There’s no way this will be anything but fuel for the fire of Hawaii tourism’s makeover.
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380 thoughts on “Hawaii “Does Not Encourage Visiting:” Waikiki, Diamond Head, Volcanoes, Poipu, Etc.”
Home » Blog » Hawaii Travel News » Hawaii “Does Not Encourage Visiting:” Waikiki, Diamond Head, Volcanoes, Poipu, Etc.
Loco. Loco. Loco. The list is comprehensive and eliminates what visitors want to see. Seriously? This is out of touch with reality. Just one example: How do you get to Princeville without driving through Kapa’a? All tourists take the bypass? Ridiculous. What about the local businesses? Driving Kuhio highway used to be part of the charm. Now there are so many vacant and run-down places representing all the small businesses that have gone bust. The best bakery on the island is in Old Koloa. I went to Guangzhou province. The tour operator told us he hated American’s, he hated freedom, and creepy people “secretly” followed us at each stop. In Hawai’i that’s done via phones. It’s more than the environment that is deteriorating.
I had never heard of the Ma’ema’e Toolkit until I saw this article, and I’m glad I took the step of seeking it out for myself. I think your representation is potentially misleading – and it seems clear from the angry comments below that people thing they are being ‘forbidden’ from going to these sites. Unless the document has changed (in which case, you should update this article) – the sites are not listed in the Toolkit, which looks to me like a useful resource document.
The list of sites is from a strategic planning document, which names sites *most identified by residents* as presenting a concern, and gives the reason(s). Having read it, I agree. For example, safety. Three places immediately pop to mind where visitors have died. Locals know the dangers; Instagrammers don’t and promote a site without accountability.
The document says they will ‘monitor’ these situations, not forbid them. This seems a sensible minimum, since there is serious environmental or community impact and it ruins places for everyone, including visitors. There are many other beautiful places that have better infrastructure, like parking lots (instead of residential streets) that can handle crowds. Promote these on social media!
This confirms the message and vibe I got: Our money is welcome, but we are not. Very well then; we will not visit.
Since Hawaii so desperately wants less tourism, why don’t they restrict all tourism from outside the United States, and outlaw foreign investment? It’s a state, yet all I hear is placing restriction on tourists from other states. If Americans were the only tourists permitted, there would be a lot less total tourism! And there would be no need for the HTA at all; we’re all Americans, we learn about all 50 states in school – think of the savings in visitor marketing (oh sorry, it’s visitor Management in Hawaii) if only Americans were allowed to cross Hawaii’s borders. Funny how I now feel welcome in every state in America except Hawaii, although I’ve been traveling to Hawaii since the early ’90’s and our daughter and son-in-law live there!
As a resident of Waikiki (of only 9 years I married into a family here) we love when the area is packed, it means more $ for our friends and loved ones in service industries.I would think they would want more of the tourists diverted to Waikiki than roaming around others parts of the island.
I just took a photo of the discouraged sites on Kauai, to be sure and fit them in on my next trip. They’re obvious must-see locations and I’m grateful to the HTA for compiling the list in a convenient fashion for me.
It’s amazing how those of us who have banked more time there via schooling, living there and visiting, than many who post anti-tourist comments and are simply ignoring how much land China, Oprah, Zuckerberg, Ellison and Gates are gobbling up almost daily.
Don’t forget Bezos – although he isn’t the greedy landowner Ellison, Zuckerberg, and Oprah are in terms of acreage, he’s sliding in the back door through his large stake in Arrived Homes. This is potentially a bigger threat not just to Hawaii but to the entire United States (and the world?) via its purchase of single family homes to turn into fractional ownership investment shares. It has the potential to decimate affordable housing stock and turn the lower and middle class into renters for life. This is already happening in Hawaii through investors purchasing available housing and driving up prices beyond what island residents can afford; turning houses into fractional investments has the potential to be the death of the American dream.
This is incredibly shortsighted. There would be an enormous amount of unemployment if tourists didn’t visit many of these locations.
Chris I do agree that people would likely lose their employment, their livelihood. My “guess” would be that they are counting on the places that might benefit from this shift would need to hire a similar amount of people. However they are “Assuming” that things will occur there is still a plaguing question and accompanied complication, these “no tourism allowed” areas won’t be totally closed. Residents of Hawaii will be allowed to use the areas, why? We’ve been told that the areas are Environmentally Endangered, Etc. so why can Anyone be allowed to use them? Discrimination is Alive, Aloha is Dead and Buried in Hawaii.
That’s quite a big list for Kauai. Where do you promote for visitors to go?
Mahalo,
Pamela
Hi Pamela.
We are not “promoting” where visitors should go. We are merely reporting what state tourism is saying. You can enjoy your visit and go wherever you choose. We wish you a good trip.
Aloha.
Keep allowing the richest cultures/people/countries in the world to buy up islands and huge parcels of land, I.e. Oprah, Ellison, Gates, Zuckerberg, China, and your problems w/tourism will be solved!! It will all be privately owned and inaccessible to all!!