74 thoughts on “Hawaii Travel Industry A Shambles and Why”
West c
We love Hawaii; have been coming every year for 10+ years. For this summer, I am using all the best strategies: combo of picking late summer dates, using hotel points, booking a (legal!) vacation rental early and focusing on location over amenities or view, renting an old car from a local car company, flying on a Wednesday out and a red-eye return, using an Alaska companion certificate, etc.
I’m confident it will be great. That said, so is Mexico…
We bought our tickets for our July visit last October and rented our car twice, second time several hundred dollars cheaper than the first go around. We expect crowds and know restaurant reservation are hard to come by. We reserved those in February, where we could. It takes a bit more forethought but planning early pays off in dividends. If you’re just starting to plan while reading this… probably too late. See you, Maui, in less than a month.
Yeah… it’s worth going, I have always had a good experience (20 yrs, including this past fall), with a few minor exceptions that you could experience anywhere you vacation.
As some others have mentioned, the unfortunate part of some posts is there are a vocal few who really don’t understand tourism or economics that will never be happy, no matter what.
What is frustrating to people that have been visiting for a long time is it feels like some (including local government) think it is justified to milk visitors for everything they have at every turn as they think we are all rich and it is the price we have to pay to visit.
I see it much the same way. At least 3 dozen visits or more.
No one has ever ruined my vacation. I did meet a jerk at Pali Lookout once. So what, I could have just as easily met his twin jerk back home in So Cal.
It’s my vacation – it’s not the vacation of the airline pilot, hotel housekeeping, the waitress, the shuttle driver, or anyone else. Just me and my family.
The best thing to do with govt: understand it’s a legal gang. They will steal our money (locals’ & visitors’ $$), don’t let them steal your good time.
As to any locals who don’t want me, eff off, & please don’t take pay from any company in the hospitality industry. I’ve been coming to Hawaii 57 years, more than most of them have been alive. My Hawaii as much as yours.
Employees, across the board, are MIA, doesn’t matter what industry you are in. Where have all the working class gone??? I believe this is the only question to many problems, travel just feels it more quickly.
We love Hawaii and travel at least twice per year and have been to Maui twice already. Both flights from the mainland were delayed, but return flights were on time. Many of our favorite eating establishments were unavailable without reservations, but we survived and had wonderful trips. If you can overlook the issues and just enjoy the sand, sun and sea, it’s still our favorite spot. Our favorite condo increased over last year about 30%, next year it increases another 65%!! We may be looking elsewhere if this continues.
I would say, blame our wonderful President who thought it was a good idea to pay people more to not work than to work. Where is the incentive to go back to work?
I don’t think it’s fair to say “blame the president” when Congress were the ones who enacted the legislature for enhanced unemployment. And it did keep people from starving who didn’t have work during covid-19, especially those in the hospitality industry. All those folks have been off unemployment for quite a while now and they certainly are not “on the dole” anymore. A lot of people chose not to go back to work in the hospitality industry because of its long hours and low pay. Obviously they’re now doing other jobs if you look at our rate of unemployment, which is very low. Anyone who didn’t foresee great inflation and supply chain issues as a result of an unprecedented 2 year pandemic were pretty naive.
Have you considered that many young people dont’ seem to feel the need to work at what they consider to be jobs beneath them? In too many cases on the mainland where I am, the won’t be caught dead bussing tables or waitressing. And when things opened up months ago, they were subjected to so much abuse – who wants to put up with that?
Right or wrong – has anyone considered that immigrants worked so many of the jobs that were beneath young people? Perhaps the immigrants were the working class – something to consider.
Not to be political. Just think about the types of jobs you are talking about, and who in your family will work those jobs? your kids + grandkids?? food for thought
One thing I believe we can all agree on – right now, travel Anywhere is at best a crapshot from the standpoint of whether or not you travel arrangements have any reasonable chance of being executed as scheduled. We are fortunate enough to be able to travel in the shoulder and low seasons and our future travel plans will definitely be made with the calendar in mind first and foremost.
Thinking back to our recent trip to the BI, Avis should be ashamed for the operation they are running at the Kona Airport, although some changes to the arrival schedule at the Kona Airport are in order as well. Arrivals should be more spread out throughout the day in order to relieve stress on the shuttle system and (in turn) the car rental counters.
