii make 10.10 an hour .maybe try tipping a lot more. and they might enjoy you coming .tip extra too the person who cleans your hotel room your urine off the toilet and floor the shower picks up your garbage the person who cleans up the pool area the person who brought you that fancy drink …..I cleaned 15 to 30 beds and toilets a day for 4.25 an hour became disabled from this work not much tipping going on back then either.this was in California and let’s not forget about the person who left red jello in the bathtub no tip there either .Do not assume the person who is cleaning up after you makes the big bucks the pay sucks and no appreciation so please tip tip tip and maybe the island people might not mind you being there and please respect them
Mahalo Julie M
Tim h
You are so right, if the tourism industry payed a living wage to their employees local people might have a more receptive perception towards the industry.
Jennifer W
“Hawaii is always rated as one of the if not the worst states in the country in which to do business.” And yet it is business that pays the bills. 1/3 of our population is on assistance, 1/3 works for one of the branches of government, and business pays for it all. Now what? It will be imperative to encourage clean business or else wither away. Regardless the people making the decisions will be taken care of with their pensions and insurance…but the rest of us? Time for accountability too.
Joerg H.
Thanks for that interesting article. Just a couple of points to consider:
1. The fact that most of the people who are coming down with COVID are locals, doesn’t mean that they didn’t get it from visitors. You can see this by comparing the case rates prior to opening back up, and after.
2. Having said this, that puts Hawaii in a terrible position. As you rightly point out, Hawaii needs the visitors to stave off economic ruin because of the dependence on tourism. Again, as you said, that’s not going to change anytime soon, even with a good plan it’s going to take years to change. Also, keep in mind that 10 million visitors per year has made many of the places in Hawaii much more crowded than they were in the past. So more visitors?
3. So what are the leaders to do? They have to balance between keeping the people who live in Hawaii safe and somehow keeping the visitors coming to the state. That’s a very difficult balancing act during a pandemic. It’s easy to take shots at what they have tried to do to maintain this balance, so I’m wondering what you suggest would be a way to accomplish this without getting a lot of people sick, and the hospitals overrun?
4. Hawaii isn’t the only place in the US with this kind of problem, and everywhere I look where governors are trying to do a balancing act like this, it’s failing. That’s why we are currently losing 3k people per day to COVID in this country.
Overall, I don’t understand why this pandemic has become such a political football?! Why can’t we all pull together and “do the right thing”?
Personally, I love Hawaii, I’ve been going there for years, and was in the process of buying a property there to retire on when the pandemic hit. None of this has changed my plans, just delayed them until it’s safe to travel once again. While I was frustrated by the delay, I just kept in mind that the virus doesn’t care about my plans, took a deep breath, and reminded myself that this too shall pass.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Joerg.
Thanks for taking the time to leave nearly 60 thoughtful comments to date!
Aloha.
Marilyn C.
Aloha, this is a great time for Hawaii to rethink their future industries and work towards those goals. This is a wake up call to implement industry with tourism.
Mahalo
Jennh
Any idea how getting the vaccine might play into all this??
We have reservations for April. Fingers-crossed.
Thank you!
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Jennh.
Thanks. It still seems a bit to early to say where vaccines will play. How available will they be and will people readily take them seem like the big questions.
Aloha.
Fred F.
Does anyone know if airlines can legally require proof of vaccination (2) as a condition of boarding an interstate flight/
Bob L
That is exactly what BOH reported on and what this program is doing: moversandshakas.org/
I have applied for it but I think that they have been overrun by other people also applying as I have seen it reported on on local TV for the last week.
patrick m
A very well written appraisal of the situation.
I have been very critical of the governor and the mayor during this crisis, not only for their handling of the Covid crisis but lack of any vision regarding post pandemic issues.
No statements that even indicate they want tourists to return. Ridiculous comments about ‘Restructuring’ the economy. Hawaii’s unique location is uniquely suited for tourism,,period.
No statements about managing tourism levels. Do not blame the tourists for the planning by local government that allowed an explosion of new hotels, condos and other resort facilities.
Many of the people who talk about a return to Agriculture never picked pineapple or worked in a cane field. It isn’t going to happen.
Finally, the question of ‘How locals really feel about tourists’ seemed to emphasize the feelings of those who are opposed to tourism. In 25 years of travel to Hawaii and owning property in Kauai, I believe that tourism is beneficial to the welfare of all.
I believe the majority of the local population feel the same way.
Tourists and vacation rental owners contribute substantial financial resources to state and county government.It might help if state
and local government explained just how significant these amounts are to their citizens.
cece
As a vacation rental owner I pay higher real estate taxes than a resident. That’s ok, I understand that it is easier to tax a non-resident property owner since we don’t have voting rights. On the other hand I do not have children in school, I do not need any
public assistance and I do not contribute to the crime rate.
Do we need to better manage tourism? Yes! Do we need to control traffic? Yes! So please citizens of Kauai, insist that your
locally elected representatives concentrate on those issues.
Mahalo, for providing this forum for rational, non-political discussion.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Patrick.
Thanks. We appreciate your input and comments.
Aloha.
Jacquelyn M.
Good points
Bob L
I spent the summer of 1980 picking pineapple on Maui. Does that mean I get a vote on Hawaii’s future direction? 🙂
Shannon L.
We applied for the Moves and Shakas program but they are only accepting 50 people. And only on the island of Oahu. This seems like a great program that could really help Hawaii’s economy. They should accept more people and offer the programs to other islands as well.
KimL
Good article. I keep reading comments such as “I’m not coming to HI until they get their act together.” I understand everyone’s situation is different and the pre-arrival requirements can be, and are, stressful. I also understand the government officials in the state can’t seem to make up their minds. However, I have been on Maui for about 6 weeks. I’m so very glad I stuck with my plans. Yes it takes planning. And care and attention to the requirements. I had no issue with my testing (I used the provider via American Airlines). Once on island it’s fabulous. Fewer crowds, lighter traffic, and its Maui! Yes you need to wear a mask but where don’t you have to wear a mask? No different than most places on the mainland. Yes there are capacity limitations in stores and restaurants but again how is that different from the mainland? Ya’ll have choices. Personally I’m very happy to be here where I can get outside, see the beauty of the island. Aloha!
Pat d
The Sugar industry went foreign and it’s Not coming back. It should have been kept alive and Tariffs placed on imported foreign Sugar cane. Much like the Steel industry.
