Change had been brewing in Hawaii travel for years. Covid was the catalyst to fast-forward the inevitable.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
133 thoughts on “Hawaii Travel Re-Boot Underway: Will This Work?”
Comments are closed.
Change had been brewing in Hawaii travel for years. Covid was the catalyst to fast-forward the inevitable.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
Comments are closed.
The government has wasted a ton of money on National Guard and testing. They should’ve built monoclonal infusion centers in some of the old state buildings that are empty. But, that would have made sense and they simply don’t.
Many comments here describe what Hawaii needs to do to appease tourists. As many locals suggest, Hawaii’s problem is over tourism, not the need to attract more. I understand how many locals are discouraged with tourists because many disrespect the natural environment. In my opinion, Hawaii’s focus should remain on protecting it’s greatest resource, restricting numbers to sites, identifying areas as protected, etc. If some tourists get upset, they won’t come. Many still will.
Let me start by saying that, as usual, the anti-vax, anti-mask, anti-any protective measure folks have taken over the discussion here. Rather than arguing about that, I thought that I would address the actual question. I think that there needs to be a balance struck between overcrowding, and the need for tourists to help the economy. Personally, I think that making it more expensive, is the way to go. Sorry, but I don’t think that anyone has a “right” to cheap tourism.
Amen!!! SWA and the fare wars it started have created more problems than we can handle. Regulate the number of daily flights and put a hold on new hotels and lodging…especially on Maui. A higher dollar spent per visitor will prevent the state from losing revenue. Less visitors makes for a better experience locals and visitors alike.
Hawaii travel is not a right…there are cheaper options a available for people as well.
Like I said before, if you think running up the cost is the answer you will end up with a 2-class society, the wealthy and the workers. There isn’t enough affordable housing for residents as it is. You don’t want to make things more expensive. And Hawaii is a state in the Union. Last I checked travel between states doesn’t require “papers”, or maybe they want to use Covid as an excuse to do just that.
It’s a very thorny issue, but the biggest one the islands are facing, I feel. Has the government taken any steps to attract new types of businesses and to offer them affordable housing for their employees? I don’t think outrageous fees and taxes are an answer, unless you only want the wealthy. Limiting flights and the building of new hotel rooms seems like the only logical way to me. Seeing the regeneration of the islands during Covid should be an important lesson. Let’s learn from it.
First, I believe that Hawaii has virtually no ability to limit flights. That’s a federal thing. Building more hotel rooms will have the opposite of the desired effect of reducing the crush of tourists that are currently causing all of the overcrowding. As someone suggested above, the real answer is to find a way to reduce the dependency that Hawaii currently has on tourism and find some other way to support the economy. That used to be agriculture back in the day …
We travel to HI three times a year. My husband’s family is from there. We visit relatives in the Honolulu area, and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city for short periods of time. But fees taxes continue to go up, and overcrowding makes it unpleasant sometimes. The family avoids Waikiki at all costs. We often opt for the Big Island or Kauai, because there are fewer tourists, yet all islands need the $ that tourists bring. HTA and airlines need to revamp and rethink Hawaii tourism.
Hawaii:
clings to an outdated worldview/tourism model regarding itself;
overall projects a stand-offish attitude;
demonstrates an inability to define its generalized tourism policy for 2022 and beyond;
maintains decaying travel support (and other) infrastructure;
cannot contain imposing higher cost to tourist measures;
fails to recognize and defend from highly competitive domestic and international destinations;
cannot balance cultural and economic interest.
Aloha,
I’m a recent resident as of 2019. I’m unvaccinated and I have a fear that if I travel to the mainland that I somehow would need a vaccination to return. I think testing is invasive unless I have symptoms and I don’t plan on getting vaccinated. I will tolerate a 10 day quarantine but I would like to feel more secure about no mandates in the future for testing or vaccination. First of all it’s unconstitutional.
Thank you for this forum.
If you are not vaccinated maybe you should just stay put to protect yourself and others
Kauaidoug – being vaccinated doesn’t keep you from contracting or spreading COVID…
We vacation on Maui every other year. We’ve enjoyed seeing more food trucks available. We appreciate the new rental car facility. We would like to see more electric rental cars made available. We would also like to see Lahaina pressure washed and cleaned up and an effort made to lease empty buildings.
