93 thoughts on “Hawaii Panics. Not Enough Tourists. Diversification Never Happened.”
Paula G
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.”
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
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
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!
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!