Richard G
BoH,
Mahalo for political insight and economic/industry challenges.
Mahalo for all the tourism information over the years.
Mahalo for all your insights in general.
Mahalo for keeping us up to date on Covid-19 and travel issues.
I don’t see Hawaii returning to agriculture. Being an island has many challenges for industry. Alaska (sort of a modified island) has oil, commercial fishing and tourism. Both AK and HI are expensive places to live which can be limiting for developing industry.
So, while waiting for Covid test results, I thought I’d comment on challenges. . . (long time reader first time commenting).
Walgreens is the only “Trusted Partner” in Utah. It becomes more difficult to get tested as more of us plan on traveling to Hawaii. Walgreens requires one appointment for each of us. It took two days and the only available time was 41 hours before leaving for the Salt Lake airport. All the appointment times filled in less than 5 minutes after posting (at 5pm) for two locations 25 and 45 minutes from our home. The week prior had openings days after posting. The pharmacist said everyone is getting tested to go to Hawaii.
All that said plus the challenges and changes in Hawaii as BoH has noted, my wife and I are thankful we can come this week. Last March we were on Oahu and scheduled to go to Maui when Covid hit so we skipped Maui. Rescheduled for late September/early October for Oahu and Maui thinking surly Hawaii will open by then. ha ha. . . Rescheduled for Maui 12/11 (if we get negative results in time). In April ‘21, we plan on Kauai and Oahu.
My suggestions:
More timely testing capacity is needed on the mainland so more of us can travel to assist with safely re-opening Hawaii and boosting the economy (more trusted partners and more openings/capacity for Walgreens).
fyi my first time in HI was 30 minutes on my way to Vietnam. Returned in 2006 to 3 Islands. Now planning 1 to 2 trips a year every year.
Again Mahalo for all your information.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Richard.
Thanks for being a long-time reader and your first comment. Very kind of you. Have a great time on Maui!
Aloha.
TraciC
I just got back from a week in Maui. I live in Utah and did my test through Costco / Azova, you do it at home and drop off at UPS. I did it the day before thanksgiving and had my results Friday night. My friends did Wallgreens and barely made it. Plus they had to keep calling in the middle of the night to get an appointment. Not a fun way to start off a trip but when the wheels touched down in Kahului, it was all worth it. Best of luck to you!
John F
Should be “CAN be taught skills..”
John F
Great article, BoH!
The look in the mirror statement needed to be said. No more finger points at tourists with regards to Covid. I don’t think anyone really understands the hoops those folks are going through to get here.
Until Hawaii accepts that there needs to be a vision and some change to attract other job types and industries, we’ll continue to be susceptible to bouts in tourism. It’s our absolute single point of failure for the economy. Current circumstances prove it. If we had any vision we’d have half the tech people leaving San Francisco move here and startup companies that hired locally. People can’t be taught skills.
However, if the current Government cannot provide direction, clarity and strategy with Covid (known conditions now) then imagine if we had a natural disaster here? Then what.
That should all have you thinking.
Mahalo
John
Beat of Hawaii
Hi John.
Thanks. We appreciate your first-time comment.
Aloha.
John A.
Well, my wife and I give up on Hawaii for 2021. The whole COVID thing has completely messed up tourism to any of the islands but especially Kauai. It appears the left hand has no idea what the right hand is doing; it seems the elected officials and their minions wake up every morning and just spout the first thing that comes to mind. The worse thing is that the lack of tourism
in 2020 (and the beginning, at least, of 2021) will devastate the restaurants and hotels for years to come and make a visit lots less desirable in the future. Aloha, Hawaii – see you when you get your act together for a couple of years.
Bryon B.
Great article. You hit the nail on the head on so many points. I came to Hawaii in 1984 for the 1st time when I got stationed in Hickam AFB. I fell in love with the culture and Aloha spirt. It’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. I eventually purchased a home in Kona many years later and return when I can each year.
I never fully understood why Hawaii seemed to want to move away from tourism. I think they should embrace it but manage it differently. Maybe reduce the amount of tourist they allow just like certain environmental sensitive places do (Machu Picchu, Galapagos Islands for example).
Its a difficult problem to solve for sure. Hopefully 2021 brings new hope of life returning to some sort of normal. I hope to return to Kona in 2021 when Quarantine is off the table.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Byron.
Thanks for your comments. We hope you can get back to Kona soon.
Aloha.
Jeamme M
Thank you for your absolute on target assessment matching a mainlander’s point of view too…all the states’ inconsistencies coupled with locals’comments against tourists enjoying a vacation while locals suffer has made us reassess Hawaii, our alternate home…I feel estranged..and saddened….and right now have no clue who these local people are despite truly saddened by their economic hardships….maybe they never liked the tourists…..my goodness, instead of improving my house, I spent total 3 years over 35 years in Hawaii.got a teaching license there…..sought Vet employ for my RN husband..was it just a false face shown me and my family?
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Jeanme.
Thanks. It is definitely a complicated relationship. More now than ever.
Aloha.
Annick M
JEANMME…you hit my sentiments exactly, I looovoed HI and always felt at home ther…but now i too feel estranged and saddened…dont know when i will return….if ever, there are other magical places i am looking to discover
Jan B
With the Alaska Air offering of BOGO this week maybe that will help. I wanted to purchase but did not because of the on-again,off-again Hawaii regulations. Maybe there will be another opportunity in the future.
Kevin J
We returned to our second home on Maui this past Sunday. We had purchased the home pre-pandemic. In August, we came to Maui and did the 14-day quarantine. We stayed for 3 months and had a wonderful, safe time. We returned to California in early November for 4 weeks. Last Thursday, we were tested at the Hawaiian Airlines partner site in San Francisco. The negative results came back in 25 hours. We uploaded the results to the state travel website and hand-carried a copy. Flight was uneventful. The health-check line at Kahului airport was an hour, but it sure beat the quarantine! Today, 4 days after arrival, we took the voluntary post-arrival test in Lahaina and received our negative results in 45 minutes. The system can and does work!
James B
I realize that this is a tourism site and properly managed by you guys, but if only all of the United States citizens had taken the virus as seriously as Hawaii, we wouldn’t asking these questions.
I know that it’s an analogy, but consider the numbers and equate those to any war that U.S. citizens have fought. Would the Greatest Generation have ignored their responsibility to join the fight as a united nation? Would we have tired of rationing gas and precious metals for the sake of our country as similar to the simple ask of social distancing and mask wearing?
