Hawaii just rolled out its final U.S. marketing strategies to boost tourism, just as disheartening March data was released.
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84 thoughts on “Hawaii’s Tourism Storm: Gloomy March Data + Final Marketing Plans Released”
Hawaii just rolled out its final U.S. marketing strategies to boost tourism, just as disheartening March data was released.
Save for the Covid closure years, we’ve been spending 6 weeks a year in Hawaii for almost the last 20. This year: zero weeks. Lodging is simply too expensive, and car rental prices are double or triple what they were pre-Covid. I miss it, but it is simply not worth the expense. Marketing messages won’t change that.
As a frequent visitor from Colorado, about 2-4 times a year, for 25+ years, I’m not as keen to visit Hawaii as often as we have. Reasons why?
Maui’s west side (Ka’anapali – Lahaina) is only 1/2 open. And what is open is just a Hawaiian version of Newport Beach, CA.
We love Waikiki, but the beach erosion is a bummer. The high cost of hotels and dining is daunting.
Airfare costs to get there and back are also very high. I’d rather fly for an extra day and go to the Philippines and have the same thing as Hawaii for 1/4 the cost.
Lastly, almost no live entertainment. Waikiki doesn’t have the charm and uniqueness that it had 20+ years ago.
If they don’t allow STR’s anymore and hotels prices are through the roof then why not consider Cruise Ships. Airlines are not the only way to go. Cruise Ships offer with the trip fare free Buffet, Cabin to sleep in and in the day rent a car and travel where you want. This isn’t a permanent dwelling so no resort fee’s, and IMO no Hawaii hotel tax because you initiated your trip from another destination. If you have the time this might be the way to go. Give the hotels what they deserve.
It’s not attraction – it’s financial viability.
HTA and hotel/condos driving outsized short term and long term rents is not only squeezing locals out of paradise, it’s unaffordable when the average family of four is seeing a $12k average increase in cost of living.
I work IT, I’ve been blessed with a solid salary. We still are feeling the pain and have already made trims in subscriptions and lowered discretionary spending. Our next Hawaiian trip has been delayed at least one year if it happens at all.
The conflicting messages still there……too many tourists, str’s should be turned over to long term rental……no one wants to go to Kaanapali Beach for the fish in. On top of the expense of the hotels being too high, Mexico or Caribbean are much better values and they want the tourists there. They have big hill to climb to stop the slide. Good luck!
The problem with Hawaii travel is that Hawaii got greedy. The travel industry believed that it had a golden goose that could not be exhausted. Guess what, people have a limit they are willing to spend and Hawaii just breezed based that. All the marketing in the world will not fix that. As long as you are unaffordable, people will seek options the can afford. As a many time visitor over decades and a former property owner on Maui, thye Hawaii tourisim industry; hotels, rental units, retail, rental cars, resturants, killed the goose that laid the golden egg.
Bruce M. You sure hot the nail squarely on its head. Very well written and so true. People are really fed up with all the price gouging. I am a long time visitor who now has no desire to go back there. It’s just not pleasant enough to change my mind. Everything has gotten so messed up over there with the wrong people in charge of running the government there. It’s a sad sad story.
I will be in Hawaii one week from today.
My dream vacation.
The number of flights turning back to the mainland worrisome.
Plus parts of planes falling off.
It’s 11 hours accross the ocean and not flown that many hours on open sea.
Plus Hawaii always expensive but now more reasonable to visit Porto Rico. USVI and Caribbean islands with less expense less hours on Plaine
Yes I know I will love it there and know only time will ever be on that magical island
I have three suggestions to increase tourism:
1. Lower your costs.
2. Lower your costs.
3. Lower your costs.
Frankly, I find the HTA rebranding a little offensive. It feels like a desparate grab. This article details economic challenges with foreign exchange rates, but my dollar is 1-for-1. I’m currently enjoying an epic view of the Smoky Mtns, where my tourism dollars are met with appreciation, and a fairer price for what is being offered. Some would say, “well its not HI.” They are right–its less expensive, closer, and they appreciate my dollars, even when I dont have as much to give.
HTA and the HI govt takes and takes and takes more, then looks at me funny when my money starts to dwindle because “…if I cant afford it, I shouldnt have come.”
HTA needs to market the Hawaiian showcase as being the best for ALL, AirBnB, tents, whatever.
Glad to see there is recognition of this, but without an effort to reduce the cost of a Hawaiin vacation (hotel prices especially) I am not sure how well received this will be. In order to attract people, they have to feel welcome and that they are not getting gouged!
At his new affordable housing conference in West Maui yesterday the governor said that now he has signed the STR bill (giving control to the county) he’s hoping that mainlanders will now just sell their units to locals. Interesting. Certainly not wanting tourists in STRs on Maui.
Shelley,
I’m trying to find some sort of confirmation on-line, and I can’t find any update beyond the joint legislative committee agreeing to it.
I expect Rob and Jeff to post an update once it’s official. I still don’t know what it changes on Kauai. State law (up until now) never prevented the county from revoking permits. That was something the county decided to do to stay out of court. Nor is this new law repealing any old law.
Curious as to how many “locals” can even afford those homes/condos.
I can only say that Hawaii’s tourist board is clearly two-faced. On the one hand, they want to cut short term rentals by at least 25% which impact areas without hotels to a 100% extent and the other they’re looking to increase tourism they need to make up their mind as to what’s important to the Hawaii economy.