Thanks for keeping us up to date on all of the changes, and challenges. I guess it’s to be expected that after losing business for several years due to COVID that it’s going to take time to rebuild staffing levels to pre-COVID levels. We recently stayed in a hotel on the mainland that had low housekeeping staffing levels, so the hotel offered the option of having cleaning only when requested. I suspect we’ll see that in Hawaii too. We stay in our time share, so we don’t have cleaning every day, but when we were there last November we observed unusual levels of maintenance that had not been done. I think it will take some time to meet the expectations of people who have been traveling to Hawaii for years, and want the same experience.
Returned from Maui yesterday. TSA at the airport was a disaster. 1-2 hour security delay. The TSA security line filled all available space in the building and also spilled out onto the sidewalk and across the entire front of the building. Many people were missing their flights, even when they arrived 1.5 to 2 hours early.
TSA made zero attempt to prioritize for passengers about to
Miss their flights.
All airlines went thru the same security line.
TSA Pre was slightly better.
The “extra help” non-uniformed TSA employees were very rude and unhelpful. They were obviously not trained and just stood around and yelled orders to “stay in line” and “wait here”.
I don’t know about cancellations – we aren’t going for another 5 weeks – but I do know that our outgoing flights on Hawaiian have now been rescheduled for 4 times now. Even though sometimes it’s just been by minutes, it makes me nervous!
Hawaii’s marketing quagmire as the state’s Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) abruptly canceled its 20-year marketing contract with the century-old Hawaii Visitor And Convention Bureau (HVCB). The contract was awarded instead to a member-based non-profit with no apparent travel marketing experience.
Self inflicted ills from implementing a social justice based policy instead of an economic development and management based policy.
Airline turmoil….firing pilots and ground staff due to vaccine mandates has consequences that they are all living through. The vaccine does not ward off catching COVID so end it and get key people back to work! Follow the dam science!
The science is that the vaccine will reduce your symptoms when contracting COVID. The latest case and point. My daughter is away at college and in the middle of doing a big research project. One of her best helpers had to drop out this week as this person had to go and take care of their spouse who has contracted COVID and is very Ill. They also have COVID but display no symptoms. Guess which one got vaccinated.
We love Hawaii; have been coming every year for 10+ years. For this summer, I am using all the best strategies: combo of picking late summer dates, using hotel points, booking a (legal!) vacation rental early and focusing on location over amenities or view, renting an old car from a local car company, flying on a Wednesday out and a red-eye return, using an Alaska companion certificate, etc.
I’m confident it will be great. That said, so is Mexico…
We bought our tickets for our July visit last October and rented our car twice, second time several hundred dollars cheaper than the first go around. We expect crowds and know restaurant reservation are hard to come by. We reserved those in February, where we could. It takes a bit more forethought but planning early pays off in dividends. If you’re just starting to plan while reading this… probably too late. See you, Maui, in less than a month.
So is it even worth coming to Hawaii? All I hear is doom and gloom
Mike,
Gotta get past that gloom and doom and think of your own experiences in Hawaii. Were they positive – then keep on going.
I can’t remember a personally bad experience (as in physical or verbal abuse) and will be there again this September.
Aloha!
Yeah… it’s worth going, I have always had a good experience (20 yrs, including this past fall), with a few minor exceptions that you could experience anywhere you vacation.
As some others have mentioned, the unfortunate part of some posts is there are a vocal few who really don’t understand tourism or economics that will never be happy, no matter what.
What is frustrating to people that have been visiting for a long time is it feels like some (including local government) think it is justified to milk visitors for everything they have at every turn as they think we are all rich and it is the price we have to pay to visit.
John,
I see it much the same way. At least 3 dozen visits or more.
No one has ever ruined my vacation. I did meet a jerk at Pali Lookout once. So what, I could have just as easily met his twin jerk back home in So Cal.
It’s my vacation – it’s not the vacation of the airline pilot, hotel housekeeping, the waitress, the shuttle driver, or anyone else. Just me and my family.
The best thing to do with govt: understand it’s a legal gang. They will steal our money (locals’ & visitors’ $$), don’t let them steal your good time.
As to any locals who don’t want me, eff off, & please don’t take pay from any company in the hospitality industry. I’ve been coming to Hawaii 57 years, more than most of them have been alive. My Hawaii as much as yours.
Employees, across the board, are MIA, doesn’t matter what industry you are in. Where have all the working class gone??? I believe this is the only question to many problems, travel just feels it more quickly.
We love Hawaii and travel at least twice per year and have been to Maui twice already. Both flights from the mainland were delayed, but return flights were on time. Many of our favorite eating establishments were unavailable without reservations, but we survived and had wonderful trips. If you can overlook the issues and just enjoy the sand, sun and sea, it’s still our favorite spot. Our favorite condo increased over last year about 30%, next year it increases another 65%!! We may be looking elsewhere if this continues.