Those two asks alone, according to public health recommendations, would have helped manage spread. Yet we have actual adult elected leaders refusing mask mandates and actually encouraging crowded restaurants and malls.
Look at Australia, NZ, Korea S. and a host of other countries who have tried to manage spread as has Hawaii. They seemed to manage the economic pain with protecting public health.
Now we are in the unenviable situation that could spell doom for the future of tourism. As our main market, the western states, sink even further into the viral cesspool, I cannot imagine even flying back to CA to see my children.
That’s the sad part of this story. The utter lack of empathy, caring, personal responsibility, and reasonable precautions in favor of some stupid, political diatribe about “protecting freedom”.
That’s what has destroyed tourism, not the actions of Hawaii’s political leaders.
Jim B
James B. Don’t know if you’ve been back to the mainland, but except for many social justice protest, and a few political rally’s, we have observed social distancing and mask wearing religiously. I can’t remember the last time I went out and observed someone not wearing a mask and social distancing, when appropriate. I did observe locals, usually 20 somethings, and large family groups, not observing social distancing or mask during my trip to Maui in Nov..
Since you seem to want to lay blame, maybe blame the Chinese Communist Party who modified the virus to be more contagious than a natural occurring virus and then either wittingly, or not released it into the environment then hid it from the world for several months. They are responsible for all this misery,not your countrymen who are are suffering the loss of their livelihoods just as Hawaiians are. Just as in Hawaii,small businesses throughout our country are devastated. Nothing political about it.
AJ W
James, thank you for speaking to the reality. This is what I, as a resident and home owner living in Kapahi, Kauai, came to say. James you really nailed it.
My wife and I have been working remotely now for several years, and paying our state income and sales taxes, property taxes, etc. here.
We have family back in Seattle, throughout California, Arizona, Colorado, Rhode Island whom we’d love to travel and see, or to have them be able to travel here-but we can’t and won’t take the risk, nor will they in coming and potentaially bringing COVID-19 to our island with the ~120 hospital beds, and 9 ICU beds.
Had more people on the mainland simply done what we did to dramatically reduce the risk of transmission, we’d all be living in a different world. Instead, because many on the mainland have eschewed science, medical and public health, the mainland has an out of control pandemic.
If there is blame to be placed for much of this, we need only look to the east across the Pacific Ocean. I believe that most who want to travel to Hawai’i would do their best to be safe, yet the proof lies in the numbers. We see the maps of infection.
Again, we’d like to welcome back visitors, but only when it is safer.
We also need to expand the economy of Hawai’i. In the late 60’s, Seattle came close to failing when Boeing nearly collapsed. Now the Seattle economy is much more diverse. If we have learned anything from this pandemic, it is that many jobs can be done remotely, and done well. That can bring more high-wage earning people to the islands, people who do not commute further than we do – about 30′ from our bedroom to our office! – and enrich our local economy here.
Aloha, and Mele Kalikimaka!
Ralph L.
The longer the shutdown continues, the more out of state homeowners will see their vacation rental income drop. This will lead to massive numbers of houses coming on the market when they won’t be able to make their mortgage payments on a 2nd or 3rd home.
Get ready. It’s far from over…
Annick m
Actually the super rich and foreign investors are swallowing up inventory…the HI as you and have known it will change forever…Hope you like what Larry Ellison has done for Lanai….
Ralph L.
I doubt that the billionaires are going to be interested in a place on a half acre lot a couple streets back from the oceanfront places in HPP, or even a 3 acre place up in the cooler altitudes of Fern Forest or Volcano. These are 2nd or vacation homes that folks on the ML pick up to retire to, while making the payments on them with the STVR income.
The longer things stay shut down, the worse the economy will get hammered, whether here in the 808 of on the ML.
Ed. C
All I can say is, very well put. Always appreciate your perspective and insight.
We’ve had to cancel 2 trips to Kaua’i this year and are about to give up on Maui in February. The continuing Hawaiian drama is just too much.
Mahalo and good luck.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Ed.
Thanks. We appreciate your comments and hope you can return again soon.
Aloha.
Lori L
I’m so glad these issues are being addressed, as the future of Hawaii depends on it. I really want to see the Islands and it’s people thrive! I lived there once and want to move back in the near future. I love Hawaii’s culture, her people, the ever flowing Aloha spirit and it’s history. I am a pre-school teacher and would love to contribute to early childhood education on my favorite island of Kauai. I have friends there and I deeply care for their future as well as everyone else. Praying for recovery and new industries to sprout up for all the folks in Hawaii. Supporting local agriculture is also key as it continues to grow. My heart will always be with you!! Even though my vacation had to be canceled 2 ago, I will attempt it again next year. Mahalo Nui Loa
Gary B
Am glad I saw Oahu twice before this lunacy set in.So sad to see how things changed so quickly with the fear that CDC spewed out daily on the news.My best wishes to all Hawaiians.
James B
Respectfully Gary, the lunacy you describe is the way most mainland states have “managed” the virus. Please read my earlier post for a comparative analysis of how Hawaii has managed through the suffering by putting public safety first. You are sadly mistaken if you feel that the CDC promotes fear. If the few voices of reason to adopt universal, simple public health asks had been followed, perhaps we would not be leading the world in infections, hospitalizations, infections and deaths.
Please consider moving your blame up the D.C. street a bit to 1600 Penn. ave.
Shawn C.
I read all of your articles and this one has so far been the best. Keep it up.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Shawn.
Thanks for that and all your comments.
Aloha.
Andrea G.
My husband (a local boy) and I have been visitors to Hawaii (as tourist and to visit my husband’s large family there) 1-2 times a year for decades. Like many, we had to sadly cancel this year’s HI trip.
* I have never seen so much confusion, and ensuing harm, on how to deal with a crisis as has happened with Hawaii with Covid-19. The multiple vacillations in travel regulations, for example, were unprecedented. It will take us a long while to trust what Hawaii says, so I can make solid travel plans and return. And we so want to support Hawaii and its locals!
* I also feel for the locals and their businesses — the many that have struggled and finally closed.
* I am concerned as well for the well-being of the businesses that still remain standing to serve the locals, never mind to serve any tourists who make it through the gauntlet and actually reach the islands, without being locked up for 14 days.
