1,090 thoughts on “Hawaii Visitors and Residents Whipsaw in 1,000 Comments”
Thomas S
Hi I’m from NewYork. I have been visiting Hawaii since 1976. It’s my favorite vacation spot. My favorite island is Kauai. When I visit I stay a minimum of 2weeks. I don’t island hop, I usually stay on one island for my visit. This gives me the opportunity to relax more & enjoy & feel the Aloha spirit. Most visitors from the mainland (especially from the east coast) feel this is a once in a lifetime vacation so they try & pack in as much as the can during their visit. I don’t think many visitors from the mainland are intentionally rude or disrespectful. I’ve heard visitors reply when asked where they’re from say “I’m from the states”. This IS insulting to the locals, people forget. It’s no excuse but it’s true. Most visitors island hop & are in a rush so they may seem rude or disrespectful but they really aren’t. I truly respect the islands, the people & I really respect the Hawaiian culture which I love. I think if most visitors from the mainland had more time to spend on the islands, they would act differently.
Larmer M
My wife and I are “local”, living here for the past 10 years. We love tourists under normal circumstances.
Today we are protective of our health and the health of our friends and family. Maui has one hospital. Appx.30 ICU beds. Appx.25 RESPIRATORS. Tourism is the only mechanism to bring disease to MAUI. TOURISTS- STAY HOME till there is a vaccine or treatment
Trish
Tourism is not the only mechanism to bring this to the islands! The biggest percentage of cases on the islands is from locals returning home.
Scott
Stay away….easy to say when your financial well being is not tied to tourism. The rest need tourism to stay employed so we can put a roof over our heads and feed and educate our children.
SUSIE
Scott we will come when your island’s says it’s safe. Know very well how tourist can be pushy and caught up on themselves I live in Western Colorado. We also depend on alot of tourism. Respect your culture very much you live in Paradise we live in God’s country
Justin
Some people just suck and should not go to Hawaii. If you can’t go to a location and respect the locals then don’t go. Period. I’ve loved learning about the culture and history on our 5 trips over the past 10 years. Never had a bad experience! Been to Maui all those trips and stay in the exact same condo. I’m thankful that I’ve been welcomed to the island and wouldn’t be offended if asked not to visit again. I would be so sad though. Maui beaches have rendered the beaches in California useless and just plain disgusting haha! Aloha!
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Justin.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Pam
Aloha,
I agree with John W. And hope that there is happy medium between Hawaii having the tourists and still maintaining the beauty and culture of the Hawaiian people. It was my huge dream to be able to go to Hawaii and finally got to do so in 1994. I have been a few times since, after saving for years to be able to afford it. We recently went to Hawaii and Kauai where we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary by renewing our vows. It rained almost every day we were there but God took the clouds away when we renewed our vows and allowed the sun to shine. Everyone was wonderful! Our minister, or photographer and everyone we met. I can see why locals would be upset with tourism when I can see the same thing in the mainland. So many people in such a small space has to feel like they are being invaded by foreigners with no privacy. I would love to be able to go to Hawaii and stay where I could learn more about the cultures and local views. My husband says we will visits again, but it is expensive so not sure. We have now been to every island and our least favorite is the most inhabited (Oahu). Just don’t care for all the people! Our favorite is Kauai – it’s a lovely island with beautiful scenery and lots of aloha to share. Prayers are with all the local people from Hawaii to be able to keep their beauty and tourism at a decreased rate. I pray you will be able to figure out how to do that. Thank you for your aloha and letting us visit your island! Mahalo!
JohnW
Back to the original question, how do the locals feel? Been a lot of comments from people who love to come to Hawaii and most sound like great people that contribute to what Hawaii is all about. A fantastic place on the planet that generally brings out the best in people as they meet new friends. The few grumblers are essentially the people that are not particularly welcome here. Hawaii is doing real well though this, we will be open at some point to tourists that are willing to accept new restrictions and treat the experience of coming here with respect. If you want to come over here claiming new restrictions violate your constitutional rights you are going to be about as welcome as someone waving a confederate flag and talking stink about immigrants and non white people. Hawaii is not for you.
