Hawaii visitor data in for 2023. On Kauai, for example, December spending was up more than 50% with fewer visitors.
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133 thoughts on “Hawaii’s Tourism Woes Unfold: Unfazed Downturn Continues”
Hawaii visitor data in for 2023. On Kauai, for example, December spending was up more than 50% with fewer visitors.
As long as Hotel prices are through the roof expect more of the same, IMO.
Hi guys. The only reason why visitor spending is up is because Hawaii has raised all of its prices. And it will continue whether they have visitors or not. And interesting how they closed down Macys in Kukui Grove. Like the theater across the street also. Pretty soon the malls will close down because they aren’t making any money. Everyone has and will be forced to shop online. How fun is that. Guess Target, Walmart and Costco become the new department stores with lower quality clothing. Unless you all have the .only to shop at fancy clothing boutiques. The “dreaded visitors” are the ones with money to be able to afford to shop there. But wait. They don’t want us there. Who wants to travel to a place where you are made to feel unwelcome.
Fun factoid. Shortly after announcing Macy was being closed, they experienced a smash and grab jewelry robbery. All doors to that entrance are plywood. I suspect Macy’s management is happy to be closing that location.
We love Hawaii and want to come back to Kona on our 30th anniversary in August (or February 2025) however I’m waiting to see how the airport situation transpires. We stayed in Lahaina on our 20th and we’re heartbroken for all of you.
Praying for wisdom and blessings over you all!
Hope to see you soon
Tom
Another excellent article and analysis. BOH editors, I’m wondering if most of this anti tourist vibe is coming mostly from Maui, and if it’s been developing for years before the Lahaina fire?
After traveling to Hawaii since 1965, I can see that I haven’t experienced this on Kauai, where we’ve had a Princeville timeshare for over 30 years, or on Oahu or the BI? Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Hi Daryl.
Thank you. Our sense is that it isn’t limited to Maui. Having said that the aftermath of the Maui fires definitely exacerbated the issues on that island.
Aloha
Thank you for your reply. If that’s the case, then the future of Hawaii tourism is indeed headed for some difficult times ahead. This will definitely adversely affect the Hawaiian economy at large and that is a very serous matter for the entire population of the state.
The good residents of Hawaii will suffer from this, it’s just a matter of time. Very sad!
We visited Hawaii more than dozen times. All bigger islands.
I don’t think we are coming back anytime soon.
I love Hawaii, but not for the double of the regular price.
Good luck!
That’s because people get here and don’t come back…once they see the ” real” state.
The mountains can’t even hide the truth here
Aloha BOH,
My wife, our 18 year old daughter and I live in Los Angeles and were on Oah’u 3 times last year and about 10 times since 2017. We are fortunate, but I have not noticed a change in how we are treated anywhere. We spend alot, because it costs alot, but am I missing something as when I book, it seems like everyone and everywhere is the same. Here is a cost break down:
3 1st class on United, about $4500 a trip. $300 to park for 8 days at LAX. 7 nights in an oceanfront suite at The Moana or Turtle Bay with fees and taxes, $1300 a night. $1500 for the week for our Jeep. $45 a day to park it. With food and shopping and activities we spend $15000 or so for 8 or 9 days. Totally worth it. Mahalo Nui for having us.
My goodness, that’s $30k for seven nights. My family of five does basic economy for $3,200 from Texas. $70 airport shuttle parking for the week. $2,100 for seven nights at the Waikiki Banyan with free parking. $400 full size car rental during the week. $3,000 spending on food, activities, shopping. Always have a great time.
I think that much of the increase in spending has to do with increases in pricing plus inflation, with inflation playing a major part.
We have been coming to Maui (Wailea) for over 40 years, and are going again in March. But this next trip may very well be the last one, all the taxes and fees, as well an ” your not welcome here” theme have us looking elsewhere.
Hawaii not wanting visitors is the reason for fewer vacationers. Food costs and rental prices are higher because of lingering inflation causes.
Mark B
We’ve been going to Hawaii since the late 80’s. We’ve just returned from Maui’s West Coast. At the hotels, restaurants, golf courses, people were thanking us for coming to Maui. Not one person expressed any negative attitudes toward visitors. Tourists were welcomed with open arms.