* I pray for the clarity for the State of HI to make conclusive and wise decisions to the best of their ability that include the well-being of the residents, the businesses and their owners in Hawaii, and also embrace the return of the many enthusiastic and loyal visitors to Hawaii.
For the government leadership of Hawaii: Make decisions based on leadership principles, on forward thinking, and on the wisdom of the Spirit of Hawaii rather than based on fear and confusion. Just.do.something and stand by it. Make it right for all involved as best is possible. You can only do your best in any situation. Consider the highest and best course for all involved. Your actions or inaction now will affect your state for a long time to come.
GaryB
I really appreciate your indepth writing and analysis. Mahalo for always being thought provoking.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Gary.
Thanks for that and your dozens of comments. Much appreciated.
Aloha.
Jonna C
We held out as long as we could with hopes we could proceed with our post-Christmas visit. But alas, we cancelled 27 flights to get 12 of us there and back, as well as our rental home. Broken-hearted, but felt like our hands were tied with minimal action being taken in the visitor-friendly direction. Such travel is far too expensive to feel like puppets/prisoners, even if we were to arrive with our healthy bill of health.
Dean L.
Amen!
As a Hawaiian tourist for the past 28 years and from a state that depends on sole source funds (oil and gas) for our education system I can proudly tell you from our ranking of near the bottom, it’s a poor strategy that leads to failure. Couple this with monopoly power of NEA which keeps trying the same old “best practices “ and survives by conscription of dues contributed to the same political party irrespective of results and your educated workforce will soon be if not already is nonexistent. Buena Suerte
Tim Z
so go back to basic’s, Pineapples and sugar cane…….
Cheri A.
Unfortunately, Hawaii has lost the comparative advantage in exporting pineapples and sugar cane.
It could be an opportunity for companies whose employee telecommute. 🙂
John A
When my wife and I started going to Hawaii in 1974, the islands still had some sugar cane and pineapple infrastructure. I’m sure it doesn’t exist anymore and cannot be rebuilt economically, Hawaii has the defense business (maybe less under the Democrats) and tourism and that’s it. I see people going east for jobs wholesale!!
Pat d
The Sugar industry went foreign and it’s Not coming back. It should have been kept alive and Tariffs placed on imported foreign Sugar cane. Much like the Steel industry.
Mike S
Thanks for the succinct summary of the situation (at this moment in time). We are all anxiously awaiting the next travel-rules scheme to be revealed by the State next week.
Based on the numerous possibilities you recently laid out, it will take the wisdom of Solomon to satisfy everyone and fairly treat those hoping to fly to the islands in the near future. Unfortunately Solomon is not a current Hawaiian politician.
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Mike.
Thanks for all your comments and the much needed levity.
Aloha.
Dean L
As a heading home tomorrow visitor, you are right on about changes and fair traveler treatment. Thanks for your humor. It doesn’t appear that common sense follow science, but only fear. See ya next year for our 29 year to the island. Aloha
Dn
Beautifully said. Sad for us all though, and not just Hawaii. Businesses going down, people unemployed, etc. But at least the rules of travel haven’t changed from day to day on the mainland and this issue in Hawaii contributed to the lack of tourist dollars. People don’t know from day to day what the new Hawaii rules are. Something has to change drastically.
The dude
Hawaii has the wrong people in charge. I watch all the Hawaii youtube channels nightly and there was a Hawaii think tank on that said we need to raise the tax on tourists to 40 percent. Really that’s all you got? There is no coward thinking. How about bring in Larry Ellison for governor? Who could then bring in people that have a clue about business and diversifying.
The dude
Should be forward thinking
Pat d
Ellison. He wouldn’t want that job. He’s Rich.
Comments are closed.
Aloha!
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
Stay abreast of the latest island travel news, tips, deals, and more. Subscribe to our FREE newsletter and let Hawaii come to you. Mahalo!
The University of Hawaii should beef up their high tech school, so that there is a stream of graduates who come from the islands who can work in the field. If the university has a world-class school of technology and engineering, along with a business-friendly atmosphere, we can attract tech companies to come to the islands. Our location in the middle of the Pacific is ideal for attracting companies and doing business with Asia and the mainland.
It will take time to do this; the university will need to bring in top notch professors and really build the school from the ground up, but I’ve seen it done in other places and they have been successful.
There really is no reason not to try this.
You need to offer solutions.
Thank you for this site I have learned a lot. I do have a question. My husband and I are moving to Honolulu in April. Retiring. Are any of the travel restrictions different for people moving vs vacationing?
Hi Tina.
Thanks. The travel restrictions apply to everyone.
Aloha.
As an individual who has visited Hawaii 25+ times over the past 10-15 years I am appalled at Hawaii’s governor and the constant “Peyton Place” and changing rules and guidelines for vacationing. The governor should be impeached for his lack of leadership! I am so sorry for all of the employees in hospitality and restaurants. I fear as we come out of Covid, Hawaii will lag in their recovery given abysmal and disastrous governor leadership. Such an albatross!
Great article
Hi CF.
Thanks for that.
Aloha.
Thank you for the very objective summery of the current state of Hawaii tourism. We loved coming all these years but now found a new first choice beach vacation spot. I don t think we will return any time soon and certainly not the frequency that we did before this. I sympathize with the small business owners who put their sweat and blood starting their business only to be snatched away by terrible governance. I am sure they and their employees would love to go back to being sugar and pineapple farmers. Good luck. See you in Mexico
Hi Kim.
Thanks. Enjoy your time in Mexico.
Aloha.
Where are you going in Mexico that beats out Hawaii? I might want to join you.
I visited Oahu with my son in August 2019 and was hoping to return this past year with my other son. Thank you for your hospitality. We enjoyed your beautiful island. I am hoping to return soon.Maryanne
The comments from the tourists in the past month have been enlightening. Visiting every year even for a few months does not make you a local. Taking hula classes doesn’t work either.
The Biden-Harris plan is called- Building Back Better. The goal is to reduce private property ownership and re-invent the whole economy.
People will be encouraged to make sacrifices for the good of the planet. Either you will be one of privileged like Mark Zuckerberg or you will serve them. I am sure they are buying up distressed properties as we read these comments.
Distressed properties? Does such a thing exist in Hawaii?? Seems like the entry price for anything with land in Hawaii (not the Big Island) starts at $1M.
Absolute truth!!
The whole time I was reading this excellent article, I couldn’t help but think “until Hawaii gets rid of leftist ideals of crazy high taxes, non-business friendly tax laws, making unemployment attractive through significant subsidies…Hawaii will always be dependent on tourism.”