Can Hawaii State Government do anything to reduce the rising cost of travel and accommodations? I believe a huge number of those who would be “first visitors” or who would be “returnees” are put off by the rising costs; and they wonder, will it just get more expensive with each passing year? In plain language, “Does the HTA know that Hawaii is pricing itself out of tourism, except by the wealthy, but they are doing it anyway”? If so, how does that make any sense?
The Harvard MBA program teaches that profit can be maximized by selling to fewer customers at a higher price point. All top business leaders know this, and strive for it. So we need to understand that we, the public, are simply a constituency which must be “managed”. So we are told things to prevent us from stopping them (fictions like tourism will be well managed, locals will be treated better, pricing increases are blamed on “inflation”, etc). Don’t fall for it – especially when all their actions show us that they are actively trying to sell at a higher price point regardless of the cost to Hawaii. We need to do whatever we must in order to stop those who only care about “business interests”.
It is about time & we hope not too late to repair the damage after it was our Governor that made visitors feel unwelcome. Perhaps our government finally did the math. Billions of $s lost with their plans to shut down STRs & finally realized that the locals would never be about to carry that burden. Down 4-5% from last year is actually great yet BOH paints it as dismal. We were still on the high from the opened flood gates after the Covid shutdown. So 4-5% down is great after public statements against tourism & STRs for them to stay in. Negative press needs to take some of the blame for the mixed messages travelers received!
Just yesterday the governor said he hoped mainlanders will sell to locals now that he has passed the STR bill giving control to the county. Does he have a future vision of what is coming? Seems like pretty backwards thinking and difficult to believe that STRs will become affordable housing.
“the target Hawaii traveler defined as those who are eco-conscious, mindful of safety precautions, and interested in the culture of places they visit.”
What does this word salad actually mean? They want tourists who will pick up trash, stay on the sidewalks, and go to hula shows? According to “The International Ecotourism Society”, a requirement of being an eco-tourist is “interpretation and education.” That is supposed to generate a whole bunch of travel interest? I am picture an HTA brainstorming session. “How can we get more tourists to come here and spend a bunch of money?” “Hey, I know. We offer to lecture them.”
While I agree, it’s a bit of word salad “eco-conscious” is not the same as “eco-tourist”. “eco-couscous” means “Being environmentally conscious means that not only are you mindful of the effect that you and your actions have on the environment, but that you actively go the extra mile to make sure that your impact is minimized. ” I don’t think that’s a lot to ask for tourists going to Hawai’i.
Here’s a dose of reality. No other tourist destination lectures people how to behave. Jerks will always be jerks, so the lecture won’t have any efect. It will simply be a turnoff to people who travel for enjoyment.
Joerg H.
What does “actively go the extra mile to make sure that your impact is minimized” mean? Give some examples. And why is Hawaii different than any other location on the planet for this extra mile thing?
I think the HTA needs to tweak its messaging further.
I love the parts about promoting the culture, highlighting the differences between islands, and celebrating talented Hawaiians.
The parts about eco-consciousness, education, and in general anything that requires Work may backfire and turn potential visitors away, namely those who like to be Pampered, which is arguably the goal of most visitors coming to “trip of a lifetime” Hawaii.
Lastly, it’s hypocritical to preach “care for our islands”, when there is so much damage and trash being dumped by our own residents. This is distasteful to potential visitors, and the hypocrisy is further driving them away.
“Relax, enjoy, and be pampered” would be better messaging.
When are the Airports going to get it together? Who ever is in charge should be Fired yesterday. Time to fix runways is in the slow season like February.
Lots of my friends recently Vacationed and the local service and Altitude terrible. The words out to Vacation over tropical islands a s.a.p.
This will force the Hotels to lower their rates and hide people from the mainland.
I first visited Hawaii in 1999, have been to Hawaii multiple times (all 4 islands) and most recently in December of 2023. The change from the first time is honestly notable. Hawaii remains beautiful as ever, great weather, great surf and it is a tropical desitination in the States. What has changed is the aloha spirit. Non-locals are not welcome as we were repeatedly told by signs designating hikes, waterfalls and swimming holes as local only with stories of cars being key’d or violence for violations and an arrogance that they were entitled to our tourist dollars regardless. I love Hawaii, but I got the memo, the Bahamas and Caribean are also pretty, the water is warmer, its cheaper and most importantly, we are wanted.
The HTA is not striking any kind of balance there are settling. They made their wishes very cleat but since they haven’t wooed back the preferred Japanese tourist they are settling for the bottom of the barrel non desirable mainlanders. They don’t want the deplorables but need their money.
They made it very clear what they did and did not want and are now insulting our intelligence. Well sorry Josh Green live with your words, you got what you wanted!
Aloha the world is a big place and Hawaii is not to be all end all
I’ve worked on targeted advertising for a couple of Fortune 50’s. That document wouldn’t get past the first review. To segment the market we would need to get people to self-select – perhaps using messaging which makes them say to themselves: “I care about the environment so I want to go to Hawaii and be part of that specific activity.” Instead, I see messaging trying to capture everyone with more of a “see something different” from where you are. So, just more of the same “cast a wide net” to include drinking, partying, trash, and anybody with enough money. Disappointing. We are being deceived.
The HTA had plenty to say about not wanting mainland tourists from certain wage earnings categories. Now that the HTA has gotten what they asked for, the economy has been trending in the toilet. Soon there will be more tourists, school vacations will be starting, a no brainer. HTA and certain Hawaiians have gotten what they truly wanted, will they enjoy it? Targeted advertising will seem to work, it’s vacation season on the mainland.