It is an axiom and truth that I have experienced. Those that treasure, embrace and love Hawaii stay or come back regularly. Those that grumble find themselves on the wrong end of Pele’s skirt.
Here’s the truth: Hawaii has the lowest infection, hospitalization and death rate of any state except perhaps Vermont. Hawaii residents may not always like the mask mandates and social gatherings, but compare that strategy to the outcomes (that we know about)in a state like Florida.
“Hawaii has the lowest infection, hospitalization and death rate of any state except perhaps Vermont.”
Uhhhh, that used to be the case but no longer after the Delta variant hit.
Not hard to check, Bob, but here’s the data as of 12/7/2021:
Alaska and Vermont have the lowest death rate followed by Hawaii
Hawaii has the lowest seven-day average case and hospitalization rate.
Source:usafacts.org
JamesB, that is incorrect. Here’s a link to a Newsweek article published yesterday about Vermont having the biggest surge in cases since the beginning of the pandemic:
newsweek.com/vermont-seeing-largest-covid-surge-pandemic-despite-74-percent-residents-vaccinated-1657507
74% is hardly enough to prevent infections in clusters. Check the stats again and even with the surge, Vermont’s responsible attitude has helped it fare well. While you are at it, check the vax rates and infection/hospitalization/death rates per 100K, and you will find an expected higher rate in mostly unvaccinated states.
I think what Bob was trying to say is you can make statistics appear to say whatever you want. They are easily manipulated no matter which side of the confirmation bias you’re coming from. Are the statistics you quote adjusted for age groups, co-morbidities, or other factors? Maybe.
And my primary point, tho admittedly not well made, is that we need to learn to live with this w/o trampling our constitutional rights. This isn’t going away, liberty does not guarantee safety, stop being afraid.
Again, this conversation has degenerated into an argument about how Hawaii is handling the pandemic. The question on the table was how should Hawaii handle the balance between tourist overcrowding and its economic dependency on tourism? My opinion on that is that Hawaii should move to a model of fewer, higher spending visitors.
Joerg H. –
Good point, Sheryl B pointed out that Hawaii needs to return to its agricultural roots, relying less on tourism as the only source of economic survival. Having lived in Hawaii for almost 6 years in the past, I wholeheartedly agree with her assessment. There is such potential but the barriers to entry are high and difficult to overcome unless you are already financially overflowing, and even then, it’s not going to be easy but needs to be done.
As an East Coast resident I know what I’m about to say won’t be welcomed by all, but I think I know the cause of the extreme tourism overcrowding: Super cheap Hawaii flights from the West Coast. I don’t know if there’s a way to limit the overall number of flights to Hawaii, or to limit flights from a specific part of the country, but it should be considered. I’m for affordable vacations, but the fare wars should end, and limited flights would do that.
People aren’t going to fly somewhere that they don’t have a place to stay, no matter how cheap the airfare is. You have to get accomodations first. Hotels are overbuilt.
Ed I live in Huntington Beach. Ca. I’ve been coming to Kauai for 30. Years. I can fly to Florida on Jet blue for $175.-$225 rt. It’s America enjoy the rewards of hard work and competition.Fyi I just fly round trip to Austin Texas for$150. We are blessed with choice. Just remind people to give aloha where ever you go.
I value: original shops, not mass produced Tshirts; staying in a rental home; cultural experiences, visiting natural sites and beaches; not being taxed out of my mind.
How to limit the burden to HI? Limit airlines expanding service to HI. Home rentals should be on HI resident’s property, no absentee/mainland landlord. HTA needs better goals, mgt. and control with budget, obviously there’s no problem drawing tourists if you’re being overrun! Please don’t make it the playground of only the rich.
The best thing for Hawaii’s travel industry? Do what Florida has done:
• Make vaccines and mask wearing a personal choice
• Trust natural immunity
• Stop being afraid
There are many reasons that Florida has the lowest rate in the US, but most of them can be equally applied to Hawaii. The only ones that can’t are the vaccine and mask mandates – I submit to anyone willing to discuss: if the mandates make no diff, then why keep them around?
Here’s what a lack of reason and logic has done because of DeSantis (that is if we could actually see the public health data that he withholds):
Cases: 3,704,013 Deaths:61,789
Hawaii:
Cases: 88,440 Deaths: 1,033
Florida
Deaths per 100,000: 0.17
Daily average deaths: 35.9
Hawaii
Deaths per 100,000: 0.13
Daily average deaths: 1.9
Facts matter. Yours are wrong.
