84 thoughts on “Hawaii’s Tourism Storm: Gloomy March Data + Final Marketing Plans Released”
Isaac
Hawaii has used euphemisms to describe the tourists they want…..
Eco-tourism doesnt describe people who are spending more and going to hawaii for high priced curated Hawaiian cultural performances or guided hikes……and stay at uber expensive resorts that have a huge carbon footprint…..
Eco-tourism is actually a price sensitive backpacking traveler. Which hawaii doesnt want.
I’ve never witnessed such a Mickey Mouse operation. First, it’s don’t come here. Then, it’s come here, but only if you are a specific customer type, now it’s everyone come here, guess we need you. Total clown show. & to top it off, the Hotels basically have colluded to raise room rates to ridiculous levels. Hate to break it to Hawaii, but you’re not Tahiti & you’re not Maldives. Lastly, the smartest way around this is for a big cruise line, (or two or three) to come here. Punish the local hotel rates into the ground. Cruise ship room rates, with longer port dates will show local Hoteliers they’re not the only game in town. If any restrictions are thrown up, then you have the validation that Hawai’i is in cahoots with the Hoteliers.
Please don’t judge us for the current politicians. We appreciate your support, help and input. You are so right but consider the source and pray we clean house soon! There is no place like Hawaii. We felt unwelcome and disrespected in Tahiti which is more expense without as much to do. The Caribbean has unsafe areas where they urge vacationers to stay inside the resort area. Hawaii has world demand for good reason. I ask everyday how visitors are being treated. They say our people do have the aloha spirit.
I return 2 times a year because of the people, the beauty, the culture, and much more. First 2 visits were typical tourist ones. But the last 20 or so. Just for my soul. I would move there. But, then I’d have no place to become renewed. And to me that is the magic of the islands. I want to see people appreciate what Hawaii is truly about. And if you miss those. Then you have missed why peopleove it so.
As usual the haters are over simplifying the problem there to advance their own agenda. For example, tourism to the US, including Hawaii, is having trouble recovering post-pandemic in general. As a matter of fact, we are now 17th out of 18 in the world. Add to that artificially high prices in general driven by corporate greed, and the number of people in the US wanting a Hawaii vacation is actually still surprisingly high.
One thing I have not heard mentioned is that US residents traveling to HI have certain major advantages over other non-US destinations. Hawaii is a state.
A US citizen traveling to foreign destinations has limited or no civil rights. Try getting the State Dept. to help if you need it. Also, any health insurance you have will provide little or no coverage there. If you need health care you will have to pay cash up-front.
Basically in a foreign land you really don’t want any problems or else.
Agree! I have posted numerous comments on BOH complaining about poor management, leadership, lack of planning and terrible maintenance of the state’s infrastructure. However, Hawaii despite all of its current challenges and ridiculously high costs is still more desirable for an American vacation. It’s a state, and you are a US citizen with all the rights and privileges that come with being a citizen of the USA. Many Caribbean islands are riddled with crime and have very poor infrastructure. Ever watch a hurricane in Jamaica or the Dominican Republic? It’s not pretty. Nassau in the Bahamas is currently dealing with a huge increase in street crime. Mexico is totally unsafe. Just ask any Texas resident like me. I’ll take Hawaii over them!
There’s a disconnect between these reports and what I actually see on the ground every time I’m visiting. Despite gloomy forecasts and numbers, all I ever see are the same packed venues as always. I stay in Waikiki when I visit to avoid making the cramped homes of family even more so ( and to save what’s left of my sanity) so I get a good sense of what’s going on.
