There’s no reason to be surprised by what Hawaii is now projecting.
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93 thoughts on “Hawaii Panics. Not Enough Tourists. Diversification Never Happened.”
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There’s no reason to be surprised by what Hawaii is now projecting.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
Comments are closed.
Due to just returning home from Maui I’m a little late to this party
When you’re confronted with some one telling you on Hawaii a service or resort is at full capacity it’s usually a staffing issue.
On Maui we were very fortunate that we caught the bottom of tourist arrivals.
Week days there was no wait time at some of Wailea’s most popular restaurants MonkeyPod, DUO & HumuHumu. When we went to Mama’s on a Monday they were able to seat a few parties with no reservations, but at Fleetwoods on Saturday there was a 2 hour wait.
Lahaina was popping lots of tourist.
For us the food was excellent on Maui we didn’t have one bad meal. Staff at resort, restaurants and shopping were all very friendly and helpful.
Imagine all of those Hawaiians that are feeling Wonderful and reveling in their calculated attacks on Tourists. They wanted tourists to stop coming and now they are succeeding or is it a temporary correction or lull, only time will tell. Be Happy in the fact that the efforts will damage the lives of many people, you’re the reason, but the Beaches will be much less crowded with tourists. It will be interesting to see how this evolves.
Who can afford $400.00 a night? No wonder there are a fewer tourists. Lower the room rates and maybe I will visit.
$400 a night? I would wonder why it is that cheap. That amount is probably how much the rooms have increased.
Clearly, there were a Lot if people who could afford those prices since, as the article says, the islands were flooded with tourists to the point that the residents were complaining. I think I mentioned before, one of the ways that at least some in Hawaii have suggested to move forward was to have fewer “richer” visitors. Therefore, I think that allowing greed to take over with the hotels, rental cars, etc. and simply looking the other way was one way to “thin the herd”.
$400 per night is cheap now. You are looking at $600-$1800 per night for anything decent. Prices are inflated to make up for the time they were closed. If you pay it, they will charge it. Stop paying it!
Just got back from 14 days in Princeville, Kauai. It was a great vacation. But here are some things I noticed that were very curious.
– Everyone at any hotel told us that they are ‘fully booked’. Many other services told us that everything was booked. Yet it was not problem to find space or tables or parking.
– Small businesses and workers are under severe economic duress. Many waiters are complaining about living costs. Many small businesses are closed. The stress is palpable, natives are not happy.
– Food quality and food offerings are generally subpar and very limited. There is an endless supply of wraps, sandwiches, pizza and other high carb, very low cost food. It is very difficult to find higher quality food for diabetics.
It doesn’t sound like any actual residents were interviewed for this article. Certainly not on Maui.
Majority of residents I know would welcome with open arms to have a reprieve from the constant hoards of visitors we have been experiencing. They are everywhere, at our beach parks, restaurants, grocery stores, pharmacies (because they’re sick), driving aimlessly through
neighborhoods, causing increased traffic. Just this week the traffic with rental cars have been horrible. We are not being affected by too little tourism, just the opposite. Perhaps the corporations and our greedy corrupt politicians want more more more, but it’s destroying the land, culture, and quality of life.
The millions and millions of dollars those nasty tourists leave in Maui could be supporting the land, culture, and quality of life. If it’s not, its an issue you should be taking up with Maui County government.
The visitor taxes are supposedly funneled into various funds supporting the land, culture, and quality of life. But the council now wants to raise the rates and fees on visitors even more, as well as raise the property taxes on hotels, short-term rentals, and timeshares, who already pay 4-5 times more in property taxes as residents.
Hawaii being enmeshed in a ‘One Party System’, seems not to grasp the old idiom of “The goose that laid the golden egg”, possibly they don’t understand the concept of the United States and they are receiving benefits from the ‘Whole’, that they would not be able to enjoy in their pre-1959 world. Possibly placing an Excise or VAT Tax on all Hawaiian Residents exclusively that travel to the Mainland, would help them understand the concept! I cannot help but think, that moving away from the Hawaiian Tourist Bureau, for all their shortcomings and going to Academia, will be anything less then we see on the Mainland, with division.
Yes! And this is supposed to be our slow season!
I saw Hawaii News today and heard LT. Gov. Green recommend imposing a $50. fee(tax) for visitors.
