37 thoughts on “Hawaii’s Tourism Dilemma: Finding Balance Amidst Turmoil”
Richard C
Here’s my prediction for what’s next on Maui and rest of Hawaiian islands. Squatters claiming to be Hawaiian natives will soon take over SRT’s and individuals vacation condos and the government will side with the squatters. Far fetched I think not it’s already happening all over the mainland.
Gee, I wonder how Hawaii could reduce the number of tourists by one half but keep all that lovely money. I know, make tourists spend twice as much money for the same vacation! Hawaii only wants rich tourists, not middle or working class ones. That’s why Governor Greenback is off to Japan.
Yes. And sometimes I think the reason state tourism numbers are high is because tourists are staying fewer days yet with cheap west coast airfare it’s easy to visit for a long weekend and be affordable. So the real number of days occupied are less.
“For the foreseeable future, travel will monopolize Hawaii, leaving the state vulnerable in a myriad of ways to the negative impacts of over-tourism and the potential for economic shocks associated with this reliance.”
This is a sad dilemma, with no answer for anyone here. I have not been to Hawaii since 2015. It was more crowded that I had experienced,but did not experience any personal negativity or destruction of property. If Japanese takes better care of their visits, then be it. Let them have the islands. It’s like everything else in life. Bad actors, take it away from all of us that love and respect. But, I will not fight it anymore as I am old, very old, and coming this year for my last time.
What this article is describing can be applied to any state in the USA.
There is overcrowding, pollution, resources being used up, nature being destroyed, and lack of housing.
Locals, as Hawaii residents call themselves say they are being affected, so are the locals in every state on the mainland experiencing this.
The huge millions of population increase is hurting the mainland states also.
The big difference is that Hawaii tourists visit and leave. This does not happen in the mainland states. People not respecting our border laws come in and stay illegally.
Perhaps Hawaii should feel grateful?
Reading articles like these, and my lived experience living here for many years reminds me of common themes which are disheartening. I’ve lived for long periods in a few different places, in the U.S. and Europe. By and large all peoples have been friendly, helpful, conscious of the environment, and ‘welcoming’. Whatever ‘aloha’ is…not as unique as many imply-maybe this needs to be considered.
The tourism and military industries underpin the economic health of these islands. Diversification Very difficult and even require a big mindset change which many would not like.
Our supportable population would need to decrease a lot to compensate for significant reductions. Inescapable logic at work. IMO.
As you said, over tourism takes a huge toll on the environment, the residents and also the quality of the tourism experience. It absolutely has to be curbed…Covid revenge travel combined with the so called “SWA effect” (flooding the market for market share) accelerated the problem, but it has to be dealt with. Not an easy fix.
I’ve said this for years…if large tourist areas like Hawaii would stop airbnbs and move mainlanders and tourists back to staying in hotels and condos not only would it reduce visitors (due to only limited space available), it would free up housing for locals, and reduce the environmental footprint of excessive tourism. It seems no one in government wants to do this. They have become greedy and pander to celebrities and politicians.
I run and own a vacation rental on the north shore of Kauai and I’m a happy/friendly owner and my guests are treated like family and they love it. I stay full w/my reasonable prices. It’s a very homogeneous state of mind we’ve created and liked by all.
Afterall, hotels have a difficult time showing love when they are worried about the almighty buck to survive. Hawaii would be devastated without our friendliness shared by all.
My repeat business is a simple example of that love shared by all. Aloha is in full force as is expected by our visitors and ohana.
Wow ! As a Canadian who loved vacationing in Maui for years, stayed in hotels and condos, I am very disappointed to learn that we tourists are not that welcomed any more. I have always felt welcomed in the past, always been respectful of the environment and the people. I have always felt safe in Maui… , for me it was home away from home. When the Lahaina fires happened causing a housing crisis, I decided to postpone my 2024 vacation to Maui releasing my condo reservation. I am planning to visit in 2025 and will definitely pay close attention to how people treat us. That will determine if Maui will continue to be a favorite destination for my vacation dollars. Mahalo !
Respectfully, you only see yourself in that equation and not the fact that you are one of several thousands arriving on our shores day in and day out. The fact is we’re being loved to death.
