456 thoughts on “Hawaii Public Relations Nightmare as Media Frenzy Fuels Unrest”

  1. My husband and I visited Honolulu and Maui last fall. About a week ago we booked the Big Island and Kauai for two weeks in September. What would keep us away? If the 14 day quar antine were still in effect, of course. And, when I last looked, the hotel choices weren’t as widespread as in the past. This is likely due to the pan demic and hopefully things will open up soon. We stay at Marriotts or Hiltons because that is where I have hotel points. With Southwest Companion pass and hotel points, Hawaii is affordable for us.

    We live in Las Vegas which is also terribly affected by this. The unemployment rate is ridiculously high and many have not yet seen any unemployment benefits. We would like to visit Hawaii if it is possible as it is a good thing to help a tourist-based economy right now.

    Aloha!
    Susan

  2. There is no reason to overreact. Once it is safe to travel, tourism will return. The bigger risk to tourism is the likelihood of a slowly recovering economy – not the misperception of a change in Hawaii’s aloha.

  3. I was planning on spending thousands of dollars for a 3 week anniversary trip to Hawaii. I’m not going to pay out the money to sit in a hotel room for 2 weeks. Now I’m considering a 3 week cross country trip on Route 66.

  4. I already have reservations for October 2020 and March 2021. On another note, Hawaiian Air was great to work with. They notified me of the cancellation of my May 2020 flight to Oahu and offered me a voucher or a refund. I selected a refund and my account was credited within 2 business days.

  5. My husband, our son and his family come every year to Kauai Hawaii. It was very difficult for us to cancel our June reservation and we feel very very lucky to get a 2 week reservation at the Lagoons and the Waiohai resorts for November. Fingers and toes are crossed that we can come. Safety is our biggest concern. We will be more willing to pay a little more for our accommodations if necessary. I understand less housekeeping might be necessary, and we are fine with that. Just a safe, warm stay, use of the pools is a must, access to ocean snorkeling, open restaurants….those are our highest priorities.

  6. Thank you for all of the information you provide to us on a continuing basis. We have been coming to Kauai annually for many years and have not once felt unwelcome. We respect the land and the residents of Kauai. My brother In law and husband even helped with Beach cleanup at Lydgate after the Christmas storm. Kauai is my reset in a stressful life and the calm begins the moment we step off the plane In Lihue. We have already booked to return in January 2021 and look forward to leaving Minnesota winter behind for a few weeks.
    Aloha!

  7. Our daughter and her husband, both healthcare workers, have lived on Kauai for years. Last winter, I went to share in the birth of their first child. Shortly after our grandson was born, my husband and son flew in from the mainland to greet the new family member. This was about when the virus was taking hold on the mainland, and people on Kauai were taking notice.
    We mostly stayed at our rental, or at our daughters home, but we’re wearing masks in stores, even when few people were.
    Our son left the day before we did, and when we dropped him off at the airport, imagine my surprise to be greeted by a small crowd of people with signs at the airport entrance. It really stung when they started yelling at us to GO HOME!!!
    Our daughter lives on Kauai, so we will be going back. Not so certain I would be after being treated that way.
    Much as we love Kauai, we also love several other Hawaiian Islands. We also travel to other unique and beautiful places, so know that there are other great places to go where you feel welcome. I know that the year round residents of Kauai are enjoying this break from tourists, and I don’t fault them for that. Just hoping that visitors will soon be welcomed with open hearts and minds once the quar antine days are over.

  8. Our family had 4 rooms reserved at Marriott at Kaanpali along with Hawaiian Air for 6.2.20. Cancelled everything !!!!!!

  9. Returning to Hawaii will not be an easy decision for us, or for other family members who also travel there. We have gone to Hawaii almost every year for probably 20 or 25 years, love the islands, and have visited all of them during that time. But we spend most of our time in Maui, in a quiet, beautiful townhouse community we treasure. Besides the long and increasingly uncomfortable and expensive plane rides to get there, and the questions involved with that and whether we even want to get on a plane with all the new rules, seat configurations, etc., when they are finally determined, we read on your website recently that the condos and townhouses are expected to go up further in price as the preferable place for visitors to stay. This is from the already almost unaffordable prices we have encountered in recent years! With high cleaning fees, high taxes, and parking added on, there really are other options to consider as destinations.
    We do live in California in a tourist area, and understand all the trepidation of Hawaiians. But we can also potentially drive to a beautiful destination that will have accommodations for a family group right in California – without the tropical climate we love in Hawaii, but also without all the added expenses. This would hopefully allow our children and grandchildren to join us more easily and more frequently than they can when we go to Hawaii, especially since some of them do not have the ability to fly direct and also have families for added expense to even do that. We love Hawaii, but visiting it may no longer be feasible for us.

  10. I love Hawaii. Have been back every year for the past 9 years and will continue to visit as long as it is safe, no health threat and welcoming.
    If I ever sense we are not welcome, you will never see me, my Ohana, our $$$$ ever again .
    We do not visit anyplace on this Earth where we are not welcome.
    Fortunately , the Aloha spirit is strong and will welcome all .
    May health prevail on Tradewinds of love and health to all, Aloha

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