I can tell you that it always seems there are just as many visitors as ever. I avoid driving the N. Shore circuit due to the insane traffic but did so in Jan for a friend who really wanted to see the area. Worse than H1 at rush hour – bumper to bumper-. When I’m there next week I’ll let ya know if it’s more of the same…
The message coming out of Hawaii over the last few years has been stay away, you’re not wanted. To make sure people stay away, food costs have increased significantly, be it from the local stores or restaurants (thankfully there is Costco). The cost for lodging has gone up significantly since Covid. I’m not sure if condo owners are looking to recoup their losses or what but since 2020, the cost per day at the condo we rent has gone up 167%. The owner says their HOA fees have gone up as well as the taxes per day thanks to the State of Hawaii. Rental car rates have increased significantly, as well as the air fare from the east coast of the US. We’ve come for the last 14 years, but this is our last.
The high costs associated with Hawaii, along with the state government’s attempts at getting people to avoid travel to Hawaii haven’t helped. All the focus on the fires on Maui have led people to think that the entire state has burned up, when we know that isn’t the case.
We spend 4 or more weeks on Hawaii almost every year. Kauai is the usual place. Fortunately for us, the time share we have has kitchens, so the cost of eating is mitigated somewhat. Safeway is still more expensive than on the mainland, but it beats going out for dinner. We still get nailed by the cost of getting to and from the islands – airfare isn’t cheap. And the cost of rental cars has gotten expensive, indeed.
Two issues HTA need to address are the political statements threatening short term rentals and camping of the locals in kaanapali beach with signs telling people to discontinue short term rentals.
Very true. I think the governor owes an apology at the very least. That will never happen. Many of us are embarrassed and ashamed of our current leaders and the disillusioned locals. When resorts replace Lahaina town, they will realize the distractions were for deliberate reasons.
100%
I was just on Maui last week (we generally go 1-2 per year).
We stay near the Honua Kai (north end of the boardwalk) and the encampments on the beach have gotten worse. So much garbage…we heard them cutting trees! They also had an open fire.
Plus I am on several FB groups and people mention getting their STR canceled on them with little notice. If an owner wants to rent to a displaced local then great…..but you knew you were looking into it and should give vacation renters a heads up…..super not cool!!
Perhaps the Hawaiian governor and his pals should have listened to all of the locals and short term rental owners that their negative media on STRS was going to have an impact on tourism- when you say stay away what do you think would happen? A large loss of tax infusion and reduction in local economy!
It would be useful to have more detailed HTA arrival visitor stats.
What percentage of the decline was directly attributable to decreased arrivals on Maui? Did O’ahu, Kaua’i, and the Big Island see the same percentage decreases?
I think the concept is good however, the consumer is more price conscious than ever, and as we’ve seen another markets, the eco-tourism usually comes at a premium price. We still have problems with oblivious tourists, tramp, historic areas, destroying artifacts, walking on coral. I think there needs to be a more concerted effort not just a marketing campaign to protect the culture. And it needs to be price competitive, tourists are all about looking for the best deal.
Well, sometimes you get what you asked for, and Hawaii is now getting what it wanted. Fewer tourists and a lagging economy. You cannot continually tell people you don’t want them, and demonstrate it by your actions, then expect to turn the spigot back on when you realized you screwed up. I believe the biggest loss of tourists are probably the long term returnees.
I am a 30 year resident and have seen more locals do damage than visitors including leaving their trash behind. I 4 wheel so I see garbage in areas that visitors can’t get to or find. Placing this blame on visitors is wrong. It may have been a previous generation of locals that had respect for the land, not this one.
Nope, no way. Tahiti, the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Alaska, national parks…… Those are our upcoming plans. I’m tired of being in a dysfunctional relationship. The government calling us undesirable, locals complaining, being told we need to be “educated” in order to be acceptable tourists, being told we don’t spend enough money, having to make reservations to visit beaches, slapping us with fees for daring to visit, the list goes on and on and on. So, nice try, but it’s too little too late and it won’t work on me and my family. Bye!
Former Maui resident & rates for accommodations have increased so high I can no longer afford to visit. Owners need to not try to recoup losses from covid overnight .