COVID statistics are COVID statistics are COVID statistics. China vs. Switzerland, U.K. vs. Brazil, Florida vs. Hawaii. These comparisons tell us precious little except COVID kills everywhere it travels.
I think we are better advised to allow DeSantis to worry about Florida and Ige to worry about Hawaii. Each has their own goals and methodologies. Each serves and is accountable to their own electorate. If either isn’t performing, their respective constituents can fix it.
“To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, and whose philosophy consists in holding humanity in contempt, is like administering medicine to the dead, or endeavoring to convert an atheist by scripture.”
― Thomas Paine, The American Crisis
There is a difference between c’est la vie and being pono. Leaving it to voters brought us close to authoritarianism.
Hello ROSSB
“Stop being afraid.”
I believe this is good advice.
Respect COVID – yes. Fear COVID – no.
“He who fears he shall suffer, already suffers what he fears.”
― Michel de Montaigne, The Complete Essays
I have been a frequent visitor of Maui for 50 years. Currently I spend about 4 months a year in Maui. I feel a big missing piece is transportation options. A visitor has almost no option but to rent a car unless they never leave their lodging. Why are there so few safe bike paths? Why does the West Maui Bus only come once per hour? Why are the shuttle options from the airport so limited? The lack of transportation options create so much more traffic – which makes everyone unhappy.
I agree with this. We were on Maui Jan. 2021, rented a car and enjoyed out stay very much. We returned to Maui Jun. 2021, did not rent a car (due to pricing, but that didn’t detour us) instead we bought a bus pass. It was troublesome that all the lines weren’t running (we stayed in Kihei) but we figured out where they went and based our time on its schedule.
More transportation options would be awesome.
We have visited HAWAII annually for almost 30 years. In fact when we retired 4 years ago we started coming for 4 to seven weeks at a time sometimes twice a year. Of course we always recommended to our friends, but if you want to keep piling the taxes and fees on. Visitors and it starts to cost so much more to visit Hawaii, we won’t be coming. The other thing that COVID taught us living in Minnesota, there are -Lenny easy places in the US to visit that are cheaper with less regulations or masks
We visit twice a year for the past almost 10yrs. We have visited before and 2x during Covid. We were close to moving to HI – but have decided on another state. My feeling is we have therapeutics that can help. We should be concentrating on this more. Covid is not going away. We need to learn to live with it, know who is vulnerable and protect them. Fear is hard in so many ways – we chose to live life fully. Restrictions cause more harm than good IMO. Aloha
Hawaii is part of the United States. We all travel across America. I have come to know several people who live in oregon from hawaii. We should treat all of us with kindness we are allowed to travel in our counyry. Hawaii can not love our financial benefits but want to be considered seperate from U S. We all deal with tourism in all our states. It just people moving about
I used to l8ve on Kauai for 17 years. I still have friends who live there. It is sad to hear of the restrictions due to the virus when we have been living freely here in Texas for a long time. I was also shocked to hear about added fees for tourists being implemented. I used to tell everyone they should experience Hawaii at some point, but now I don’t. Too much greed & control.
Hi guys
My humble thoughts (from frequent & avid HI visitor since 1971):
The HTA and HI state Governor and government must get their acts together and “bite the bullet” by reversing decisions that turn away visitors.
Example par excellence is the very current fashion of increasing the TAT tax to unconscionable levels ——eg-“what were they thinking?—-how would that improve tourism?????? Definitely not for me & my family!!!!
Folks, count me out. You area way “over the top!
Good luck. Jim
Many changes with Hawaii travel. My family loves to vacation in Maui every year but decided, due to all the uncertainties, to book a place in the Bahamas in 2022. First time traveling there so we will see how it goes.
Hopefully, Hawaii develops a plan welcome tourist back with open arms in the future!
Aloha
We was to Kauai the first two weeks November. The masks requirements are completely unnecessary,except maybe in very bad air areas. The masks was absolutely a nuisance to I and my wife. The Covid rate from tourists is next to zaero. We need to get away from all these mandates and get on with living. We are from Montana which got away from all these mandates, we are doing OK.
I lived on Oahu for nearly ten years and traveled all islands extensively working in the travel industry. My wife and I visit Maui for 5 weeks each winter. Last winter we skipped because of the Covid craziness. This January we are coming again. The very worse thing that can happen to Hawaii tourism is an explosion of anti-Haole behavior and/or violence toward visitors.