Hawaii has given us Paradise for so many years, we wanted to give back. We spent a vacation day donating time at the Maui Humane Center. They also welcomed us and thanked us for being there.
If Maui is to recover, the Island needs tourists. 99.9 % of all people living on Maui recognize that tourism is important.
It took Kauai 25 years to recover from the 1992 hurricane. Unless tourists start returning, it will be years before Maui recovers.
The costs, especially on Maui, are just too high. We’ve made over 40 trips to the islands, but this year we’re going to Cabo. The Aloha spirit is changing. Sad.
Mark J
The Aloha spirit hasn’t changed but is dampened by the personal issues facing the people of Maui on many levels. Whether it’s a lack of housing, storage, medical care, and where the next meal is coming from, these are just some of the issues people on Maui are dealing with. The monetary donations provide short term assistance. The vast majority of people on Maui recognize that tourism is the long term solution. Cabo has other issues and frankly I would not even accept a free trip there. Maui has given us so much, it’s time we sacrifice and give back a little.
We spent 2 weeks in Kaanapali or Napili every year for the past 20 years. It was heartbreaking to follow the loss of life in the Fire, and the destruction of beloved Lahaina. But even before the Fire, during and after the Pandemic, Hawaiian officials and individuals made perfectly clear they don’t value tourists… be it in massive fee increases, higher guest taxes, and constant complaints in the press and online about Mainland guests. Now that Tahiti & the Cook Islands are advertising competitive prices for those of us in California… aloha Hawaii. I’m planning my next trip… to Tahiti… someplace I think I’m more welcome.
The comment that spending is up for tourists is not necessarily related to tourists spending more, but instead paying considerably more for the same vacation. We returned from a trip to Maui just this past week. The cost of the hotel and restaurants was way overpriced compared to past Hawaii visits as well similar vacation resorts in Europe, Mexico, and the Caribbean. We have historically traveled annually or semi-annually to Hawaii. Sadly, a return trip to beautiful Hawaii is out for us. We’re retired and can easily get better value traveling elsewhere. I hope Hawaii reconsiders the exorbitant price increases for travelers there–or at the very least be cognizant of the competition for tourist dollars.
It has been our practice over the last decade or more to spend a couple weeks on the Big Island in February/March. We will be returning again this year but are beginning to look elsewhere for ’25. Most likely Costa Rica. Whether we rerun in ’26 or not will likely depend on what we see here and how Hawaii deals with its seemingly twin goals of substantially reducing tourism and substantially increasing costs/taxes/fees.
I am Canadian have been to Maui more than 30 times. Last visited Mar 2022. We will not be back pricing is completely out of control. Homelessness rampant in many parts of the island. Overt hostility from locals to tourists . Costa Rica it is! Really enjoyed Maui but it’s over.
We aren’t ready to swear off Hawai’i travel forever, yet. We’ve visited many times since 1995 (mostly Kauai), but have decided to take a break from Kauai in 2024. We are taking a ‘wait and see’ approach for now.
My first thought reading ” visitors down but spending up ” was that Gov. Green got what he wanted . Spending more and getting less will continue to erode the numbers of travellers coming to Hawaii. My wife and I have been to the islands 28 times and now the costs have far outpaced the willingness to pay . You quote $600 for a place to sleep for a night … am I the only one who thinks that’s ridiculous ? We have discussed with any number of others that the islands have priced themselves out of the range of the average Joe.
The gov in Hawaii is killing their own economy with all their own global warming agenda and trying to fleece all the tourists to pay the price. Such a pity.
We own two 1-month timeshares in Kona. The maintenance fee provides us the cheapest place to stay on the island!! But when your car costs $1k more for a month, your plane tickets are $400-500 more per person… even with the big savings in our condo and we rarely eat out because of the expense, it is still starting to price us out. We are passing Hawaii for 2024 and hope we get to return in ‘25!
We are returning to Maui in February, despite having to make new hotel reservations and Valentine’s Day dinner reservations because of the Lahaina wildfire tragedy. We want to support the rebuilding of West Maui with our visitor dollars.
Maui is still, “No Ka ‘Oi”.
I’m happy that you can afford to do so.