93 thoughts on “Hawaii Panics. Not Enough Tourists. Diversification Never Happened.”
Liam G
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.
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.
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.
2
JohnW
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)
Ed D.
(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.
JohnW
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.
2
JohnW
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.
2
Ed.D.
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.
1
JohnW
You’re spot that we don’t live in a perfect world!
Ernie S.
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.
Vivian N
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
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!
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.
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.