(Not too long ago they added a 3% tax for visitors.).
I visit friends and extended Ohana twice a year in Hawaii, usually for 16 nights each trip. If he imposes the fee, although $50 is not so significant, I’ll protest it by cutting each trip by one day which will save me over $50 a day in Hawaii taxes. In addition I’ll be saving money by cutting one night in a hotel, and cutting one day for a rented car, etc. A 15 day visit will work fine for me.
Who is panicking? This article is definitely written with a bias towards too many tourists and is not at all true.
Hawaii is pricing itself out of the market, “On Kauai, hotels were busy, with rates up 46% to an average of $415 per night”. I used to visit every year sometimes 2x a year. I like to stay at least 2 weeks, as 1 week is not enough. But now at these prices, I will not be coming for a long time.
Patti G., we totally agree. Being “post covid” is just an excuse to jack up the prices and recoup the money they lost while “their Governor” shut down “their State”. They figure they will use the term “covid” until hades freezes over, or until people finally get smart and stop coming! Looks like they are finally getting smart!
I seem to recall that one of the responses to the “too many tourists” issue was the idea of reducing the number of “margin hunting” tourists and focus more on fewer tourists who are willing to spend more money. I wonder if part of these price increases are a part of that approach.
Absolutely, these price increases are part of that approach, and the county council is very direct in stating it. “Quality, not quantity” is their motto, which is often proclaimed publicly in their meetings.
Such an elitist stance, no aloha at all.
They state that to the public and then when no one is paying attention they push exactly opposite.
Exactly. We had a condo res for Maui next spring but canceled. Airfare and car rentals are priced far too high. We love Maui but not at this cost. Ended up booking a trip on the mainland for the same time period and well less than half the price. Now, I don’t know what percentage of residents don’t want us here, but if a minority, they’re certainly the loudest. Our last trip there (in 2018) could well turn out to be our final trip there. Sad, but it’s the reality. Tired of this “tourists are the problem” garbage.
Hawaii is retreating from the “revenge” travel that boosted numbers to near pre pandemic levels without international traffic.
Now international is about to return and I suspect a healthy balance of mainland and international tourists will be the case. I would think a lot of future growth will be from new international destinations, which I suspect is why Hawaiian has made such a commitment to the Dreamliner.
Do agree that lack of diversification is a problem, always has been. It’s not cheap or easy establishing a new industry in the middle of the Pacific
Maui has recently approved moving forward with charging anyone without a Hawaiian drivers license paid parking at all the maui county beaches. Of course it will take time to convert the parking lots to the paid parking plan, but it seems the timing is pretty bad, just as tourism is starting to decline. Locals had been complaining that they couldn’t find parking. I think there will soon be an abundance of empty spaces.
Oahu Beaches seem to have plenty of parking until the end of the day when the Locals show up to Drink, Party and Cook on Grills. From what I have seen there’s no parking problems during the day.
Not true for the beaches in Kailua. My daughter lives in Kailua & there is absolutely no parking at Kailua Beach Park unless you go before 8am
I really don’t think tourists will stop coming to Maui because they will have to pay for parking. Come on, they are already paying $600, 700, 800+ per night. Is another $30 going to be their breaking point? And if so, the reality is there is someone else right behind them willing to pay!
Since I live on the BI I guess I’m not understanding why the downward turn in tourism seems to be a big deal at this time. This is what many wanted (managed tourism), while change is always hard, forcing the state of Hawaii to look at other ways than just tourism to bring income to all in the state is a worthwhile opportunity. Step one seems to have been achieved let us hope that our state government will move forward in a better direction for all who live here and make our state a more sustainable place to live .
Four things will bring Hawaii tourism to its knees over the next 24 months:
1. Hawaii has suffered for years from a lack of marketing flexibility, which includes entrenched leadership, who are generally behind the curve instead of innovators.
2. Instead of one marketing arm that should probably be a state agency, there is a bifurcation of responsibility at several levels.
3. There has been a complete and utter sellout to the OTAs (online travel agencies), who have forced niche marketers to fold their tents and/or deliver business elsewhere.
4. Hoteliers (and to a lesser degree rental car agencies) have been soaking visitors in the aftermath of the pandemic.
5. Taxes/fees/surcharges foisted upon visitors are absurd.
Well said and very true. Until Hawaii brings prices back to a reasonable level, they will see much fewer people interested in visiting. I hope those in charge of the decision making take this seriously.