Rates and pricing went up everywhere since Covid, including where You live. It is not only Hawaii. There were shutdowns, people out of work and dying during Covid. Supplies and manufacturing fell behind not to mention full ships not allowed to remove their inventory at ports. We are still catching up. Traveling is a choice. The floodgates open up in Hawaii and rates are based on what the market will bear. We are all affected by higher costs of everything everywhere since Covid.
Hawaii should be marketed as a welcoming destination by the tourism authorities, the government, but, most importantly, by the populace. Residents here must be educated to understand that tourism is our lifeblood, and tourist dollars support everyone who lives here, regardless of their occupation or status.
Whatever happened to happy and smiling hosts, greeting visitors with graciousness, understanding, and a desire to educate visitors in the ways of Hawaii and respect for its residents?
We’re still here! Why is it easier to spread bad news than good? We are so blessed and grateful to have survived the fires and now are doing our best to rebuild which includes appreciation for our visitors! We are humble in our dependency to visitors. Visitors tell me they were reluctant because of the news they have heard but so happy they are hear, that everyone has been wonderful. They can’t apologize enough and constantly ask how they can help. They seek local businesses, would rather give their money to an STR than a hotel and have compassion for our island and people.
I am a resident farmer on Kauai with a farmstay that we utilize to help support our farming venture. In spite of being well-priced compared with most other transient vacation rentals, and especially hotels, we are experiencing waning interest from vacationers.
What is causing this decline? Is just Hawaii suffering, or is tourism worldwide suffering? We are in an era of declining financial/political/social optimism and, although there are certainly pockets of prosperity, the average traveler is choosing to stay closer to home.
Hi Bruce F, I believe that what you have been, and are, seeing are the results of the constant insults, threats, demands of “leave and don’t come back” from residents and the venerable HTA. It seems that now, when they get what they want, they are very concerned over the loss of Tourism and Money. Can’t have it both ways it seems, oops. Why not vacation elsewhere and spend 1/3 or 1/2? Suddenly things cost less, are closer to home, and is just as beautiful!
Airlines are seeing record international travel. People are not choosing to stay home – they are choosing to visit other places that are more economical and welcoming than Hawaii.
My wife and I visited Kauai a few months ago. We have been repeat visitors to Hawaii but that trip will be our last.
I can certainly see why tourism is down, the high cost of hotels, flights,cars and dining is not affordable anymore. The government keeps sending the message that people are no longer welcome. There are a lot of beautiful places to visit in the world and people are taking their tourism dollars elsewhere at a much more affordable price! So long Hawaiii, it’s been a wonderful place to visit, but I will go elsewhere, somewhere that I feel welcomed and valued.
Sorry to hear that you are disappointed with the direction Hawaii is heading. Book a vacation rental with cooking facilities, not a pricey hotel with no kitchen.
Well, the government, residents, and media report almost every day lately that they are trying to phase short-term rentals out.
Another reason people are staying away is that they are afraid if they book a short-term rental (which makes the most sense for families, those who like to cook, those who don’t really like the hotel scene, etc.) their rental will be “phased out”, leaving them in the lurch. Much better to choose a destination with secure lodging, and also one that will welcome them with open arms! Who can blame them?
I’m not sure that is a valid solution. All you are telling me is that if you want to come to the islands, be ready to not go out and enjoy the restaurants and support the local businesses? That I should sit in my room and cook? (I thought I was supposed to be on vacation)
When people come to Las Vegas do we recommend you not enjoy the restaurants and nightlife? I dont think so! Come spend the cash! I’ll find a Tiki bar for you!
So we should book a short term rental – that Hawaiian politicians are in the process of banning?
My wife and I have used Airbnb for most of our Hawaiian trips but now there is no certainly that if I book a place to stay it will still be available when I arrive.
Honestly, although we travel to Hawaii for family and business, when we vacation here we want to relax and enjoy–not be subjected to a more “assertive” messaging strategy, or demands to be a more “meaningful” traveler! Those are meaningless buzzwords. Most travelers respect the land and the people and this strategy is really offputting! Thanks for keeping us up to date BOH.
