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.”
There’s no way this will be anything but fuel for the fire of Hawaii tourism’s makeover.
Can you recommend any nice hotels or resorts on Maui, Kauai or the big island for under $250 per night?
With the current climate of gentrification (not just in Hawai’i, but all over the upper 48), I’m not surprised that this list has been released. I’ve lived here one short year. The more I know, and the more I discover, about the land, about the people, about the history, the more I want to leave this place for the kanaka maoli to be the loving stewards of the land that has been stolen. Though all land is stolen land, these islands are so fragile, so uniquely beautiful, the thought of 30 million people passing through on a yearly basis seems wholly unsustainable. I feel a green tax, only on tourists (free for residents and indigenous Hawai’ians), could help with the protection of these sacred places.
I was always respectful when on the islands. They got their wish as my family will not be back. People are friendly when spending money in the shops , in hotels and tipping. Outside of that one should stay in your pricy accommodation, to keep Hawaii to the Hawaiian people, as they wish. I went to Hawaii to be outdoors and dare I say be on one of their beaches! Even New residents now have the this is my home attitude. The simple solution would be to close hotels, time share condos etc.
I agree 100%, with the places which should not be visited by tourists. I know Hawaii has sold it’s soul to tourism and the all mighty dollar, but it has gone too far in every direction. Until Hawaii residents take back Hawaii, it is just going to get worse. My major complaint besides the aina being overrun with tourists, is that the price of everything has gotten totally out of 🎛️ control. My son born and raised in Hawaii would love to come back and teach, but he can not because of the overall outlandish costs of everything from food to housing. Tourists should be limited, and anyone coming to live in Hawaii needs a sponsor to vouch for them.
Mahalo Kawika. Mahalo Hawaiian. Imua.
Nice thought. But that won’t happen. It would be unconstitutional. One state cannot limit citizens of another state from freely traveling from one to the other. The Supreme Court has addressed that issue several times.
I live here, my whole life I’m 50 years old. this is no longer the Aloha States! this is the evil state now I am an outsider, the Hawaiian have sold out to evil, because what was done to me & my family, I believe soon Hawaii will no longer the 50 state of the USA. The state of Hawaii is dirty and they are making moves to take down the United States of America. They are bringing in immigrants.
All beaches in Hawaii are public.
There’s this little document called the Constitution of the United States that would prevent that. But, I doubt you care much about that.
Of course tourism can be limited. Just raise the prices. It happens everywhere. There’s nothing in the constitution about that.
Have a nice day!
Too bad that’s not what the post I replied to was advocating. Nice try.
Your words of encouragement may blossom into beautiful daisies Eldo. If limiting tourism is the ultimate goal, why not limit the amount of Hotel and Resort Accommodations available? I Believe that coupled with your suggestion would certainly curtail the amount of tourists quickly and easily.
Ernie, are you suggesting that the HI State Government could stop hotel companies from doing business in the islands ? Why…that sounds downright… Un-American!
Eldo I would Never suggest such a thing. I was suggesting that at certain times of the year they “could” cut back on the number of rooms available for tourists, of course they could raise their rates may accordingly to compensate, thus limiting out of State tourism, regulate by unavailability. Less Tourists, approximately the same money made by the hotels, easier on the limited resources and people. A Win/Win for Hawaii! Just thinking outside of the box.
How do you cut back on rooms for Tourists? Someone checks in and the front desk says “BTW… are you a tourist?” And if they answer yes then they have to check to see if all the tourist rooms taken?
Patrick all that the Consortium of Hotels and Resorts need to do is Block Out a number of Rooms during certain periods of time, raise the rates to Compensate, and suddenly Tourists are cut back. This can be done at certain times to “persuade” tourists to travel at more preferential times of the year or for whatever reason. See, it’s Not that difficult!
Do you really think hotels would be willing to do that? I doubt it.
When you say “blockout a number of rooms” do you mean just don’t sell them and let them go empty? Let’s see… let’s close off half our rooms and double the price. What a genius idea. All he hotels would jump on that in a minute.
Understand preserving the culture, beauty, and purity of the island for the residents to enjoy.
However, unless more industry is developed so we can be self-sustaining, tourist dollars will be sorely missed.
You are right on the money. We cannot go backwards without destroying the local economy. Locals will actually be starving! This is not a joke. Read up on nations who have tried it. Economic manipulation never works. Countries in South America tried it to the dismay of the starving people.
I appreciate the earnestness of this article, but the Internet is definitely going to turn this into “The Top 10 Places you’re not supposed to go (you won’t believe #4).”