It wasn’t too long ago, several months ago, that locals were stating how the prices should keep rising and people will pay it because we’re talking Hawaii.
Now they’re upset by too few tourists ?!! You can’t have it both ways. It seems like all we ever hear are complaints from the Hawaiian people & their government about tourism. The lesson here is “Be careful what you ask for.”
We’re not upset, believe me. This article is bogus. The HTA (Hawaiian tourism authority) is angling to get back some of their funding that was cut.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority isn’t running things anymore. They were ousted. Now, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement is in charge.
Is it really surprising that tourism rates are dropping? Over the past year or so, your articles have consistently reported that tourists are no longer appreciated in the islands. More and more fees are being levied on tourists and prices for hotel rooms and rental cars have skyrocketed. My husband and I have travelled to the islands 21 times in the past, but I don’t see us returning any time soon. The beauty, culture and spirit of aloha was what kept us coming back.
I think that it’s clear that the reasons for the “drop”, which isn’t really a “drop” at all, it’s just not as much growth as anticipated in many cases, is the goal economy. Let’s face it, with the inflation we have today and the looming recession, people are cutting back on expenses, such as high priced vacations to Hawaii. Add to that the greed outlined in the article from the hotel industry, and you have the perfect storm for a reduction in the number of visitors. Diversification is the answer, but the tourism industry in Hawaii has done a great job of preventing that from happening for years.
My husband and I went to Maui last November. Our first 5 nights were spent at the Hyatt resort and then we moved to a condo for the last 7 nights. I booked the Hyatt part of our trip through Costco and we had an ocean front room, daily breakfast,car and $325 resort credit. The price of $2,795 also included all taxes and the “resort” fee. That same trip without the $325 resort credit is now Double just a year later. The direct pricing of the hotels via their websites are off the charts. I can’t imagine there are that many upper income people that will just pay these prices because they can. Most of the upper income people I come in contact with aren’t stupid with their money and weigh cost vs value. I love Hawaii so much and I’ll miss it!
Here’s a headline from an article a few months ago: “Residents beg tourists to stop visiting amid post-pandemic boom”
Mayor Victorino asked airlines to decrease the number of incoming flights.
In July 2021, water shortages sparked outrage that locals had to cut back to accommodate heavy water use by tourists. It was all over Instagram with so many locals decrying tourism.
As a non-Hawaiian, I see all this and decide its better for Hawaii if I vacation elsewhere. So, at least two vacations that would have been to Hawaii will be to other locations this year.
And now the state is suffering from lack of tourism?
I sure hope that someone in Hawaiian leadership can decide what is best for the state and can start pushing a unified message
I guess they are getting what they asked for!
When you charge those numbers, people can go to other island countries or resorts for a lot less. Locals can’t even afford it with local discounts. Do the math…with those increases you will lose business when they can go elsewhere. Do the math. It’s not rocket science
The lack of tech/bio/pharma jobs in Hawaii has kept me from relocation to Hawaii for the end of my career, I will have to wait until I fully retire.
Tourism now and into the foreseeable future will be the life blood of Hawaii. What it needs to be carful of is if it’s competitors can provide better value.
That is something that most have been doing for years consistently. The prices are finally opening the eyes of many and the deals have Nothing to do with Hawaii.
It would be shockingly amazing if Hawaii was to be innovative. I’m in Software and it was next to impossible to find any meaningful employment while living in Hawaii. A few months before the pandemic hit, I won a job offer that pays almost double what I was hoping to earn in Hawaii. We would love to return but the cost of living is too high even for two decent wage earners.
Everything that people purchase in any society is regulated by supply and demand. When there was an overabundance of tourists in Hawaii, hotels and others felt like they could raise their prices exponentially. Now that tourism is dropping off due to inflation and other factors, prices for hotels and rental cars and other tourism related costs will have to be reduced. Hotels want to keep their rooms filled and rental agencies want to keep their cars rented. The prices will eventually go down although perhaps not to as low as they used to be pre-covid. And if we have a full-blown recession in the US, tourism will fall off everywhere, not just to Hawaii. Keep checking websites for price reductions and you will eventually find them. E Komo Mai!