Thanks Lee, well said.
I’ve been coming to Hawaii since 1965, usually two or more times a year, and have had a timeshare on Kauai at Princeville since after hurricane Iniki.
We love Hawaii, it’s beauty, culture, history and most of all its wonderful people. We don’t need to be lectured by a bunch of liberal politicians that are destroying its economy daily and causing horrible economic consequences for the Hawaiian people. Enough of this nonsense.
Aloha to all.
It is going to take a whole lot more than the HTA “refocusing” on vacationers coming from the mainland to get people to return in the kind of numbers that will support the citizens of Hawaii first and foremost and then the state itself. How about the guv’nur falling on his sword by apologizing and tell the rest of the USA that he is sorry for the things that he has said and most recently done because right now He is as much a part of the problem as anything else and the head of the HTA should have been fired before he was ever hired!
Absolutely true and necessary but won’T happen. I am only one person but I wholeheartedly apologize for the stupidity and public remarks from our governor
Nobody with any common sense is surprised that visitors heard the hostile messages that too many locals have been sending for too long. We’ve taken the lifeblood of our economy for granted and have insulted them to the point that they’ve looked around the world and noticed that there are plenty of less expensive destinations where they are welcomed and appreciated. Maybe after 1/3 of the local population has been forced to move to Vegas the ones left will figure it out and start acting like grownups again but plenty of damage has already been done and reversing course is going to be very painful.
And what will happen when Japan’s visitor count improves? The mainland visitors from the USA will be disparaged. But, by then, Gov Green will be long gone and, hopefully, the new pols will appreciate the other 49 states.
Hawaii has used euphemisms to describe the tourists they want…..
Eco-tourism doesnt describe people who are spending more and going to hawaii for high priced curated Hawaiian cultural performances or guided hikes……and stay at uber expensive resorts that have a huge carbon footprint…..
Eco-tourism is actually a price sensitive backpacking traveler. Which hawaii doesnt want.
Get the language correct….
I’ve never witnessed such a Mickey Mouse operation. First, it’s don’t come here. Then, it’s come here, but only if you are a specific customer type, now it’s everyone come here, guess we need you. Total clown show. & to top it off, the Hotels basically have colluded to raise room rates to ridiculous levels. Hate to break it to Hawaii, but you’re not Tahiti & you’re not Maldives. Lastly, the smartest way around this is for a big cruise line, (or two or three) to come here. Punish the local hotel rates into the ground. Cruise ship room rates, with longer port dates will show local Hoteliers they’re not the only game in town. If any restrictions are thrown up, then you have the validation that Hawai’i is in cahoots with the Hoteliers.
Please don’t judge us for the current politicians. We appreciate your support, help and input. You are so right but consider the source and pray we clean house soon! There is no place like Hawaii. We felt unwelcome and disrespected in Tahiti which is more expense without as much to do. The Caribbean has unsafe areas where they urge vacationers to stay inside the resort area. Hawaii has world demand for good reason. I ask everyday how visitors are being treated. They say our people do have the aloha spirit.
I return 2 times a year because of the people, the beauty, the culture, and much more. First 2 visits were typical tourist ones. But the last 20 or so. Just for my soul. I would move there. But, then I’d have no place to become renewed. And to me that is the magic of the islands. I want to see people appreciate what Hawaii is truly about. And if you miss those. Then you have missed why peopleove it so.
Thank you for your observations and sharing your kind words. We appreciate you!
As usual the haters are over simplifying the problem there to advance their own agenda. For example, tourism to the US, including Hawaii, is having trouble recovering post-pandemic in general. As a matter of fact, we are now 17th out of 18 in the world. Add to that artificially high prices in general driven by corporate greed, and the number of people in the US wanting a Hawaii vacation is actually still surprisingly high.