#4 on which island?
It’s a joke. A reference to pop-up internet ads.
Where to begin? My husband and I have collectively spent more time on ALL the islands than many who now call themselves residents. Grad school in Hilo in 1975 and so many years there-and now we fear discrimination if we go back. Ironic that so many Hawaii residents crave coming here to SoCal or Las Vegas!! Perhaps the same treatment/restrictions in reverse? We feel for all those businesses/hotels, etc. that keep residents solvent/financially secure. There’s still time to end the perceived hate and sustain towards all of us…
The Ma’ema’e Toolkit is virtue signaling document for a small angry minority of individuals living on Hawaii.
Hawaii is run by Big Corp first it was agriculture, pineapple and sugarcane, now it’s tourism. The planes are going to keep coming, new resorts will be built and tourist will be there in record numbers.
Hawaii has become a theme park full of tourist activities, ziplines, booze cruise, learn to surf, snorkeling, themed restaurants, Luau’s and lets not forget Aulani a Disney Resort & Spa.
You invited us we came and we are staying. Game over.
Been reading these comments through the rains. Sadly, this is probably the truest, most realistic comment of the whole bunch. Once you sell the farm you’ll never get enough money to buy it back and no one is going to give it back.
I’ve been visiting the islands with my parents and grandparents since I was a little girl, 5, I believe. I was taught to respect the islands, traditions and culture. To this day, that’s exactly what I do. The islands have a calming effect on me, peaceful you could say. I always feel awful when I see litter(I pick up) people approaching natural wildlife, it makes me feel ill. Last year I celebrated my 60th birthday in Kauai and got to share it with my 7 year old grandson. I would be sad not to be able to travel there.
My grandparents and parents were born and raised on Maui and Oahu. I love the Hawaiian islands and the people (native Hawaiian and all the people who have called Hawaii their “home”, regardless of their ethnicity.) we go home to visit each year and visit family. I understand the reason behind this article but I believe it is being taken out of context. Of course, visitors are welcome as that is most of their business! Just be respectful while there. No different than people of Montana who tell me they don’t appreciate visitors who come to see where “Yellowstone” is filmed and the trail they blaze through disturbing the majestic beauty of their home.
Hawaii is a tourist destination, the economy depends on it. There is no other commodity that can support those who live there. During Covid the economy spiraled down because there were no tourists. There are beautiful people and places in Hawaii that others can enjoy that don’t have the opportunity to live there.
Can you imagine the French tourist authority not promoting the Eiffel Tower, Paris or Venice? Or anywhere else in the world that is a tourist destination.
This report is actually economically hurting those who live there.
Hawaii is no longer what it was. This is my home. Im not of Hawaiian blood but the island is apart of me. Never lived anywhere else but here. I feel that no I know the True island ways of the Hawaiian people has turned into hate from the the United States of America congratulations repeat your history.
Have worked in Hawaii providing medical services for 30 years this article couldn’t be more right on. Hawaiian people are rude, confrontational, and not very friendly in general.
In those 30 years I visited many of these places and there’s always some underlying resentment to visitors. Plan on visiting one last time and never to return I’m sure they’re happy to hear that.
I Agree 100 percent that social media will destroy the beautiful lands as we once knew them….all over the world, but especially dear to my heart Hawaiian islands. The posts I read are so exasperating. Individuals wantng to know where to go in every step of their visit. My Golly, just open your eyes and it is right there, without posting how you look, etc.Please do no posting and tagging on every single site on socials… I was raised to honor all lands and its people. Many have not been taught to even Not litter. Parents, grandparents, teach your children to respect Everything. As their taught so shall they do! Our islands will be so injured if we dont get a handle on this social posting. Thanks for this article!
I certainly have sympathy for those who don’t want tourists. I know how I’d feel if thousands of strangers were tromping through my neighborhood. And I don’t see anything wrong with limiting the number of visitors, lots of places have limits on visitors. Demand will always overwhelm the sustainable capacity.
I don’t think there really are any good alternatives. Diversify? To what? Hawaii is too small and too remote. Clamping down on tourism and non resident property ownership is the best bet.
I hope it can be made to work, for the sake of the people and the place.
We visited in September for the first time in 12 years and were shocked at how busy and overrun some areas were.