My husband and I have wanted to relocate to Hawaii during our working years, but he received a job offer equivalent to what he does in DC for $50-75k less. Low wages, high taxes and high cost of living made us choose to stay where we are. We so regret that Hawaii has such an environment that does not encourage business growth.
Hope this pandemic has opened the locals’ eyes to the real needs of Hawaii!
I love Hawaii but facts are facts.
Without tourism, Hawaii simply dies. This is a fact. Hawaii is America’s smallest exporter by state well behind front-runners Texas, California, New York and Washington state. The value of Hawaii’s exports equals just 0.03% worth of United States’ overall exported products for 2019. Since exports of past have dried up such as sugar cane, pineapple etc. a Hawaii without tourism cannot sustain itself.
Sure, folks that are retired and receiving Social Security can live somewhat intact, but anyone working for a living is in deep trouble without tourism since it’s primarily the only game in town. At some point, even the most anti-tourism individual has to admit. No tourism = no $. No $ = no survival for local folks. Zero $ = zero tax base for Hawaii
Figure it out…
Great post. Letting the facts get in the way of the truth!
Thank you All for these interesting points. I agree with Moonbaka, above. I have visited my timeshare in Kauai for nearly two weeks every year for the last 20ish years. It was sad to see the numerous shops and vendors closed, some permanently, in early November 2020. We also got snagged, stuck in our condo room for 2 days with a glitch in our Covid test results. Losing visitors like us who love HI will have a huge negative impact. For example, just consider our rental car invoice of $440, with almost $200 of that fee being taxes. That’s nearly 40% for taxes. Multiply that by the minus 8 million visitors per year (just for rental cars) and you begin to see the death spiral. That’s sad for the islands, the culture, the people. Mahalo, Kent
Hi Kent.
Thanks for your first time comment and for sharing your experience on Kauai.
Aloha.
We just spent 3 wks in a condo we rented right on the beach in Waikiki. We had a wonderful time & supported local restaurants & musicians at local restaurants. We felt welcomed wherever we went including the tour we took at the Royal palace in Honolulu as well as the Queen’s Summer Palace. We enjoyed beaches on the west side, North Shore & Kailua. We hiked to the lighthouse near Hunauma Bay but weren’t willing to wait in the 2 hr lines for Hunauma Bay. We used Vault Health for our COVID testing & jumped through all the hoops for Hawaii.gov. We had a great time!!
Jeff, Rob – Mahalo for a great blog. I read it all the time. Question for both of you – Has Hanalei Bay fully recovered from The Great Flood? My wife & I visited Kauai (where we plan to retire in 2021) in August-September 2018, and Hanalei Bay was still in very rough shape – the beach, the pier and even the water. We’re very jealous that you spent this summer enjoying Hanalei Bay. Aloha
Hi Tom.
LOL. The last time Hanalei was so quiet was in 2008/2009. It was a unique time this summer. Hanalei has recovered but we know exactly what you mean. After the flood, even the ocean floor there was changed, and swimming was quite challenging. Much more normal this year in all ways. There are quite a few changes in terms of infrastructure and park usage, and we’ll update on that soon, so thanks for asking.
Aloha
Aloha
Its sad to hear all the people who have money complain… that they can’t go to the islands.remember the people of Hawaii do not get your 800 a night or better.for your stay at a fancy motel that is owned by rich corporations who built on the prime land
The working people of Hawaii make 10.10 an hour .maybe try tipping a lot more. and they might enjoy you coming .tip extra too the person who cleans your hotel room your urine off the toilet and floor the shower picks up your garbage the person who cleans up the pool area the person who brought you that fancy drink …..I cleaned 15 to 30 beds and toilets a day for 4.25 an hour became disabled from this work not much tipping going on back then either.this was in California and let’s not forget about the person who left red jello in the bathtub no tip there either .Do not assume the person who is cleaning up after you makes the big bucks the pay sucks and no appreciation so please tip tip tip and maybe the island people might not mind you being there and please respect them
Mahalo Julie M
You are so right, if the tourism industry payed a living wage to their employees local people might have a more receptive perception towards the industry.
“Hawaii is always rated as one of the if not the worst states in the country in which to do business.” And yet it is business that pays the bills. 1/3 of our population is on assistance, 1/3 works for one of the branches of government, and business pays for it all. Now what? It will be imperative to encourage clean business or else wither away. Regardless the people making the decisions will be taken care of with their pensions and insurance…but the rest of us? Time for accountability too.
Thanks for that interesting article. Just a couple of points to consider:
1. The fact that most of the people who are coming down with COVID are locals, doesn’t mean that they didn’t get it from visitors. You can see this by comparing the case rates prior to opening back up, and after.
2. Having said this, that puts Hawaii in a terrible position. As you rightly point out, Hawaii needs the visitors to stave off economic ruin because of the dependence on tourism. Again, as you said, that’s not going to change anytime soon, even with a good plan it’s going to take years to change. Also, keep in mind that 10 million visitors per year has made many of the places in Hawaii much more crowded than they were in the past. So more visitors?
3. So what are the leaders to do? They have to balance between keeping the people who live in Hawaii safe and somehow keeping the visitors coming to the state. That’s a very difficult balancing act during a pandemic. It’s easy to take shots at what they have tried to do to maintain this balance, so I’m wondering what you suggest would be a way to accomplish this without getting a lot of people sick, and the hospitals overrun?
4. Hawaii isn’t the only place in the US with this kind of problem, and everywhere I look where governors are trying to do a balancing act like this, it’s failing. That’s why we are currently losing 3k people per day to COVID in this country.
Overall, I don’t understand why this pandemic has become such a political football?! Why can’t we all pull together and “do the right thing”?
Personally, I love Hawaii, I’ve been going there for years, and was in the process of buying a property there to retire on when the pandemic hit. None of this has changed my plans, just delayed them until it’s safe to travel once again. While I was frustrated by the delay, I just kept in mind that the virus doesn’t care about my plans, took a deep breath, and reminded myself that this too shall pass.
Hi Joerg.
Thanks for taking the time to leave nearly 60 thoughtful comments to date!
Aloha.
Aloha, this is a great time for Hawaii to rethink their future industries and work towards those goals. This is a wake up call to implement industry with tourism.
Mahalo
Any idea how getting the vaccine might play into all this??