Only way to make it from Hawaii in this field is working remote. I just got my buddy who I worked with on Oahu a job here in AZ. It pays double what he was getting on Oahu and the benefits are significantly better. Best of all we never do overtime which is unpaid in Hawaii. He’s done at 1 PM everyday we used to work 70hrs a week.
A major factor in this is Oahu’s ban on short term rentals. So many affordable places used to be accessible to tourists that no longer are on offer for them. Times have changed.. we take Ubers instead of cabs and many of us prefer AirB&B’s over crowded hotels. This has given the hotel industry the ability to put whatever ridiculous price they want on their rooms. These new bad policies will plague Oahu tourism for many years to come.
Amazingly even Governor Igor deferred his Power and Decision Making to circumstances occurring on Oahu directed by “Council.” Igor knows where the Real Power of Hawaii resides. Igor is awaiting the upcoming Court Date to determine what will remain of the STR Debacle before issuing the edicts into “The Law of the Hawaiian Islands,” he’s a Politician for sure! Can’t Blame the Guy if he didn’t stick his neck out, blame the “other guys!” Tourism will come back and be raped for rooms, cars and everything but it’s Hawaii, Woo Hoo!
I usually stay at some of the higher end place halekulani, kahala etc. I pulled up my 2019 trip 8 nights 4 at each with included breakfast no parking fees no resort fees and $300 credit and rental car with ocean view rooms. Ran around $5k. It’s now more than double with out any of those extras. Usually I buy about 10k in art work from the galleries while there and a few k on other things. But I’ll spend my money elsewhere now.
Mahalo again guys for breaking this down. We seem to be between a rock and a hard place. Not to mention a looming recession with inflation on the rise. But I still say Kaua’i needs the world and the world needs Kaua’i.
Hi Kauaidoug.
We’ve sure heard that expression before. Thanks for so many comments over the past couple of years!
Aloha.
I love Hawaii, but I no longer feel welcome due to all of the negative comments on social media. We have decided to take our tourism dollars elsewhere.
You might want to replace “Hawaii” in the title with “some people in Hawaii”. Here on the Big Island we never really had too many beaches to start with. Then we lost many of our beaches to the 2018 lava flow. Residents are now trying to jam into the same few beaches that are also frequented by vacation renters, cruise ship passengers, hotel guests driving around the islands, and mainland transplant residents that moved here during the pandemic. This inflow and the increasingly degraded state of our beach resources, especially coral reef death and sand loss, is leading to the often observed increased conflict between residents and tourists. There is no easy solution here. Our communities are very much on edge regarding overtourism here.
I’m not sure that social media actually reflects the attitudes of the majority of the natives. We just got back from 10 days in Maui and the people couldn’t have been more welcoming and friendly. I know that won’t make headlines on CNN or the LA Times. But then again the tourists we mingled with seemed to have better attitudes as well.
Thanks again to BOH for your thought-provoking articles. I’ll bet you’re glad for not having Covid related news dominating your website.
Hi Curtis.
Definitely. That’s good news for visitors and residents alike. Thanks again for over 150 comments.
Aloha.
I live here, and have the same experience as you. Friendly locals. Respectful, appreciative visitors.
The problem is, there is a vocal minority that hog the Internet. My guess is that they are the people who, for one reason or another, don’t need to work for a living, or who are not affected by visitor dollars. Notable examples of people not affected are government employees, welfare recipients, and the independently wealthy.
The other locals will be hurt by any reduction in tourism.
I did see a large group of protesters at government offices a few weeks ago, begging the council not to pass laws that affect their hospitality jobs. I feel sorry for these folks, whose livelihoods are being affected by this small, vocal group.
Just like the superferry. Obviously the protestors don’t have jobs or are getting paid to protest. All those that say they liked it during the pandemic you liked it because the feds were giving you free money to do nothing and you got $700 a week unemployment plus another $600 then said I didn’t know I had to pay taxes lol and didn’t have to pay rent. That’s called retirement if planned well If you want to go your own way then cut the cord. Give it a shot you’ll be back. Or maybe China stops by for a little fireside chat.
The protestors were the people *with* jobs that were protesting laws being considered that would limit tourism. I was surprised to see it, and hope the government listens to them.
Pat and Curtis, you summed it up nicely….there’s a perception people get of the world by singular focus on cable news or a social media platform that serves as a vehicle for someone to vent or, there is the real world. In Hawaii’s case you can still find plenty of Aloha.
