There’s no way this will be anything but fuel for the fire of Hawaii tourism’s makeover.
Leave a Comment
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.
Agree over tourism does take toll on island and residents, however it does run our economy. Good luck undoing what was acheived of decades of marketing. Heres a thought if theres no place to stay , wouldnt the amount of visitors be restricted ?? Maybe control all the rental properties, no place to stay no visitor! Got alot of off island people renting there homes. We have on each island drains and abuses of land and resources that are highly visible i live big island, been to coconut island lately ? Theres a couple that took up residence in shelter there stuff strewn all over, grafitti on walls. However that mayb cure for over tourism let them pitch tents and park wagons all over the hotspots im sure the visitors will back off.
But how is it that the Hawaiian Islands became inhabited? By ancient Polynesian peoples arriving by dugout canoes? Well does that disqualify the title of being “native” to Hawaii?
Polynesian seafarers from the Marquesas Islands are thought to be the first humans inhabiting the Hawaiian archipelago. For many hundreds of years this original native population grew in thrived, and became one of the most advanced kingdoms in the Pacific Ocean basin. Then the Europeans arrived, and it was conquest, colonization, religious sublimation and finally the forced and illegal annexation of the islands by the United States government. I would say people who can trace their roots back prior to US annexation have the strongest claim to being cultural Hawaiians. Ethnicity really doesn’t play much into it anymore.
Do these people forget that tourism is the life blood of these islands? Without visitors we wither, as we saw during the pandemic. They are the very definition of short-sighted…
Tourism is like a serious drug addiction. Continued use of the drug provides temporary relief of cravings and undesirable symptoms, and it is very difficult for the drug addict to imagine a life without the calming effects of the drug. But eventually the drug must be rejected and stopped, or the user will succumb to it. It isn’t easy to do, but it can be done, and the outcome is always much better than the addiction ever was.
Many times, such as this, those at the top of the trade are not held accountable. It’s not the Tourists fault, they have been lured and invited for decades to vacation in Hawaii, to spend money. Question: Who has prospered through this time? It’s not the Average Hawaiian, however it Is the Resort/Timeshare/Hotel Industry. They are the Beneficiary, along with Politicians, to the Tourism Industry and the Wealth it brings. Simply look at all of the Construction in Honolulu and then tell me that Tourism will be Decreased for long, it’s not the plan. Too many are blaming wrongly, it’s time to realize and re-affix the blame.
After getting to know the locals and how they feel. I feel that this a move in the right direction. Hawaiians deserve to have their home back, and yes I foresee economic issues coming down the line.
But those economic stresses might finally force the corrupted Hawaiian government to focus more on it’s own people instead of the tourist.
Suggesting tourists stay away from these listed areas is quite ludicrous but not totally unexpected. “Local Input” weighed heavily on the lists, tourists will visit these area more now that there’s a list, ^5 Way To Go! Maybe the Legislature should shut down the Travel Bureau, open up a dozen soft serve ice cream stands at those areas and make money!
I lived on Oahu for 16 yrs because of the military, 1970-1986, been back 25 times. The islands were home to me,my 4 children graduated from Radford High School. I worked for a physician on King St and loved my patients and learned their direct languages. Hawaii was/is a remarkable place,but a lot of the blame belongs to Hawaii Visitors Bureau for dismantling Waikiki for instance for instance. Now only foreigners can afford to shop and eat there. Homeless people is the fault of allowing Japanese rich to offer residents a million dollars for their homes, but they couldn’t find a place to live and the big Ohana was in the streets. Hawaii is Paradise to me,I love the culture and most of all the people.I gave my 33 yr old son a Hawaiian name..K
Aloha,
May I please have answers to my questions below from Ma’ema’e.
Where on the Big Island would you recommend for someone who wishes to visit?
What year would Hawaii be more recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and related issues for residents, and be open to someone visiting from the mainland?
I do hope there is more done, by your legislature, for reparations for native Hawaiians, before colonial times. May you find a kind balance with the lands and seas of the islands for your residents.
I remember my visit fondly to Hilo many years ago. I would like to visit again before I pass on.
Mahalo, in advance, for an answer to my questions above.
Sincerely,
Anastasia
So what are we supposed to do? Go to Hawaii and stay in a hotel room? If you wanna see overpopulation try going to Las Vegas and driving down the strip. Don’t go to Oahu and surf waikiki. Don’t go to the North Shore and watch the banzai pipeline surf championships. Are you crazy. America is here for us to enjoy and all Americans should greet us with love and respect. Isn’t that the perfect world you are looking for?
Yes, America is for all to enjoy and respect, as you say. I wonder though, do you include your hometown and specifically your neighborhood and street as the “America“ that everyone is allowed to visit and hang out at? Not sure where you live, but I am sure that you would want nothing to do with mass influx of tourists driving up and down your street, overcrowding your hangouts, and generally changing the whole atmosphere of your hometown. Am I right?
Eldo I live in Rural America, Dirt Road and Tree Lined. Abundant Wildlife and Crisp Clean Air, however, a decade ago or there about a business opened a mile+ from me that has added to the ambiance. It draws many people, thus speeding vehicles, almost daily, nightly, year round. Do I object? No! It could be much worse. Is it degrading the roads? Yes. Taxing upon the food and water supply, Absolutely. No one has complained. Imagine that! The difference? No Politicians or Big Businesses involved in driving the area into something that it’s not, unlike Hawaii for decades.
