What’s happening behind the scenes in Hawaii travel. Clearly we aren’t close to being through this upheaval.
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73 thoughts on “Hawaii Travel Industry A Shambles and Why”
What’s happening behind the scenes in Hawaii travel. Clearly we aren’t close to being through this upheaval.
Currently in the midst of our first trip to Hawaii. Planned and booked everything, flights, hotels, cars, dining, etc in March and April. We are enjoying this so much. Staff has been great, no long waits, friendly people. Can’t understand why there is so much negativity on these posts. 50th Anniversary vacation: 5 days on Oahu, our 5th day on Kauai and heading to Maui tomorrow. This is truly paradise.
I have little sympathy for executives who fired/laid off/downsized people over the last five years and are now whining about being being understaffed. All of these issues originate from stupidly made rash decisions made by executives in the past.
Instead, execs are being rewarded because they’ve used their screwups to justify price gouging. They’ll reap record profits in spite of their mismanagement because demand is so strong.
I use to live on Oahu years ago. I have a business that is needed there and would make so much money. I wanted to move back with my daughter. My daughter was accepted to UH Manoa. We have been looking forward to moving out there. I also had a few job interviews set up until my business started bringing in money. Was ready to move out there but the cost of housing is crazy! A crummy 1 bd place is 1800. In Atlanta 1800 gets you a nice 1 bd. If you want a nice place in Hawaii you have to spend almost 3000. Who has that kind of money? I can rent a mini mansion for that in Atlanta. I understand the locals want their land but if prices keep going up how will the locals make it if no one is able to visit or bring new business or money?
That Hawaii rent is pretty much the same as here in San Diego. I know nothing about Georgia rentals but in California we’ve dealt with this for decades and it keeps getting worse.
When you mix the homeless, with the criminal element, who have no respect for the law (burning surfboards near mini police precinct), then you have a recipe for disaster, because the liberal arguments that the homeless and the criminal element have the right to terrorize the tourists.
The Airlines have a responsibility to their bottom line. Pilots are finding that they are being pressured for more hours and flights. Covid forced many Pilots and other Airline Employees out of their jobs for no good reason. Now everyone is paying the increasing prices of poor decisions coupled with Higher Fuel Prices and Expenses across the board. Not a thing that Hawaii can do about this problem but sit back and wait for it to turn around. This hurts everyone including the Tourism Industry. Thanks.
Whether a native Hawaiian or not, a transplant or Tourist the State of Hawaii is a special place and should be treated as such so that it shall be here for centuries to come. Choose to keep Hawaii Beautiful, do your part and show that you care, treat it as someone’s home that you’re visiting, because it is, showing respect and manners to everyone isn’t difficult. Thanks!
Housing Costs have Skyrocketed and with no end in sight many could be faced with homelessness before too long. Subsidized Housing seems like a possibility but will take a large investment in land and money to achieve. The amount of Housing will be Substantial as more families fall through the cracks every moment. Is this going to be the fate of Hawaii? What other options are there? It will be a very interesting conversation to find out. Something Needs to be Done.
You are correct, housing is the WW III of this generation.
We must get corporate and foreign ownership out of US housing. For example,do you know a Canadian company Tricon has purchased 35,000 US homes as rentals? Would we allow someone to buy up all the food and medicine and charge double or triple?
One home allowed per one social security number would fix the problem.
Ridiculous. So, if I could afford a 2nd home, I would not be allowed to buy it under my SSN.
Sounds like China’s old one-child policy.
Next, you’ll be telling us we can only buy one roll of toilet paper a week.
We live in a country with many freedoms, you would take them away. In your world, people are unable to take care of themselves.
To add insult to injury, Canada just passed a law banning all foreign home buyers for the next two years while Tricon from Canada and other Canadian companies are buying up US homes. Rod W you offer no solutions, the system is rigged by big government and big business colluding to pick winners and losers.
Have you seen ” A Wonderful Life”? Young people live in Pottersville.
People can’t take care of themselves when money is printed out of thin air and given to US oligarchs.
Rob T, you are right, I offer no solutions. Because no govt imposed rule will help. Only time and balancing supply and demand will fix the problem. That balancing will come sooner without govt interference.
If the govt blocked corporate and foreign investment in the US housing market what would the result be? Answer that honestly and you will know why it makes no sense.
Aloha!
Without government regulations, your life would be incredibly different in so many ways. To lay your bended knee at the foot of corporations with only one objective — increased profits — has as much relevance in today’s world as oil companies who would rather rake in absurdly high prices than increase supply. A Libertarian island is not a vacation destination.
Why do people always end rude comments with aloha? Try to have polite discourse if you want to persuade others.
First you make a snide comment about toilet paper as if that is equivalent to housing.
Then you admit you have no constructive ideas.
Prices of houses will fall and supply will increase if corporate and foreign buyers are no longer allowed.
I think that would be awesome.
Young people need help now.
I wrote this to you:
If the govt blocked corporate and foreign investment in the US housing market what would the result be? Answer that honestly and you will know why it makes no sense.
I’m waiting.
Also, be sure to tell me how limiting supply will help anyone – young, old, or middle-aged.
And if you think my reply to you was rude, you don’t know rude.
I wrote “Prices of houses will fall and supply will increase if corporate and foreign buyers are no longer allowed.”
I mean corporate buyers should be forced to sell all their houses now. That would increase supply instantly and prices would plummet.
Problem solved.
I agree with you, but foreigners should not be able to swallow up the housing market making it unaffordable everywhere for US citizens.
There’s Many Complexities to the problems facing Hawaii, you’ve identified many. Addressing the Entire problem is Impossible, too many Uncontrollable Circumstances. Hawaii needs to realize this and then take on what They are Responsible for. Improving Airport Services, Demanding more Trained TSA Staffing, Decreasing Reliance on “Social Assistance” to Encourage Employment, and Whatever can be done to make Hawaii Better for Itself and in turn for Others. Much Can be done if a Better Hawaii is the Goal!
All of the problems facing the State of Hawaii may begin to turn around, at least portions of it,when people are forced to find jobs. Another debacle was caused by not continuing with the prior Agencies for Tourism and Business. If it is True that problems existed with them the AG of Hawaii should have stepped in and Investigated Irregularities and presented charges. Taxing anything that is alive drives prices, Tourists seem to be looked at like Banks full of money to erase Societies Ills, they’re Not. Time to clean up the messes that have been made and maybe that portion will turn around quickly. If Not, can Hawaii Afford to pickup the costs of less Tourists? Think about that!
We and friends traveling separately had some interesting experiences in May, contrasting experiences:
1. It took them 2 hours to get their rental car on Kauai. I got mine in 25 minutes on Kauai and 3 minutes on Oahu. Biggest difference I was a member of the customer affinity program.
2. Maui to Kauai on HA, took 90 minutes to check bags. Kiosks worked buy no one to accept the bags. We had no problem.
3. Checking rental car back in…. On Kauai, they asked if I could wait until I could get the car in the driveway. Maybe 10 minutes max.
4. Checkin at resort was a little slower on Kauai, fast at second place, and ok on Oahu.
5. One-stop flights in were on time, bags reasonably fast. One stop to the mid-west likewise good.