We have reservations for April. Fingers-crossed.
Thank you!
Hi Jennh.
Thanks. It still seems a bit to early to say where vaccines will play. How available will they be and will people readily take them seem like the big questions.
Aloha.
Does anyone know if airlines can legally require proof of vaccination (2) as a condition of boarding an interstate flight/
That is exactly what BOH reported on and what this program is doing: moversandshakas.org/
I have applied for it but I think that they have been overrun by other people also applying as I have seen it reported on on local TV for the last week.
A very well written appraisal of the situation.
I have been very critical of the governor and the mayor during this crisis, not only for their handling of the Covid crisis but lack of any vision regarding post pandemic issues.
No statements that even indicate they want tourists to return. Ridiculous comments about ‘Restructuring’ the economy. Hawaii’s unique location is uniquely suited for tourism,,period.
No statements about managing tourism levels. Do not blame the tourists for the planning by local government that allowed an explosion of new hotels, condos and other resort facilities.
Many of the people who talk about a return to Agriculture never picked pineapple or worked in a cane field. It isn’t going to happen.
Finally, the question of ‘How locals really feel about tourists’ seemed to emphasize the feelings of those who are opposed to tourism. In 25 years of travel to Hawaii and owning property in Kauai, I believe that tourism is beneficial to the welfare of all.
I believe the majority of the local population feel the same way.
Tourists and vacation rental owners contribute substantial financial resources to state and county government.It might help if state
and local government explained just how significant these amounts are to their citizens.
cece
As a vacation rental owner I pay higher real estate taxes than a resident. That’s ok, I understand that it is easier to tax a non-resident property owner since we don’t have voting rights. On the other hand I do not have children in school, I do not need any
public assistance and I do not contribute to the crime rate.
Do we need to better manage tourism? Yes! Do we need to control traffic? Yes! So please citizens of Kauai, insist that your
locally elected representatives concentrate on those issues.
Mahalo, for providing this forum for rational, non-political discussion.
Hi Patrick.
Thanks. We appreciate your input and comments.
Aloha.
Good points
I spent the summer of 1980 picking pineapple on Maui. Does that mean I get a vote on Hawaii’s future direction? 🙂
We applied for the Moves and Shakas program but they are only accepting 50 people. And only on the island of Oahu. This seems like a great program that could really help Hawaii’s economy. They should accept more people and offer the programs to other islands as well.
Good article. I keep reading comments such as “I’m not coming to HI until they get their act together.” I understand everyone’s situation is different and the pre-arrival requirements can be, and are, stressful. I also understand the government officials in the state can’t seem to make up their minds. However, I have been on Maui for about 6 weeks. I’m so very glad I stuck with my plans. Yes it takes planning. And care and attention to the requirements. I had no issue with my testing (I used the provider via American Airlines). Once on island it’s fabulous. Fewer crowds, lighter traffic, and its Maui! Yes you need to wear a mask but where don’t you have to wear a mask? No different than most places on the mainland. Yes there are capacity limitations in stores and restaurants but again how is that different from the mainland? Ya’ll have choices. Personally I’m very happy to be here where I can get outside, see the beauty of the island. Aloha!
The Sugar industry went foreign and it’s Not coming back. It should have been kept alive and Tariffs placed on imported foreign Sugar cane. Much like the Steel industry.
BoH,
Mahalo for political insight and economic/industry challenges.
Mahalo for all the tourism information over the years.
Mahalo for all your insights in general.
Mahalo for keeping us up to date on Covid-19 and travel issues.
I don’t see Hawaii returning to agriculture. Being an island has many challenges for industry. Alaska (sort of a modified island) has oil, commercial fishing and tourism. Both AK and HI are expensive places to live which can be limiting for developing industry.
So, while waiting for Covid test results, I thought I’d comment on challenges. . . (long time reader first time commenting).
Walgreens is the only “Trusted Partner” in Utah. It becomes more difficult to get tested as more of us plan on traveling to Hawaii. Walgreens requires one appointment for each of us. It took two days and the only available time was 41 hours before leaving for the Salt Lake airport. All the appointment times filled in less than 5 minutes after posting (at 5pm) for two locations 25 and 45 minutes from our home. The week prior had openings days after posting. The pharmacist said everyone is getting tested to go to Hawaii.
All that said plus the challenges and changes in Hawaii as BoH has noted, my wife and I are thankful we can come this week. Last March we were on Oahu and scheduled to go to Maui when Covid hit so we skipped Maui. Rescheduled for late September/early October for Oahu and Maui thinking surly Hawaii will open by then. ha ha. . . Rescheduled for Maui 12/11 (if we get negative results in time). In April ‘21, we plan on Kauai and Oahu.
My suggestions:
More timely testing capacity is needed on the mainland so more of us can travel to assist with safely re-opening Hawaii and boosting the economy (more trusted partners and more openings/capacity for Walgreens).
fyi my first time in HI was 30 minutes on my way to Vietnam. Returned in 2006 to 3 Islands. Now planning 1 to 2 trips a year every year.
Again Mahalo for all your information.
Hi Richard.
Thanks for being a long-time reader and your first comment. Very kind of you. Have a great time on Maui!
Aloha.
I just got back from a week in Maui. I live in Utah and did my test through Costco / Azova, you do it at home and drop off at UPS. I did it the day before thanksgiving and had my results Friday night. My friends did Wallgreens and barely made it. Plus they had to keep calling in the middle of the night to get an appointment. Not a fun way to start off a trip but when the wheels touched down in Kahului, it was all worth it. Best of luck to you!
Should be “CAN be taught skills..”
Great article, BoH!
The look in the mirror statement needed to be said. No more finger points at tourists with regards to Covid. I don’t think anyone really understands the hoops those folks are going through to get here.
Until Hawaii accepts that there needs to be a vision and some change to attract other job types and industries, we’ll continue to be susceptible to bouts in tourism. It’s our absolute single point of failure for the economy. Current circumstances prove it. If we had any vision we’d have half the tech people leaving San Francisco move here and startup companies that hired locally. People can’t be taught skills.
However, if the current Government cannot provide direction, clarity and strategy with Covid (known conditions now) then imagine if we had a natural disaster here? Then what.
That should all have you thinking.
Mahalo
John
Hi John.
Thanks. We appreciate your first-time comment.
Aloha.