So you don’t care about increased traffic, increased food prices and degraded water in your home town.
That’s pretty weird. Actually, it’s sad.
You are right. My small town in California got “discovered” during the pandemic because our beaches were never closed and it’s pretty much a nightmare, especially weekends. I lived on the North Shore in the 70s, went back to visit ten years again. Never again. I will respect the locals feelings and wish others would do the same where I live
Sounds like you don’t want tourists at all. Maybe we should leave our money at the airport and you could just pick it up. I have been coming to Hawaii for many years, don’t disrespect anyone or anything. But ever year the locals attitude gets nastier! I live in a tourist area in Montana and I do get it. Believe me, plenty of areas to spend my money, if I’m not welcome I’ll go elsewhere!
Why bother coming to Hawaii to see your beautiful sites when you’re discouraged from doing so by the Hawaiian government who still wants your tourist dollars.
When most Hawaiians need to work 3 jobs in order to live there, this is not the place for me. I visited in March 2021 and Oahu is pretty, but also a disappointment. The amount of homelessness is astonishing. Keep writing articles like this and Hawaiians will need to work even more.
We just got back from 8 days on Oahu. We went to alot of beautiful places. Don’t worry locals, we won’t be back. The cost of staying there assures us we won’t be coming back.
I have to laugh at the following statement… HTA says that “Our home has often been misrepresented or inaccurately portrayed through the use of incorrect information, spelling errors, and inappropriate imagery”. Did anyone else catch the spelling error in the sixth word in this article, (announed)??
I love Oahu, we’ve been coming for years. We try to be respectful and polite to the environment and all people we come in contact with (we are aware we are being welcomed to their home). My concern is that this will discourage travel to the islands. Tourism and tourism dollars are the main industry and I’m afraid what it would do to the economy?
If you want to see what Hawaii would be like without tourists, just visit the (Un)Friendly Island of Molokai and be treated to locals on welfare drinking beer and giving the stink-eye to anyone they don’t recognize.
Isn’t that the truth? I have never felt so unwelcome anywhere.
Too bad Aloha is disappearing.. Seems like visitors shouldn’t go anywhere.. The island beauty is now only for residents?? Come on folks, we need the tourism business…
Who is surprised this is the turn the Board has taken. Aloha is gone it seems. Maybe tourists can tour the junked cars, abandoned appliances and rail pillars with no tracks. Or maybe tourists would enjoy a real Hawaii show by attending a City Council meeting where much of the crazy taxes they pay really go to. Time for locals to get over themselves. Hawaii needs the tax dollars. Or would you prefer to triple your state property taxes?
A true mess and it’s showing the world how disconnected the board is and what its doing with taxpayers monies.
How true your words are. Somehow it is always the tourists disrespecting the land. They never mention the broken down cars, overgrown yards, abandoned appliances etc. etc. You can see it all when you are driving through the neighborhood on your way to Hana.
This is right on point. Always easy to point the finger elsewhere.
Ua mau ke ea o ka aina i ka pono The state’s moto rings true here. The feelings of righteousness for the aina will be severely diminished if current HTA recommendations continue. Listen to local folks… It’s their home.
I lived on Oahu for 16 yrs and never wanted to leave, military. I’ve been back 25 times, last one 2018 and was stunned at the change of Waikiki. There was International Market Place across from Dukes statue on Waikiki. Locals, tourists,there was something for everyone, it now looks like Rodeo Drive. Drove the Locals out. 70s/80s Locals lived on beaches,Ohana’s,family, together. Visitors Bureau told me”they were revitalizing Waikiki for conventions and the Japanese”. I only cared about the local people, they were my patients and friends.
Excellent list. I’ve been coming to Hawaii for 30+ years and have visited most of those spots, but I’ll be sure to visit anywhere on the list I haven’t been to yet. At least I saw most of them. Thanks, HTA!
I’ve spent many years living part time on Oahu. Without tourism, HI will fail. Tourists can’t visit the most beautiful spots in the state? So why bother to visit at all? And it’s far too expensive a place to visit now. Only for the rich and elite. HI has done everything they can to attract them. Do the rich control the gov’t? Destroy parts of Honolulu to build condos, that obviously Hawaiians can’t afford to live in. So the rich can visit as long as they don’t go outside their condos. HI should wonder why it wasted billions of $$ on a monorail to nowhere, while its people have to work 2 and 3 jobs to survive. Tourism money isn’t getting to where it needs to go. So what happens when tourism declines? HI people will be left with nothing.
The HTA is not being realistic or professional in developing the economy of Hawaii.
Hawaii is no longer competitive with other vacation destinations. The Yen exchange rate is not the primary reason Hawaii is no longer high on the list for Japanese to vacation. There are too many other more desirable options.
This sounds nice….however I was living in Kauai in the 90s and partied with 100 percent Hawaiians from Niihauu ..we were up in mountain park with ponds they were swimming in and passing around a bottle of vodka then when finish drinking they threw the bottle in the bushes..littering..I’ve seen locals throw candy wrappers on the ground… don’t be hypocrite
Not sure if satirical. Waiting Valley, sure thats been discussed in recent years, but Ali’i Drive!?