On a recent trip over to Maui to visit a friend, I was appalled to see tourists stopping and exiting their cars to take photographs along the one-lane road to Hana. Now suppose you’re a Hana resident in need of emergency surgery, but the ambulance can’t get through, not just because of the one group of misbehaving tourists, but the throng waiting behind them to capture that same FOMO moment. It simply is no longer sustainable. Too many visitors, not nearly enough capacity to accommodate them.
Aloha
Maui at least attempted a solution in its 2012 Maui Island Plan—2012!!!—in its Economic Policy Section.
It stipulates that when the percentage of tourists to resident population exceeds 30%, that steps be taken to reduce tourism; what it didn’t specify was the steps. And the onus was placed on the political process to create and enforce those steps. Given that the Plan ostensibly has the force of Law, I would have expected “something” to have been done.
The issue, for Maui, is simple.
Our economy is overwhelmingly dependent upon exogenous factors.
And for that, I see no panacea
I am really tired of hearing how tourist disrespect the land. Just take a walk down the road to Jaws. Used washers and dryers, junk cars, tires etc. Randomly see burned and dismantled cars throughout the Island. And that’s “Pono”????? Maybe it’s time to quit blaming and look in your own backyard. And just for the record I live on Island.
Yep… when hear about visitors trashing the islands one of the first images that come to my mind is exactly what you describe with Jaws and the trash that locals have left there (engine blocks, etc.).
Other areas that come to mind are trash littering the woods behind Whalers General store in Poipu, an abandoned moped in the woods behind the Maniniholo dry cave in Haena beach park, just to name a couple of places.
Shanda,
I looked up how Hawaiians can get rid of the items you described. I was thinking maybe there was some sort of reason people had a hard time disposing of these items.
It turns out it is free. They call the place and they come pick it for free.
Given that, one would think they would do that and not pollute and trash the area.
I hope you maintain your own property or offer the same employee benefits as the hotel and tax paying small businesses. To many illegal vacation rentals in Hawaii! 81,0000 illegal vacation rentals not paying taxes and paying cash to residents to maintain their Aloha! Haole mentality!
What an insulting article. Josh Green is an arrogant twit. How dare he say Japanese visitors will make things better.
In other words Europeans, Australians,Canadians and Mainland US citizens are trash and hurting the Hawaiian Islands. I can’t believe what he does and says but me for one have been Insulted once to often so after 45 years of loving the islands I am saying aloha and visiting places where everyone is welcome
Hawaii will live and die by Greens words and actions!!
“There’s no doubt that Hawaii’s time spent without tourism during Covid, now behind us, presented an enticing view of life in Hawaii without its bustling travel industry. Just the physical transformation without visitors was remarkable everywhere, from Hanauma Bay to Hana and Kauai’s Napali Coast to Maui’s Mt. Haleakala.”
So you are implying that tourists are responsible for the environmental damage done to Hawaii? Do we not remember why Polihale was shut down for a couple years. Locals completely destroyed that state park “During COVID”. Heres another article you can look up.. (Weekend parties leave Oahu beaches trashed and raise concerns about spread of virus). Again this was during covid closures without tourism!
When Hawaii was coming out of the C19 lockdowns and opening up, Hilton’s King’s Land Resort at Waikoloa was releasing large blocks of rooms at deep discounts to locals. I had the unfortunate experience of witnessing first hand the consequences of that. the locals had total disregard for the rules and the facilities. absolute disrespect for the staff and other guests. boom boxes blasting, kids destroying plants, 12 people in a 2 bedroom unit, the pool shut down twice due to dirty diapers. drunk Hawaiians hanging off of pickups in the parking lot. the pool area totally trashed. locals need to take a long look in the mirror before accusing tourists of destroying the islands.
I’m not the brightest light on the Christmas tree but I don’t understand why residents of the state feel tourists are destroying the island. On our last visit a couple of years ago, I did observe over-crowding at some of the tourist hotspots and on Oahu (we went to Oahu and Maui on that trip), the traffic was absolutely crazy and a lot of the cars looked suspiciously like rentals (tourists). On the other hand, we also saw abandoned cars, trash bags, and worn-out refrigerators all over the less-traveled roads. I don’t know if I have made my last trip over there (prices are out of control) but I do know tourists shouldn’t be the only whipping boy for the condition of the islands.