There has been anti Haole behavior forever. I lived in Hi as a kid in junior high school and went to school in fear every day due to gangs of Hawaiians that were looking to hurt us. It is the dirty little secret of Hawaii.
There’s 1 end game you don’t want in Hawaii; it’s crept in & very difficult to stop. Wealthy are buying up property, often site-unseen, diminishing available supply, increasing property taxes & driving property costs so high that locals find it more difficult to live there.
I live in a special area on the mainland that is well into that phase. Prop. values increased by more than 3-400% in 2 years, leaving no place for employees to live, negatively impacting tourism & lives of the locals – Thanks
I find that limiting Airbnb on Oahu to 30 day stays only is harmful to those of us who cannot travel to Hawaii for that long a stay. You have shut me out of staying in AirBnb’s and I will not pay for substandard service and accomodations in hotels at the exhorbitant prices they command. I will take my tourism dollars elsewhere.
I agree. The 30 day minimum is a stupid law when the average American gets a 2 or 3 week vacation. Once again, catering to the wealthy.
I just recently returned from Maui- i thought everywhere I went- covid protocol was excellent- of course the world over not everyone follows the rules but that’s life-I plan a trip to Hawaii every year as the welcoming you get and on the whole the excellent service – makes a vacation so relaxing in Hawaii so worthwhile- I really valued the fact that one had to be tested prior to arrival. The health of tourists and people of Hawaii should be respected by all. Thank you
My husband and I have been traveling to Hawaii together since 1999. We have visited Oahu, Maui, Kauai and Hawaii Island. Over the last 10 years we have noticed the number of visitors has been escalating. I understand why Hawaii residents are overwhelmed by the numbers even though the state needs the tourism industry. My question for years is why do “they” keep building hotels etc. for visitors to stay? If you limit the numbers of rentals you limit the number of people that can come.
Being born in Hawaii, and part Hawaiian we have made it our custom to return every February to visit family and friends. Covid has made it a lot more difficult to return home for our annual visit. I hope that our Government Officials don’t make it even more difficult than it already is. Perhaps they could consider having a program for those of us that were born and raised here. Some type of program for returning residents. We leave small footprints and enjoy visiting our family and friends.
My mother lives in Hawaii, and until Covid hit, I’d been visiting 2-3 times a year since late 2006. I always have been aware that the islands need not to be treated simply as a vacation resort, but thanks to the pandemic, I recognize even more clearly how visitors impact the state and its residents. So I won’t stop visiting but am very open to whatever changes are necessary to help me and others like me behave with more awareness and respect.
Let me start by saying we love Hawaii and never encountered the feeling of not being wanted there. Been 10 years in a roll except last year due to Covid. Our first year I was amazed at the abandon cars along roads, run down houses and so many homeless people all the problems the mainland has. I believe the locals cause just as much damage as visitors. Visited Aruba this year it was easier, it was closer, the beaches are just as beautiful, cheaper and many locals thanked us. Felt appreciated!
Yup. Hawaii, continue down this path and everyone will pick a different vacation place that is more cost effective and where they feel welcome. Cancun comes to mind for me. It is only 2 hours away and they are overjoyed to see. Your visitor count will go down, your traffic will be better and your land will perhaps recuperate. You will though, have to up your social welfare programs to take care of the huge percentage of people put of work that relied on tourists and their dollars.
I would like to see a more controlled approach to redevelopment. There seems to be an unfettered welcome to those who want to knock down historic Hawaii and produce a Californification. Hawai’i needs to preserve its identity and history in its approach to tourism and migration.
Questions that beg answers, & no doubt input will be many faceted, especially between visitors & residents. Bottom line: tourism IS Hawaii’s lifeblood. That could change maybe, but it would be nearly miraculous to do so.
Hawaii is my favorite place: it’s people, the language, the music, hula kahiko, the beauty, food, whales, etc., etc. I adore it all. So much so I have invested a great deal (to me) of money into a few weeks at a top timeshare so that I can spend a few weeks most years there.
I have enjoyed visiting Hawaii many times over the past years. Even owned Hawaii real estate. Unfortunately, I believe that the local government has handled covid in a very flawed, draconian manner. Got out of the real estate this year, don’t plan to be back. I am pessimistic on the future of Hawaii tourism. Too many other great places in the US and the world that compete without all the over head. Good luck.