The people that complain about how bad Hawaii is should ask themselves why do so many people not have that perception…maybe the problem can be found in the mirror?
Hey John, it is my belief that the basic gist of this conversation is not only about attitudes towards Tourists but it also has a lot to do with the prices that are now being charged to stay there. Hotels and Hotel Parking, Beach Parking, Car Rental, etc. Couple all of that with the current price of Gas and you have a recipe for disaster. There is absolutely no reason for the rates to be as high as they are, other than they are gouging in an attempt to recoup their losses during the scamdemic. I don’t think anyone that has ever visited Hawaii can say that it is not one of the most beautiful places on the planet. But there are people in Hawaii, (case in point the blogger that keeps saying that all tourists should stay away from Hawaii)
(Cont. from above)
that continue to express how rude and disrespectful the Tourists are. By the way, I didn’t get that from any news network, or cable station. I got that from this Blog BOH. I am sure that people read this stuff and get the feeling that it isn’t a place they want to visit, if they are not welcome by the locals. Personally, when we have been to Hawaii, we have met nothing but kind, courteous people there. For us, even the price isn’t a problem, as we own weeks of timeshare and we trade to go there. But the car rental and general expenses to do anything there have skyrocketed.
Aloha ED, my point was simply to say, whether the internet or cable news, there is a lot of people with a very narrow perspective on all kinds of things, not just Hawaii. I feel for the posters who are saying they are afraid to come to Hawaii because they don’t feel wanted. They get that perspective from a few angry posters and it doesn’t reflect reality. Not to shock you, but people lie on the internet to make a point :)…most people come here and have a very positive interaction with everyone they meet. As the saying goes, if you meet a jerk you’ve met a jerk, if you meet a lot of jerks, you’re the jerk.
Also Ed, to your point about how expensive it is…I think the whole world is suffering from inflation right now, not just Hawaii. Everything is more expensive, I don’t know how much different we are then other places nor how much our isolation exasperates the issue, on one hand you have the issue of corporate greed which is everywhere, but on the other hand you have companies just trying to survive in the current economy, of supply chain issues, difficulties finding workers and increased debt load. I really don’t think it’s a concerted effort against tourism, the industry will collapse and take Hawaii with it if companies that provide the services can’t pay for what they need to operate, service their debt and pay their employees.
Johnw, aloha John. I know that inflation has exacerbated the financial situation but in some cases a 100 percent increase in rates? No way they can justify that with an inflation increase of less than 9 percent. That is pure corporate greed and in a perfect world, there are laws against price gouging. But I guess we no longer live in a perfect world.
You’re spot that we don’t live in a perfect world!
The “Thought” of pursuing any Available Charges for this type of “Robbery” are dismissed due to the Enormous Returns involved for the State and all forms of Government in Hawaii. Consumer Protections should have been attached long ago even though those effected are “Transient” Tourists. Hawaii has Chosen to Enrich itself by Fleecing every Tourist instead of developing alternative Businesses to contribute to Employment and Revenue.
Another concern is the car rental situation that currently exists. Either sky high gouging rates, limited selections offered or non existent rentals even though a rental was secured. My pet peeve is the return car locations. Address provided is ‘300 Rodgers Boulevard’ which means the Honolulu airport. Question is exactly where in the airport is the location? The last time I had to return my rental car I got lost and parked on Nimitz. Fortunately a car rental van stopped when I flagged it down for directions and they weaved throughout the airport and showed me the way. I suggest that more specific instructions/directions be provided (i.e. across from XXX store, etc) as the street address just isn’t enough
Rental car used to basically be a throw in when booking a vacation package. Now with parking fees it’s almost $150 a day for the smallest car.
We visited Kauai 2019 and used Hawaiian Airlines to get there. Everything was very pleasant from the time we stepped onto the plane until our return. By far the most beautiful vacation I’ve ever had. The Hawaiian people are wonderful and welcoming. The coffee is the best I’ve ever tasted, brought some home. I plan to go again 😁
Hawaii should review the corporate tax and organization policies of Delaware and go one better. Try recruiting the domesric and international incorporation business away. Additionally we could do the same with tge banking industry to effectively compete with Switzerland. These are clean paper based industries that succeed in remote small locations. Perfect for us
This from Fodor’s “ A hotel transient accommodations tax of 10.25%, combined with the excise tax, totals a 14.42% rate added to your room bill. Even vacation rentals and B&Bs are required to collect this tax.”