Hawaii didn’t think how bad tourism would effect their land. They continued to build large hotels and condos sold more time shares and encouraged people to visit. Seems like they didn’t realize that would increase visitors. They did away with growing commodity and processing plants so the locals needed jobs and tourism provides that. You can tell tourists how fragile your islands are but they come to relax and party so most don’t pay attention. Change is needed and maybe downsizing the amount of STR is worth trying but not 100% of them. It’s a hard balance and needs a strong leader with good business skills to pull this off.
The governor should perhaps redirect his energy into other solutions. I’ve written here before that Hawaii is not considered a top choice for Japanese travelers anymore. Less the cost (which is going to be even more a consideration with the yen’s plunge), but more the perception that it’s a “dangerous and dirty place where people use the bathroom in the street” as my Japanese Aunt, who is part of the wealthy demographic being sought by the HTA, describes it. Her last trip to Honolulu a few years ago floored her and they have no intention of ever returning. Taiwan, Thailand, Oz, and Europe are some of the destinations that top the list now.
If they don’t want as many tourists, and they think tourists are ruining HI then why do they continue to approve and give permits to large developments for tourists like the one in Kapalua?
Wow! For Joerg to say that the tourists are destroying Hawaii is just ridiculous to the extreme! In my 30+ years of traveling to the Hawaiian Islands I have seen lots of examples of “locals” screwing up the aina with abandoned vehicles, appliances, and trash unlike that I have seen on many of the Island’s I have visited that also have economies based upon tourism. Hawaii’s problems lie at the feet of ALL of the politicians that rule over the Island’s because of the asinine decisions that they continue to make, like trios to Japan in search of “mindful tourists”! Then there’s the lack of attention to the most basic of infrastructure around the Island’s like the roads, the airports, and the water supplies. Reality check time!
Here’s my prediction for what’s next on Maui and rest of Hawaiian islands. Squatters claiming to be Hawaiian natives will soon take over SRT’s and individuals vacation condos and the government will side with the squatters. Far fetched I think not it’s already happening all over the mainland.
Gee, I wonder how Hawaii could reduce the number of tourists by one half but keep all that lovely money. I know, make tourists spend twice as much money for the same vacation! Hawaii only wants rich tourists, not middle or working class ones. That’s why Governor Greenback is off to Japan.
Yes. And sometimes I think the reason state tourism numbers are high is because tourists are staying fewer days yet with cheap west coast airfare it’s easy to visit for a long weekend and be affordable. So the real number of days occupied are less.
“For the foreseeable future, travel will monopolize Hawaii, leaving the state vulnerable in a myriad of ways to the negative impacts of over-tourism and the potential for economic shocks associated with this reliance.”
This is a sad dilemma, with no answer for anyone here. I have not been to Hawaii since 2015. It was more crowded that I had experienced,but did not experience any personal negativity or destruction of property. If Japanese takes better care of their visits, then be it. Let them have the islands. It’s like everything else in life. Bad actors, take it away from all of us that love and respect. But, I will not fight it anymore as I am old, very old, and coming this year for my last time.
What this article is describing can be applied to any state in the USA.
There is overcrowding, pollution, resources being used up, nature being destroyed, and lack of housing.
Locals, as Hawaii residents call themselves say they are being affected, so are the locals in every state on the mainland experiencing this.
The huge millions of population increase is hurting the mainland states also.
The big difference is that Hawaii tourists visit and leave. This does not happen in the mainland states. People not respecting our border laws come in and stay illegally.
Perhaps Hawaii should feel grateful?
Reading articles like these, and my lived experience living here for many years reminds me of common themes which are disheartening. I’ve lived for long periods in a few different places, in the U.S. and Europe. By and large all peoples have been friendly, helpful, conscious of the environment, and ‘welcoming’. Whatever ‘aloha’ is…not as unique as many imply-maybe this needs to be considered.
The tourism and military industries underpin the economic health of these islands. Diversification Very difficult and even require a big mindset change which many would not like.