Well, my wife and I give up on Hawaii for 2021. The whole COVID thing has completely messed up tourism to any of the islands but especially Kauai. It appears the left hand has no idea what the right hand is doing; it seems the elected officials and their minions wake up every morning and just spout the first thing that comes to mind. The worse thing is that the lack of tourism
in 2020 (and the beginning, at least, of 2021) will devastate the restaurants and hotels for years to come and make a visit lots less desirable in the future. Aloha, Hawaii – see you when you get your act together for a couple of years.
Great article. You hit the nail on the head on so many points. I came to Hawaii in 1984 for the 1st time when I got stationed in Hickam AFB. I fell in love with the culture and Aloha spirt. It’s one of the most beautiful places in the world. I eventually purchased a home in Kona many years later and return when I can each year.
I never fully understood why Hawaii seemed to want to move away from tourism. I think they should embrace it but manage it differently. Maybe reduce the amount of tourist they allow just like certain environmental sensitive places do (Machu Picchu, Galapagos Islands for example).
Its a difficult problem to solve for sure. Hopefully 2021 brings new hope of life returning to some sort of normal. I hope to return to Kona in 2021 when Quarantine is off the table.
Hi Byron.
Thanks for your comments. We hope you can get back to Kona soon.
Aloha.
Thank you for your absolute on target assessment matching a mainlander’s point of view too…all the states’ inconsistencies coupled with locals’comments against tourists enjoying a vacation while locals suffer has made us reassess Hawaii, our alternate home…I feel estranged..and saddened….and right now have no clue who these local people are despite truly saddened by their economic hardships….maybe they never liked the tourists…..my goodness, instead of improving my house, I spent total 3 years over 35 years in Hawaii.got a teaching license there…..sought Vet employ for my RN husband..was it just a false face shown me and my family?
Hi Jeanme.
Thanks. It is definitely a complicated relationship. More now than ever.
Aloha.
JEANMME…you hit my sentiments exactly, I looovoed HI and always felt at home ther…but now i too feel estranged and saddened…dont know when i will return….if ever, there are other magical places i am looking to discover
With the Alaska Air offering of BOGO this week maybe that will help. I wanted to purchase but did not because of the on-again,off-again Hawaii regulations. Maybe there will be another opportunity in the future.
We returned to our second home on Maui this past Sunday. We had purchased the home pre-pandemic. In August, we came to Maui and did the 14-day quarantine. We stayed for 3 months and had a wonderful, safe time. We returned to California in early November for 4 weeks. Last Thursday, we were tested at the Hawaiian Airlines partner site in San Francisco. The negative results came back in 25 hours. We uploaded the results to the state travel website and hand-carried a copy. Flight was uneventful. The health-check line at Kahului airport was an hour, but it sure beat the quarantine! Today, 4 days after arrival, we took the voluntary post-arrival test in Lahaina and received our negative results in 45 minutes. The system can and does work!
I realize that this is a tourism site and properly managed by you guys, but if only all of the United States citizens had taken the virus as seriously as Hawaii, we wouldn’t asking these questions.
I know that it’s an analogy, but consider the numbers and equate those to any war that U.S. citizens have fought. Would the Greatest Generation have ignored their responsibility to join the fight as a united nation? Would we have tired of rationing gas and precious metals for the sake of our country as similar to the simple ask of social distancing and mask wearing?
Those two asks alone, according to public health recommendations, would have helped manage spread. Yet we have actual adult elected leaders refusing mask mandates and actually encouraging crowded restaurants and malls.
Look at Australia, NZ, Korea S. and a host of other countries who have tried to manage spread as has Hawaii. They seemed to manage the economic pain with protecting public health.
Now we are in the unenviable situation that could spell doom for the future of tourism. As our main market, the western states, sink even further into the viral cesspool, I cannot imagine even flying back to CA to see my children.
That’s the sad part of this story. The utter lack of empathy, caring, personal responsibility, and reasonable precautions in favor of some stupid, political diatribe about “protecting freedom”.
That’s what has destroyed tourism, not the actions of Hawaii’s political leaders.
James B. Don’t know if you’ve been back to the mainland, but except for many social justice protest, and a few political rally’s, we have observed social distancing and mask wearing religiously. I can’t remember the last time I went out and observed someone not wearing a mask and social distancing, when appropriate. I did observe locals, usually 20 somethings, and large family groups, not observing social distancing or mask during my trip to Maui in Nov..
Since you seem to want to lay blame, maybe blame the Chinese Communist Party who modified the virus to be more contagious than a natural occurring virus and then either wittingly, or not released it into the environment then hid it from the world for several months. They are responsible for all this misery,not your countrymen who are are suffering the loss of their livelihoods just as Hawaiians are. Just as in Hawaii,small businesses throughout our country are devastated. Nothing political about it.
James, thank you for speaking to the reality. This is what I, as a resident and home owner living in Kapahi, Kauai, came to say. James you really nailed it.
My wife and I have been working remotely now for several years, and paying our state income and sales taxes, property taxes, etc. here.
We have family back in Seattle, throughout California, Arizona, Colorado, Rhode Island whom we’d love to travel and see, or to have them be able to travel here-but we can’t and won’t take the risk, nor will they in coming and potentaially bringing COVID-19 to our island with the ~120 hospital beds, and 9 ICU beds.
Had more people on the mainland simply done what we did to dramatically reduce the risk of transmission, we’d all be living in a different world. Instead, because many on the mainland have eschewed science, medical and public health, the mainland has an out of control pandemic.
If there is blame to be placed for much of this, we need only look to the east across the Pacific Ocean. I believe that most who want to travel to Hawai’i would do their best to be safe, yet the proof lies in the numbers. We see the maps of infection.
Again, we’d like to welcome back visitors, but only when it is safer.
We also need to expand the economy of Hawai’i. In the late 60’s, Seattle came close to failing when Boeing nearly collapsed. Now the Seattle economy is much more diverse. If we have learned anything from this pandemic, it is that many jobs can be done remotely, and done well. That can bring more high-wage earning people to the islands, people who do not commute further than we do – about 30′ from our bedroom to our office! – and enrich our local economy here.
Aloha, and Mele Kalikimaka!
The longer the shutdown continues, the more out of state homeowners will see their vacation rental income drop. This will lead to massive numbers of houses coming on the market when they won’t be able to make their mortgage payments on a 2nd or 3rd home.
Get ready. It’s far from over…
Actually the super rich and foreign investors are swallowing up inventory…the HI as you and have known it will change forever…Hope you like what Larry Ellison has done for Lanai….