As a former resident and frequent visitor I have to say if the plan is to allow fewer but wealthier tourism it is not the spirit of aloha. It would make Hawaii into a 2-class society, the wealthy and the workers, much like Aspen, Colorado. I encourage voters to keep an eye on these tourism folks and make sure they have Hawaii’s best interest in mind.
Our daughter is a resident of Hawaii and we try to do an extended visit once a year.. The nonsense of being* able to go in the ocean but not the beach and closing all hiking trails was over the top. These are outdoor activities.
We stay away from Honolulu when we come, it is too crowded. We avoid the touristy things and did that even before Covid.
How could Hawaii think it will ever get only responsible tourists? That is unrealistic. Perhaps people need to book activities in advance.
I was born and raised on Oahu and while working at the University of Hawaii I traveled at least twice a month to each island. Over time I saw the affects of tourism on the agricultural based communities and it hurt. Eventually I left for the mainland and come back when I can to see the place that I love. I’ve been trying to become a remote volunteer, but this may be a way for me to give back.
Perhaps limiting and amount of visitors per attraction or island can help.
I have been going to Hawaii for over 30 years. A piece of my heart lives there. The changes I have seen to the islands over that time are astounding. And I think most are island driven. The huge shopping centers have replaced the rustic local shops. This is because you want the big tourist money. You have raised prices so that only the more affluent can come bringing more money. Then you raised taxes to further penalize the tourists making us feel unwelcome and fleeced. Thanks
I started school in the islands, my father taught at the U of H, my brother was born there. We’ve been visiting for way over half a century and once owned a small hale on Kauai. My kids are building homes on the Big Island. We love Hawaii, but now feel like the govt. is calling us kapu. If we could have afforded it, we would have retired there. Why is the feeling of aloha gone?
1. Make Hawaii the best it can be for the residents and the rest will follow by honoring the culture and mother nature. Much like the gorillas in the mist and surrounding villages in Africa.
2.continue to encourage small farmers and other means of sustainability. Show and educate locals that farming is an honorable and profitable endeavor.
Happy locals make a better visitor experience.
The world needs Hawaii and Hawaii needs the World!
Contrary to what another commenter has said, we found Safe Travels to be simple to navigate on our trip to Maui this year. I respect and appreciate the unique situation that the Hawaiian Islands are in when it comes to health care. As a visitor, I would not want to add to the problem and take resources away from residents.
We love Maui and will continue to visit for years to come.
Hawaii is now become cost prohibited, I have been visiting there for over 35 years, the wonderful
sights that used to be free (or maybe small dollars) are out of line, Hawaii does not compete with the rest of the world.
I love Hawaii. We got married on the beach there. We came every year…until 2 years ago. With the restrictions because of Covid and the newly-learned antagonism expressed by natives against tourists, I’m pessimistic that I’ll ever be able to return. I no longer feel wanted or appreciated. Breaks my heart. I guess will start going to the Caribbean.
I have a time share ownership on Kauai and a points membership I use also. I enjoyed Maui this past sep/oct and encourage you to return. The island people are just as warm and friendly and welcoming. I hesitate to say “don’t believe everything you read” as I am writing this but you can call your chosen resort and talk to them to get a feel for how welcome you will be. I will be returning with regularity unless I’m not allowed. I hope you will too.
Make it easier to enter the state from the mainland. The constant change and registering with “safe travels” is just another deterrent to come to Hawaii. My husband was born and raised there and honestly he is embarrassed to the way Hawaii has acted and behaved during this time. For a location that relies on tourism they have made it very difficult. Hawaii is still part of the USA, not an international location, so they need to start acting like one.
I agree with this but some of it falls with the airline. I flew SW, got my CDC card enrolled with safe travels and at the airport also got my wrist band..no fuss at all. however my niece and friend joining me flew AA and they “didn’t have enough employees” to distribute wrist bands prior to boarding making them stand in line for over an hour to get it on arrival. I was an hour later than them so it worked out and I got all our suitcases while waiting for them.
I agree. We co-own property there with our daughter who is a resident. We rebooked our 2020 flights 3 times due to changing regulations and left 2 weeks early on ur last visit. Even getting a pretest for Covid is difficult because of the small number of vendors we can use. There needs to be an easier way and and I not mean all must vax. Not everyone can or wants to.