Our supportable population would need to decrease a lot to compensate for significant reductions. Inescapable logic at work. IMO.
As you said, over tourism takes a huge toll on the environment, the residents and also the quality of the tourism experience. It absolutely has to be curbed…Covid revenge travel combined with the so called “SWA effect” (flooding the market for market share) accelerated the problem, but it has to be dealt with. Not an easy fix.
I’ve said this for years…if large tourist areas like Hawaii would stop airbnbs and move mainlanders and tourists back to staying in hotels and condos not only would it reduce visitors (due to only limited space available), it would free up housing for locals, and reduce the environmental footprint of excessive tourism. It seems no one in government wants to do this. They have become greedy and pander to celebrities and politicians.
I run and own a vacation rental on the north shore of Kauai and I’m a happy/friendly owner and my guests are treated like family and they love it. I stay full w/my reasonable prices. It’s a very homogeneous state of mind we’ve created and liked by all.
Afterall, hotels have a difficult time showing love when they are worried about the almighty buck to survive. Hawaii would be devastated without our friendliness shared by all.
My repeat business is a simple example of that love shared by all. Aloha is in full force as is expected by our visitors and ohana.
Wow ! As a Canadian who loved vacationing in Maui for years, stayed in hotels and condos, I am very disappointed to learn that we tourists are not that welcomed any more. I have always felt welcomed in the past, always been respectful of the environment and the people. I have always felt safe in Maui… , for me it was home away from home. When the Lahaina fires happened causing a housing crisis, I decided to postpone my 2024 vacation to Maui releasing my condo reservation. I am planning to visit in 2025 and will definitely pay close attention to how people treat us. That will determine if Maui will continue to be a favorite destination for my vacation dollars. Mahalo !
Respectfully, you only see yourself in that equation and not the fact that you are one of several thousands arriving on our shores day in and day out. The fact is we’re being loved to death.
On a recent trip over to Maui to visit a friend, I was appalled to see tourists stopping and exiting their cars to take photographs along the one-lane road to Hana. Now suppose you’re a Hana resident in need of emergency surgery, but the ambulance can’t get through, not just because of the one group of misbehaving tourists, but the throng waiting behind them to capture that same FOMO moment. It simply is no longer sustainable. Too many visitors, not nearly enough capacity to accommodate them.
Aloha
Maui at least attempted a solution in its 2012 Maui Island Plan—2012!!!—in its Economic Policy Section.
It stipulates that when the percentage of tourists to resident population exceeds 30%, that steps be taken to reduce tourism; what it didn’t specify was the steps. And the onus was placed on the political process to create and enforce those steps. Given that the Plan ostensibly has the force of Law, I would have expected “something” to have been done.
The issue, for Maui, is simple.
Our economy is overwhelmingly dependent upon exogenous factors.
And for that, I see no panacea
I am really tired of hearing how tourist disrespect the land. Just take a walk down the road to Jaws. Used washers and dryers, junk cars, tires etc. Randomly see burned and dismantled cars throughout the Island. And that’s “Pono”????? Maybe it’s time to quit blaming and look in your own backyard. And just for the record I live on Island.
Yep… when hear about visitors trashing the islands one of the first images that come to my mind is exactly what you describe with Jaws and the trash that locals have left there (engine blocks, etc.).
Other areas that come to mind are trash littering the woods behind Whalers General store in Poipu, an abandoned moped in the woods behind the Maniniholo dry cave in Haena beach park, just to name a couple of places.
Shanda,
I looked up how Hawaiians can get rid of the items you described. I was thinking maybe there was some sort of reason people had a hard time disposing of these items.
It turns out it is free. They call the place and they come pick it for free.
Given that, one would think they would do that and not pollute and trash the area.
Make it a toll road with locals exempt with ID. Won’t stop the traffic but it would raise money. They’re putting fees on everything else.
Best Regards
I hope you maintain your own property or offer the same employee benefits as the hotel and tax paying small businesses. To many illegal vacation rentals in Hawaii! 81,0000 illegal vacation rentals not paying taxes and paying cash to residents to maintain their Aloha! Haole mentality!