My wife and I have been visiting The Big Island for at least the past 20 years but our December trip this year will be the last visit. Congratulations Hawaii – you’ve priced us out of the market. By mutual decision we will not be returning. The juice is no longer worth the squeeze!
JS
I am in charge of booking business travel for large groups. Most of our groups are no longer interested in traveling to Hawaii for their meetings. It’s mostly due to the price gouging that is happening since the pandemic. Also the feedback about how tourists are not welcomed It seems the people that live on Hawaii were very happy without tourism. Most of my bookings now are for Europe.
That’s what happens when you get greedy. Hotel prices seemingly doubled vs pre-pandemic and when anyone complains, they will say “supply and demand”. It was obvious that this wasn’t sustainable. So why are prices still so high for lodging despite the reduction in tourists?
A few examples: Hapuna Beach Resort was $400 in 2019, now they want 800-1000 a night. Mauna Kea was 700 before pandemic, now they charge 1300-1500. Turtle Bay resort used to be 300-400 for a oxeanview room, now 900 a night. Insane.
Try a legal short-term rental. There are some beautiful ones, with full kitchens, multiple bedrooms, etc and the prices are still quite reasonable. People I know who own one are fully booked through March. Condos in a complex with other short-term rentals are best, so that the single-family neighborhoods are not disturbed.
I don’t really have time to read a 27 page bureaucratic report, but I have to admit I’m curious about how UHERO thought Hawaii was going to diversify.
Beyond a strategic position (military) and lovely scenery and generally wonderful climate (tourism), I’m curious what Hawaii has to offer economically that won’t impact tourism negatively?
Hawaii gave up on agriculture (pineapples and sugarcane) several decades back – it was the biggest shock returning as a tourist in 2009 from when I was stationed there in 1986-1990.
Has there been any movement on the 90 day minimum stay for condos in Honolulu, Specifically the Gold Coast area toward Diamond Head?
Such arbitrary restrictions like this cannot help the economy recover. I am in limbo, I made a reservation/deposit for a month next year and I don’t even know if I have a place to stay as this is in litigation. I already have my airline ticket. Not fair to the property owners in that area.
I’ve been coming to Hawaii once or twice a year for 30 years and I doubt if I have ever put a piece of gum on the sidewalk Or lost control of a Plastic bag or used the wrong sunscreen.
A couple of things come to mind.
The current state of the economy!
The attitude of Hawaiians towards those of us that visit the Islands. Not all Hawaiians!
But recently there were discussions right here on BOH about a blogger in the Islands that totally desecrates Tourists that come to the Islands.
Also, we are pretty tired of hearing how disrespectful we are to the locals. Speaking for my wife and I, we have always treated everyone we come in contact with while on vacation, with the same amount of courtesy and respect, as we would like bestowed upon us.
So I believe that a lot of the current trend is due to the overall atmosphere that is created by all of the negatives that are heaped on tourists in general.
We have been traveling to Hawaii for over 20 years and love the people, culture, beauty and history of Hawaii. Our family has always looked forward to it. But after COVID I’am hearing nothing but negative about vacationing on the Islands. I don’t feel the Aloha and don’t see the welcome as in the past. I still listen to Hawaiian music and stream Hawaii radio stations but now the cost of hotels, car rentals and the new fees for about everything we enjoy, the Aloha now is based on the Dollar not the love of the people. If Hawaii is looking for the elite 1% willing to pay big bucks i will seek other vacation options as in cruising and international travel. I will always love Hawaii and miss it. Please don’t let the politics destroy it.
What do they expect when they demonize tourists, tell them to stay away, increase the cost of rental cars and accommodations to ridiculous amounts, and on top of all that throw in a recession and out of control inflation? Anyone with a lick of sense could have predicted what the outcome would be. Diversification doesn’t stand a chance because resorts generate a lot more income for the state than agriculture, and it is all about the money. This is what happens when states (politicians) become greedy. The ones to suffer are going to be the residents who are struggling to survive and it is only going to get worse.
The residents are the ones complaining about tourists, though. And those are the people who vote. So all of the government strives to accommodate them, so that they can get reelected. They discouraged tourism, passed laws that squelched “overtourism”, and raised beach and parking rates off the charts, all to try to reduce tourism.