I doubt that the billionaires are going to be interested in a place on a half acre lot a couple streets back from the oceanfront places in HPP, or even a 3 acre place up in the cooler altitudes of Fern Forest or Volcano. These are 2nd or vacation homes that folks on the ML pick up to retire to, while making the payments on them with the STVR income.
The longer things stay shut down, the worse the economy will get hammered, whether here in the 808 of on the ML.
All I can say is, very well put. Always appreciate your perspective and insight.
We’ve had to cancel 2 trips to Kaua’i this year and are about to give up on Maui in February. The continuing Hawaiian drama is just too much.
Mahalo and good luck.
Hi Ed.
Thanks. We appreciate your comments and hope you can return again soon.
Aloha.
I’m so glad these issues are being addressed, as the future of Hawaii depends on it. I really want to see the Islands and it’s people thrive! I lived there once and want to move back in the near future. I love Hawaii’s culture, her people, the ever flowing Aloha spirit and it’s history. I am a pre-school teacher and would love to contribute to early childhood education on my favorite island of Kauai. I have friends there and I deeply care for their future as well as everyone else. Praying for recovery and new industries to sprout up for all the folks in Hawaii. Supporting local agriculture is also key as it continues to grow. My heart will always be with you!! Even though my vacation had to be canceled 2 ago, I will attempt it again next year. Mahalo Nui Loa
Am glad I saw Oahu twice before this lunacy set in.So sad to see how things changed so quickly with the fear that CDC spewed out daily on the news.My best wishes to all Hawaiians.
Respectfully Gary, the lunacy you describe is the way most mainland states have “managed” the virus. Please read my earlier post for a comparative analysis of how Hawaii has managed through the suffering by putting public safety first. You are sadly mistaken if you feel that the CDC promotes fear. If the few voices of reason to adopt universal, simple public health asks had been followed, perhaps we would not be leading the world in infections, hospitalizations, infections and deaths.
Please consider moving your blame up the D.C. street a bit to 1600 Penn. ave.
I read all of your articles and this one has so far been the best. Keep it up.
Hi Shawn.
Thanks for that and all your comments.
Aloha.
My husband (a local boy) and I have been visitors to Hawaii (as tourist and to visit my husband’s large family there) 1-2 times a year for decades. Like many, we had to sadly cancel this year’s HI trip.
* I have never seen so much confusion, and ensuing harm, on how to deal with a crisis as has happened with Hawaii with Covid-19. The multiple vacillations in travel regulations, for example, were unprecedented. It will take us a long while to trust what Hawaii says, so I can make solid travel plans and return. And we so want to support Hawaii and its locals!
* I also feel for the locals and their businesses — the many that have struggled and finally closed.
* I am concerned as well for the well-being of the businesses that still remain standing to serve the locals, never mind to serve any tourists who make it through the gauntlet and actually reach the islands, without being locked up for 14 days.
* I pray for the clarity for the State of HI to make conclusive and wise decisions to the best of their ability that include the well-being of the residents, the businesses and their owners in Hawaii, and also embrace the return of the many enthusiastic and loyal visitors to Hawaii.
For the government leadership of Hawaii: Make decisions based on leadership principles, on forward thinking, and on the wisdom of the Spirit of Hawaii rather than based on fear and confusion. Just.do.something and stand by it. Make it right for all involved as best is possible. You can only do your best in any situation. Consider the highest and best course for all involved. Your actions or inaction now will affect your state for a long time to come.
I really appreciate your indepth writing and analysis. Mahalo for always being thought provoking.
Hi Gary.
Thanks for that and your dozens of comments. Much appreciated.
Aloha.
We held out as long as we could with hopes we could proceed with our post-Christmas visit. But alas, we cancelled 27 flights to get 12 of us there and back, as well as our rental home. Broken-hearted, but felt like our hands were tied with minimal action being taken in the visitor-friendly direction. Such travel is far too expensive to feel like puppets/prisoners, even if we were to arrive with our healthy bill of health.
Amen!
As a Hawaiian tourist for the past 28 years and from a state that depends on sole source funds (oil and gas) for our education system I can proudly tell you from our ranking of near the bottom, it’s a poor strategy that leads to failure. Couple this with monopoly power of NEA which keeps trying the same old “best practices “ and survives by conscription of dues contributed to the same political party irrespective of results and your educated workforce will soon be if not already is nonexistent. Buena Suerte
so go back to basic’s, Pineapples and sugar cane…….
Unfortunately, Hawaii has lost the comparative advantage in exporting pineapples and sugar cane.
It could be an opportunity for companies whose employee telecommute. 🙂
When my wife and I started going to Hawaii in 1974, the islands still had some sugar cane and pineapple infrastructure. I’m sure it doesn’t exist anymore and cannot be rebuilt economically, Hawaii has the defense business (maybe less under the Democrats) and tourism and that’s it. I see people going east for jobs wholesale!!
The Sugar industry went foreign and it’s Not coming back. It should have been kept alive and Tariffs placed on imported foreign Sugar cane. Much like the Steel industry.
Thanks for the succinct summary of the situation (at this moment in time). We are all anxiously awaiting the next travel-rules scheme to be revealed by the State next week.
Based on the numerous possibilities you recently laid out, it will take the wisdom of Solomon to satisfy everyone and fairly treat those hoping to fly to the islands in the near future. Unfortunately Solomon is not a current Hawaiian politician.
Hi Mike.
Thanks for all your comments and the much needed levity.
Aloha.
As a heading home tomorrow visitor, you are right on about changes and fair traveler treatment. Thanks for your humor. It doesn’t appear that common sense follow science, but only fear. See ya next year for our 29 year to the island. Aloha
Beautifully said. Sad for us all though, and not just Hawaii. Businesses going down, people unemployed, etc. But at least the rules of travel haven’t changed from day to day on the mainland and this issue in Hawaii contributed to the lack of tourist dollars. People don’t know from day to day what the new Hawaii rules are. Something has to change drastically.
Hawaii has the wrong people in charge. I watch all the Hawaii youtube channels nightly and there was a Hawaii think tank on that said we need to raise the tax on tourists to 40 percent. Really that’s all you got? There is no coward thinking. How about bring in Larry Ellison for governor? Who could then bring in people that have a clue about business and diversifying.
Should be forward thinking
Ellison. He wouldn’t want that job. He’s Rich.