I would say, blame our wonderful President who thought it was a good idea to pay people more to not work than to work. Where is the incentive to go back to work?
Those enhanced unemployment benefits ran out months ago and people still aren’t going back to work. Who you going to blame now?
I don’t think it’s fair to say “blame the president” when Congress were the ones who enacted the legislature for enhanced unemployment. And it did keep people from starving who didn’t have work during covid-19, especially those in the hospitality industry. All those folks have been off unemployment for quite a while now and they certainly are not “on the dole” anymore. A lot of people chose not to go back to work in the hospitality industry because of its long hours and low pay. Obviously they’re now doing other jobs if you look at our rate of unemployment, which is very low. Anyone who didn’t foresee great inflation and supply chain issues as a result of an unprecedented 2 year pandemic were pretty naive.
Unfortunately whether you like it or not, the buck stops at the president’s desk. Ultimately he is to blame for his policies.
Have you considered that many young people dont’ seem to feel the need to work at what they consider to be jobs beneath them? In too many cases on the mainland where I am, the won’t be caught dead bussing tables or waitressing. And when things opened up months ago, they were subjected to so much abuse – who wants to put up with that?
Right or wrong – has anyone considered that immigrants worked so many of the jobs that were beneath young people? Perhaps the immigrants were the working class – something to consider.
Not to be political. Just think about the types of jobs you are talking about, and who in your family will work those jobs? your kids + grandkids?? food for thought
One thing I believe we can all agree on – right now, travel Anywhere is at best a crapshot from the standpoint of whether or not you travel arrangements have any reasonable chance of being executed as scheduled. We are fortunate enough to be able to travel in the shoulder and low seasons and our future travel plans will definitely be made with the calendar in mind first and foremost.
Thinking back to our recent trip to the BI, Avis should be ashamed for the operation they are running at the Kona Airport, although some changes to the arrival schedule at the Kona Airport are in order as well. Arrivals should be more spread out throughout the day in order to relieve stress on the shuttle system and (in turn) the car rental counters.
Thanks for keeping us up to date on all of the changes, and challenges. I guess it’s to be expected that after losing business for several years due to COVID that it’s going to take time to rebuild staffing levels to pre-COVID levels. We recently stayed in a hotel on the mainland that had low housekeeping staffing levels, so the hotel offered the option of having cleaning only when requested. I suspect we’ll see that in Hawaii too. We stay in our time share, so we don’t have cleaning every day, but when we were there last November we observed unusual levels of maintenance that had not been done. I think it will take some time to meet the expectations of people who have been traveling to Hawaii for years, and want the same experience.
Hi Lee.
Thanks for your input on the industry. Yes housekeeping in Hawaii is an issue, but it’s just one of many areas that have problems.
We appreciate your 100 comments over the last five plus years. Mahalo.
Aloha.
Returned from Maui yesterday. TSA at the airport was a disaster. 1-2 hour security delay. The TSA security line filled all available space in the building and also spilled out onto the sidewalk and across the entire front of the building. Many people were missing their flights, even when they arrived 1.5 to 2 hours early.
TSA made zero attempt to prioritize for passengers about to
Miss their flights.
All airlines went thru the same security line.
TSA Pre was slightly better.
The “extra help” non-uniformed TSA employees were very rude and unhelpful. They were obviously not trained and just stood around and yelled orders to “stay in line” and “wait here”.
I don’t know about cancellations – we aren’t going for another 5 weeks – but I do know that our outgoing flights on Hawaiian have now been rescheduled for 4 times now. Even though sometimes it’s just been by minutes, it makes me nervous!
Hawaii’s marketing quagmire as the state’s Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) abruptly canceled its 20-year marketing contract with the century-old Hawaii Visitor And Convention Bureau (HVCB). The contract was awarded instead to a member-based non-profit with no apparent travel marketing experience.
Self inflicted ills from implementing a social justice based policy instead of an economic development and management based policy.
Airline turmoil….firing pilots and ground staff due to vaccine mandates has consequences that they are all living through. The vaccine does not ward off catching COVID so end it and get key people back to work! Follow the dam science!
The science is that the vaccine will reduce your symptoms when contracting COVID. The latest case and point. My daughter is away at college and in the middle of doing a big research project. One of her best helpers had to drop out this week as this person had to go and take care of their spouse who has contracted COVID and is very Ill. They also have COVID but display no symptoms. Guess which one got vaccinated.
All the people I know who were unvaxxed and got COVID also had mild symptoms, including my wife. Guess the vaccine does not matter.