What an insulting article. Josh Green is an arrogant twit. How dare he say Japanese visitors will make things better.
In other words Europeans, Australians,Canadians and Mainland US citizens are trash and hurting the Hawaiian Islands. I can’t believe what he does and says but me for one have been Insulted once to often so after 45 years of loving the islands I am saying aloha and visiting places where everyone is welcome
Hawaii will live and die by Greens words and actions!!
I don’t think there are any good solutions for Hawaii.
Sadly, no matter what they try to do, it will be a long uphill struggle.
“There’s no doubt that Hawaii’s time spent without tourism during Covid, now behind us, presented an enticing view of life in Hawaii without its bustling travel industry. Just the physical transformation without visitors was remarkable everywhere, from Hanauma Bay to Hana and Kauai’s Napali Coast to Maui’s Mt. Haleakala.”
So you are implying that tourists are responsible for the environmental damage done to Hawaii? Do we not remember why Polihale was shut down for a couple years. Locals completely destroyed that state park “During COVID”. Heres another article you can look up.. (Weekend parties leave Oahu beaches trashed and raise concerns about spread of virus). Again this was during covid closures without tourism!
When Hawaii was coming out of the C19 lockdowns and opening up, Hilton’s King’s Land Resort at Waikoloa was releasing large blocks of rooms at deep discounts to locals. I had the unfortunate experience of witnessing first hand the consequences of that. the locals had total disregard for the rules and the facilities. absolute disrespect for the staff and other guests. boom boxes blasting, kids destroying plants, 12 people in a 2 bedroom unit, the pool shut down twice due to dirty diapers. drunk Hawaiians hanging off of pickups in the parking lot. the pool area totally trashed. locals need to take a long look in the mirror before accusing tourists of destroying the islands.
I’m not the brightest light on the Christmas tree but I don’t understand why residents of the state feel tourists are destroying the island. On our last visit a couple of years ago, I did observe over-crowding at some of the tourist hotspots and on Oahu (we went to Oahu and Maui on that trip), the traffic was absolutely crazy and a lot of the cars looked suspiciously like rentals (tourists). On the other hand, we also saw abandoned cars, trash bags, and worn-out refrigerators all over the less-traveled roads. I don’t know if I have made my last trip over there (prices are out of control) but I do know tourists shouldn’t be the only whipping boy for the condition of the islands.
Hawaii didn’t think how bad tourism would effect their land. They continued to build large hotels and condos sold more time shares and encouraged people to visit. Seems like they didn’t realize that would increase visitors. They did away with growing commodity and processing plants so the locals needed jobs and tourism provides that. You can tell tourists how fragile your islands are but they come to relax and party so most don’t pay attention. Change is needed and maybe downsizing the amount of STR is worth trying but not 100% of them. It’s a hard balance and needs a strong leader with good business skills to pull this off.
Perhaps find a way to make HI a less desirable destination.
The governor should perhaps redirect his energy into other solutions. I’ve written here before that Hawaii is not considered a top choice for Japanese travelers anymore. Less the cost (which is going to be even more a consideration with the yen’s plunge), but more the perception that it’s a “dangerous and dirty place where people use the bathroom in the street” as my Japanese Aunt, who is part of the wealthy demographic being sought by the HTA, describes it. Her last trip to Honolulu a few years ago floored her and they have no intention of ever returning. Taiwan, Thailand, Oz, and Europe are some of the destinations that top the list now.
Best Regards
If they don’t want as many tourists, and they think tourists are ruining HI then why do they continue to approve and give permits to large developments for tourists like the one in Kapalua?
Wow! For Joerg to say that the tourists are destroying Hawaii is just ridiculous to the extreme! In my 30+ years of traveling to the Hawaiian Islands I have seen lots of examples of “locals” screwing up the aina with abandoned vehicles, appliances, and trash unlike that I have seen on many of the Island’s I have visited that also have economies based upon tourism. Hawaii’s problems lie at the feet of ALL of the politicians that rule over the Island’s because of the asinine decisions that they continue to make, like trios to Japan in search of “mindful tourists”! Then there’s the lack of attention to the most basic of infrastructure around the Island’s like the roads, the airports, and the water supplies. Reality check time!