Jeorg:
One thing I have not heard mentioned is that US residents traveling to HI have certain major advantages over other non-US destinations. Hawaii is a state.
A US citizen traveling to foreign destinations has limited or no civil rights. Try getting the State Dept. to help if you need it. Also, any health insurance you have will provide little or no coverage there. If you need health care you will have to pay cash up-front.
Basically in a foreign land you really don’t want any problems or else.
Agree! I have posted numerous comments on BOH complaining about poor management, leadership, lack of planning and terrible maintenance of the state’s infrastructure. However, Hawaii despite all of its current challenges and ridiculously high costs is still more desirable for an American vacation. It’s a state, and you are a US citizen with all the rights and privileges that come with being a citizen of the USA. Many Caribbean islands are riddled with crime and have very poor infrastructure. Ever watch a hurricane in Jamaica or the Dominican Republic? It’s not pretty. Nassau in the Bahamas is currently dealing with a huge increase in street crime. Mexico is totally unsafe. Just ask any Texas resident like me. I’ll take Hawaii over them!
It’s simple, Maui is pricing itself out of the market and there are other good choices.
There’s a disconnect between these reports and what I actually see on the ground every time I’m visiting. Despite gloomy forecasts and numbers, all I ever see are the same packed venues as always. I stay in Waikiki when I visit to avoid making the cramped homes of family even more so ( and to save what’s left of my sanity) so I get a good sense of what’s going on.
I can tell you that it always seems there are just as many visitors as ever. I avoid driving the N. Shore circuit due to the insane traffic but did so in Jan for a friend who really wanted to see the area. Worse than H1 at rush hour – bumper to bumper-. When I’m there next week I’ll let ya know if it’s more of the same…
Best Regards
The message coming out of Hawaii over the last few years has been stay away, you’re not wanted. To make sure people stay away, food costs have increased significantly, be it from the local stores or restaurants (thankfully there is Costco). The cost for lodging has gone up significantly since Covid. I’m not sure if condo owners are looking to recoup their losses or what but since 2020, the cost per day at the condo we rent has gone up 167%. The owner says their HOA fees have gone up as well as the taxes per day thanks to the State of Hawaii. Rental car rates have increased significantly, as well as the air fare from the east coast of the US. We’ve come for the last 14 years, but this is our last.
The high costs associated with Hawaii, along with the state government’s attempts at getting people to avoid travel to Hawaii haven’t helped. All the focus on the fires on Maui have led people to think that the entire state has burned up, when we know that isn’t the case.
We spend 4 or more weeks on Hawaii almost every year. Kauai is the usual place. Fortunately for us, the time share we have has kitchens, so the cost of eating is mitigated somewhat. Safeway is still more expensive than on the mainland, but it beats going out for dinner. We still get nailed by the cost of getting to and from the islands – airfare isn’t cheap. And the cost of rental cars has gotten expensive, indeed.
Two issues HTA need to address are the political statements threatening short term rentals and camping of the locals in kaanapali beach with signs telling people to discontinue short term rentals.
Very true. I think the governor owes an apology at the very least. That will never happen. Many of us are embarrassed and ashamed of our current leaders and the disillusioned locals. When resorts replace Lahaina town, they will realize the distractions were for deliberate reasons.
100%
I was just on Maui last week (we generally go 1-2 per year).
We stay near the Honua Kai (north end of the boardwalk) and the encampments on the beach have gotten worse. So much garbage…we heard them cutting trees! They also had an open fire.
Plus I am on several FB groups and people mention getting their STR canceled on them with little notice. If an owner wants to rent to a displaced local then great…..but you knew you were looking into it and should give vacation renters a heads up…..super not cool!!
Perhaps the Hawaiian governor and his pals should have listened to all of the locals and short term rental owners that their negative media on STRS was going to have an impact on tourism- when you say stay away what do you think would happen? A large loss of tax infusion and reduction in local economy!