I think it’s a delicate balance. And part of visiting respectfully is knowing which areas are sacred, off limits, or at capacity and exercise judgment and discretion rather than feeling entitled to full-access. And on top of that, maybe not posting and tagging every single site on socials…
Very accurate with the tagging abuse. We lived in Hawaii Kai for years and went to Halona Cove, often by ourselves, for a quiet day at the beach. When we drove there in September it was overrun by people who didn’t know how to safely get to and from the beach and there was trash everywhere. I wish there was a way to stop tagging.
Basically they are saying we can come, but stay in our room the entire time. If they really want to decrease tourism, shut down half of the hotels and other types of lodging. No place to stay, no tourists. Plus it would achieve your goal of only having wealthy people come. I have been to Hawaii numerous times. We have always been respectful of the islands. Apparently we aren’t wanted anymore so we won’t be back. So much is made of the Hawaiian culture and that’s great, but native Hawiians are less than 10% of the population according to the census. Maybe kick out the other 90%. None of this is realistic but then what the state wants to do isn’t either.
With all due respect, spoken as a true, uninformed tourist. While you are correct that the native Hawaiian, i.e., original Polynesian, population is small, the contemporary interpretation of Hawaiian culture includes all of the ethnic groups that comprise the population of these islands, including the large influx of eastern Asian nationals in the middle of the 19th century. So Hawaiian culture is much broader and diverse than what you are assuming. You exemplify what I see is one of the problems: outsiders making assumptions based on movies and popular representations that are not based in reality.
Eldo, I am not uninformed, 37 trips from NYC. It is a sad state of affairs today in the Islands. Stopped going with pandemic. Read this newsletter and daily Honolulu Advertiser. Things have changed and all involved will regret it soon. Don’t diss people for their opinion when that is what comment section is for.. things have changed in the wrong direction.Add more cheap airfares and see what type of tourist will outnumber respectful ones. Put your efforts into helping the homeless and mentally ill…
I was only responding to your comment about how only 10% of the people here are native Hawaiian so the rest should probably be kicked out. That is a statement that I have a significant problem with, because it is based in ignorance. Although maybe that’s not what you meant to say, but that’s what you wrote. Mahalo.
Wow. So in other words, come to Hawaii shop or shops, but don’t go to our attractions. Don’t look at our views. Is this why in the last couple years Hawaii is now charging to go to a lot of these places on this list
Unfortunately, I have witnessed some ‘“less than hospitable’ behavior of visitors to these beautiful places. It is so sad that people have forgotten to be good guests and show respect for other cultures and natural treasures such as these spectacular sites. They need to be respected and preserved so they may be shared with future generations.
Just want to add, with all the tourist that come to our islands and buy from our grocery stores. You are taking the food we need to live. We go weeks with out flour, milk, and so much more. And when you leave, you leave food in your condo’s we have to throw it all away. Then some of you just decided to stay and buy your summer home. Driving up housing prices. So the rest of us can’t even think about owning a home or even renting one. We work 2or 3 jobs just to live humbly.
When we get more tourists all the prices go up. What you pay is what we pay. You come here and treat us like we are scum only here to serve your every whim. You don’t tip properly and you throw you trash all over the place. Do us all a favor respect us, we earned it.
Are you saying that the grocery stores cannot buy enough for locals and tourists. I have not experienced that on any on the 4 islands I have been to. If you go without flour or milk, are so rural that deliveries are not often enough? I know you are supposed to throw away food that is left behind in condos, but why not donate it to a food bank? That rule was not made by tourists, it was made by your people who come up with some stupid laws. More tourists cause the prices to go up but in this case, it’s the hotels, restaurants, shops etc. sending the prices sky high as long as people will pay them. That will not last. No wonder it is said they only want rich people.
I don’t know about the other islands, because we have spent the last 10 years visiting Kauai once each year, But they may as well just say Don’t visit our island! And this year we aren’t! We are spending our two weeks on a Caribbean island instead. Not sure I will have the same emotions and spiritual healing I experience on Kauai , but I am sure hoping I will. So we can have a new, more welcoming vacation home… I will miss “my Kauai island home ” 🙁
Don’t allow the small mindedness of a few selfish residents affect your feelings about visiting Kauai. It’s as much your island as it is theirs.
Instead of promoting the idea all visitors are ugly ungrateful and don’t come why not make videos to be shown at airports that promote how to behave? The rules to follow to be a Good visitor. Show what being a respectful visitor means and how to behave. And include fines with teeth ($75k for urinating in public, or found to have trespassed on private property for example). If instead of headline “visitor urinated at top of ***” the headline read “Uncouth visitor fined $75k for desecrating scared ground”- would get the attention and get message across better.