This isn’t just my opinion; I have attended all of the related council meetings, and saw this happen. It’s a story as old as the hills.
Maybe now, as all of this affects the locals and they must leave the island because of the high rents and lack of jobs, the government will again listen to them and the situation will improve.
Sounds like those who are driving the bus, don’t have the answers, especially in light of all the recent comments on Parking, Beach Charges etc., at the confluence of 46% Rate increases, Resort Fee’s and Taxes, since Governor Ige purloined the Counties Revenue for the States General Fund, necessitating Counties raise their Room Taxes higher! Add-in, the climate where those employed in Service Industries, Tourist Retail and Dining stayed on the side-line collecting Federal PPG $, compromised productivity in Sales and Tax generation, see Waikiki in particular, Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, now splits with International Market Place, Sak’s is Gone, DFS pulled out, Dining is hamstrung with Staff shortages, be careful what you wish for!
All Politics is Local & Hawaii’, in my observation has had a complete lack of leadership in Ige/Green= all in for themselves and not the citizens they supposedly “serve”….this upcoming election may or may not move the State in a better direction
“Short on specifics” because there are no alternatives to tourism. Hawaii’s cash crops (Sugar cane and pineapple and to a lesser degree Macadamia nuts) went away quite awhile ago. Nothing left but to soak the tourists for whatever they can get from them.
But then again , the tourists are getting the message that they aren’t wanted (or needed) so they go someplace else.
Is it possible that still requiring people to wear masks in locations could cause some of this? I’ve been watching alot of YouTube and doing research on various restaurants and they are still imposing restrictions on visitors even with all the data showing how useless the restrictions were. I know personally if our upcoming lodging and airfare were booked refundable our trip would divert to a visitor friendly location. Thanks for all the articles BOH. You’ve shed a light on some things Hawaii for me.
Hi Michael.
Thanks for your first comment! We have not seen masks required anywhere in Hawaii for quite some time. Unless maybe in a medical-type setting.
Aloha.
I’m hoping you are correct. However, on Tuesday we made a reservation for Dukes Kauai on the 29th of October and on the reservation it clearly states masks to be worn indoors. Thanks for the welcoming comments and hope to share my upcoming experience on one of your pertinent articles.
Hi Michael.
Thanks. That’s bizarre. Highly unlikely but please let us know.
Aloha.
I’ll bet that they just haven’t removed that message form their reservation email yet. We were on the Big Island a few months ago, and no place was requiring masks, and we saw hardly any being worn.
Ditto! the only Masks I see in Maui are a handful of tourists and a handful of locals still living in fear…makes me wonder “how long will they wear them?…2 going on 3 years?”….on the mainland, in OC, California where I use to live, certain cultures always wore masks off/on for years Way before Covid! A lot of it is culturally based and very common in some cultures as their air quality is horrific (not in Hawaii, so I scratch my head when I see them; especially on a hot & humid day!), they wore them for personal medical reasons, or they were just conditioned to wear them….when I visit OC even now, I still see mask wearing albeit very limited. Los Angeles is a whole other story and mask wearing is rampant
I just have to laugh. Now that the tourists were not really wanted by many, you charge them more than locals for a lot of things, and hotel and rental car rates went thru the roof, they are scratching their heads because those of us who came regularly prior to Covid are now done with being gouged. I love the islands. I love the culture. So I moved to a more tropical climate and am not so inclined to go back to Hawaii. Sad, but that’s life.
When will the $10-30 dollars for parking begin in Maui at the Kamaole 1-2-3 and Ulua Beaches? The parking where locals Only can park free between 7:am and 10:am?
Maybe now they won’t do it, since it is turning visitors off and there are no other states that have this kind of discrimination at their parks and beaches.
You can only raise prices so much before people decide not to buy something. Seems like Hawaii may have gotten too greedy and people are deciding to spend their tourist dollars elsewhere. The condo we stay at in Kapa’a was 50% more last month than the same time period in 2019 and 30% higher than 2021. Unless prices come down, we may have to skip 2023.
Aloha, BOH!
Hi Ed.
Thanks for the valuable feedback. You are obviously a big Hawaii fan. We appreciate your more than 200 comments over the past couple of years.
Aloha.