It would be useful to have more detailed HTA arrival visitor stats.
What percentage of the decline was directly attributable to decreased arrivals on Maui? Did O’ahu, Kaua’i, and the Big Island see the same percentage decreases?
Decreases affecting all islands since the Governors march against STRs. Maui’s fires fueled their fire and of course hit Maui even harder.
I think the concept is good however, the consumer is more price conscious than ever, and as we’ve seen another markets, the eco-tourism usually comes at a premium price. We still have problems with oblivious tourists, tramp, historic areas, destroying artifacts, walking on coral. I think there needs to be a more concerted effort not just a marketing campaign to protect the culture. And it needs to be price competitive, tourists are all about looking for the best deal.
Well, sometimes you get what you asked for, and Hawaii is now getting what it wanted. Fewer tourists and a lagging economy. You cannot continually tell people you don’t want them, and demonstrate it by your actions, then expect to turn the spigot back on when you realized you screwed up. I believe the biggest loss of tourists are probably the long term returnees.
I am a 30 year resident and have seen more locals do damage than visitors including leaving their trash behind. I 4 wheel so I see garbage in areas that visitors can’t get to or find. Placing this blame on visitors is wrong. It may have been a previous generation of locals that had respect for the land, not this one.
Nope, no way. Tahiti, the Caribbean, Costa Rica, Alaska, national parks…… Those are our upcoming plans. I’m tired of being in a dysfunctional relationship. The government calling us undesirable, locals complaining, being told we need to be “educated” in order to be acceptable tourists, being told we don’t spend enough money, having to make reservations to visit beaches, slapping us with fees for daring to visit, the list goes on and on and on. So, nice try, but it’s too little too late and it won’t work on me and my family. Bye!
Former Maui resident & rates for accommodations have increased so high I can no longer afford to visit. Owners need to not try to recoup losses from covid overnight .
Rates and pricing went up everywhere since Covid, including where You live. It is not only Hawaii. There were shutdowns, people out of work and dying during Covid. Supplies and manufacturing fell behind not to mention full ships not allowed to remove their inventory at ports. We are still catching up. Traveling is a choice. The floodgates open up in Hawaii and rates are based on what the market will bear. We are all affected by higher costs of everything everywhere since Covid.
Hawaii should be marketed as a welcoming destination by the tourism authorities, the government, but, most importantly, by the populace. Residents here must be educated to understand that tourism is our lifeblood, and tourist dollars support everyone who lives here, regardless of their occupation or status.
Whatever happened to happy and smiling hosts, greeting visitors with graciousness, understanding, and a desire to educate visitors in the ways of Hawaii and respect for its residents?
We’re still here! Why is it easier to spread bad news than good? We are so blessed and grateful to have survived the fires and now are doing our best to rebuild which includes appreciation for our visitors! We are humble in our dependency to visitors. Visitors tell me they were reluctant because of the news they have heard but so happy they are hear, that everyone has been wonderful. They can’t apologize enough and constantly ask how they can help. They seek local businesses, would rather give their money to an STR than a hotel and have compassion for our island and people.
I am a resident farmer on Kauai with a farmstay that we utilize to help support our farming venture. In spite of being well-priced compared with most other transient vacation rentals, and especially hotels, we are experiencing waning interest from vacationers.
What is causing this decline? Is just Hawaii suffering, or is tourism worldwide suffering? We are in an era of declining financial/political/social optimism and, although there are certainly pockets of prosperity, the average traveler is choosing to stay closer to home.
Hi Bruce F, I believe that what you have been, and are, seeing are the results of the constant insults, threats, demands of “leave and don’t come back” from residents and the venerable HTA. It seems that now, when they get what they want, they are very concerned over the loss of Tourism and Money. Can’t have it both ways it seems, oops. Why not vacation elsewhere and spend 1/3 or 1/2? Suddenly things cost less, are closer to home, and is just as beautiful!
Airlines are seeing record international travel. People are not choosing to stay home – they are choosing to visit other places that are more economical and welcoming than Hawaii.
My wife and I visited Kauai a few months ago. We have been repeat visitors to Hawaii but that trip will be our last.
I can certainly see why tourism is down, the high cost of hotels, flights,cars and dining is not affordable anymore. The government keeps sending the message that people are no longer welcome. There are a lot of beautiful places to visit in the world and people are taking their tourism dollars elsewhere at a much more affordable price! So long Hawaiii, it’s been a wonderful place to visit, but I will go elsewhere, somewhere that I feel welcomed and valued.
Sorry to hear that you are disappointed with the direction Hawaii is heading. Book a vacation rental with cooking facilities, not a pricey hotel with no kitchen.
Well, the government, residents, and media report almost every day lately that they are trying to phase short-term rentals out.
Another reason people are staying away is that they are afraid if they book a short-term rental (which makes the most sense for families, those who like to cook, those who don’t really like the hotel scene, etc.) their rental will be “phased out”, leaving them in the lurch. Much better to choose a destination with secure lodging, and also one that will welcome them with open arms! Who can blame them?
I’m not sure that is a valid solution. All you are telling me is that if you want to come to the islands, be ready to not go out and enjoy the restaurants and support the local businesses? That I should sit in my room and cook? (I thought I was supposed to be on vacation)
When people come to Las Vegas do we recommend you not enjoy the restaurants and nightlife? I dont think so! Come spend the cash! I’ll find a Tiki bar for you!
So we should book a short term rental – that Hawaiian politicians are in the process of banning?
My wife and I have used Airbnb for most of our Hawaiian trips but now there is no certainly that if I book a place to stay it will still be available when I arrive.
Honestly, although we travel to Hawaii for family and business, when we vacation here we want to relax and enjoy–not be subjected to a more “assertive” messaging strategy, or demands to be a more “meaningful” traveler! Those are meaningless buzzwords. Most travelers respect the land and the people and this strategy is really offputting! Thanks for keeping us up to date BOH.
Thanks Lee, well said.
I’ve been coming to Hawaii since 1965, usually two or more times a year, and have had a timeshare on Kauai at Princeville since after hurricane Iniki.
We love Hawaii, it’s beauty, culture, history and most of all its wonderful people. We don’t need to be lectured by a bunch of liberal politicians that are destroying its economy daily and causing horrible economic consequences for the Hawaiian people. Enough of this nonsense.
Aloha to all.
“March 2024 Hawaii visitor data shows continued decline…”
But is that what they wanted to begin with? Less people?
It is going to take a whole lot more than the HTA “refocusing” on vacationers coming from the mainland to get people to return in the kind of numbers that will support the citizens of Hawaii first and foremost and then the state itself. How about the guv’nur falling on his sword by apologizing and tell the rest of the USA that he is sorry for the things that he has said and most recently done because right now He is as much a part of the problem as anything else and the head of the HTA should have been fired before he was ever hired!
Absolutely true and necessary but won’T happen. I am only one person but I wholeheartedly apologize for the stupidity and public remarks from our governor
Nobody with any common sense is surprised that visitors heard the hostile messages that too many locals have been sending for too long. We’ve taken the lifeblood of our economy for granted and have insulted them to the point that they’ve looked around the world and noticed that there are plenty of less expensive destinations where they are welcomed and appreciated. Maybe after 1/3 of the local population has been forced to move to Vegas the ones left will figure it out and start acting like grownups again but plenty of damage has already been done and reversing course is going to be very painful.
And what will happen when Japan’s visitor count improves? The mainland visitors from the USA will be disparaged. But, by then, Gov Green will be long gone and, hopefully, the new pols will appreciate the other 49 states.
Let us al pray, cross our fingers and toes that Gov Green will be long gone and our Maui mayor!!!!!!!