The other perspective that is gaining momentum over here is prioritizing the environment over just continually trying to increase tourism numbers. We are an island and cannot support unlimited growth. Hopefully there will be a renewed effort to maintain the Hawaii you all fell in love with when you visited. If we don’t your children will only have stories of what a great place those islands in the pacific used to be. We have to focus on quality over quantity and if we don’t now, it will never happen and Hawaii will be ruined.
CF
This is still America. Hawaii i think needs to also understand this , and NOT place draconian restrictions on tourists. The mainland could propose similar restrictions for Hawaiian visitors (but hasn’t. )
I think especially with this it has gone too far With tourist harassment. Hawaii in some ways wants to be and feels more like being in China or Phillipines than America. I feel this is wrong.
Maybe hawaii will feel the pain when tourists stop coming and wish they had allowed them to grocery shop etc like the rest.
Also people dont want to wear a mask when they visit hawaii so that will have to be lifted i think before things get back to normal. Sometimes i feel like hawaii just needs to adapt better and again needs to learn how to better manage tourism and their resources, and cooperation with the mainland usa is even more essential now.
Pat C
Without the U.S.and tourism Hawaii would be just like Tonga struggling to survive while firmly in the hand of a Chinese debt Trap.
Tanya
❤️exactly
Maxine
Talking stink about immigrants… Illegal Immigrants would be simular to your disagreement with Tourists coming. Yet tourist contribute to your tax base. Illegal Immigrants use our infastructure, medical, police, fire and Schools and do NOT pay into the system. They take jobs from citizens. It may not be the best job but someone trying to overcome their situation should not have the competition from an illegal immagrant.
Bria Lani C.
It’s really nice to not have tourists right now. I respect and understand that so many people rely on tourism for income so this is a really hard time for many (my partner included), but in the last 10 years the influx of tourism has skyrocketed, to an unsustainable point. Honestly it has been challenging and a burden on many levels for the local people and the environment. The island where I live feels like it did back in the keiki days. Definitely calmer. It’s nice. I hope we can move our economy away from tourism after this. Mahalo.
Kristi Y
It’s up to Hawaii’s government to put restrictions or quotas on the amount of tourists coming to the islands, it won’t magically happen on it’s own. Some restrictions should be put in place because the islands just aren’t big enough to allow all of those people in at once. It’s not the tourists’ responsibility to monitor their numbers. The government should be able to see what’s happening and respect their land.
Kimo
This is very important. The people of Hawaii need to put this in place, before scolding tourists. If they allowed thousands of tourists in the past, how will visitors know not to come?
It’s unfortunate but sort of feels like they’re biting the hand that feeds them, and tourism should have been regulated long ago.
Lynne
My husband and I have only been to Oahu 3 tines and all 3 times we have had the best experience. Hawaiians are warm and friendly We went into Dukes bar area one afternoon and met a local who every time he goes there he sits at a big round table and invites tourist a seat . Through this we met some amazing people and also he was a wealth of knowledge of places to visit and local information . We from Australia and have found that tourist from the mainland can be rather demanding f and rude to tour operators. We love everything Hawaii and cannot wait to get back there.
Shelli T
Aloha,
We have a trip planned to Oahu, staying in Ewa Beach-This question is for locals (I appreciate your honesty)- we have had our trip planned long before this, we are supposed to be coming June 3-10, we keep going back and for whether we should cancel or not: we have great respect for Hawaii and the people of the island and everything about Aloha! But I would like to know whether the locals feel we should cancel our trip. I love Hawaii and everything about it and I don’t want to be apart of the tourists that cause issue for the locals or be tourists that the locals feel are disrespectful! We planned to go on this trip this year for my husbands sister and her family. They have never been and have been wanting to go with us for years and this was the year they were going to get to see and experience Hawaii-the place we absolutely love! My family is moving away from My husbands family this year and we wanted to have a trip together before we did move. We love Hawaii for the beauty, the culture, the way of life: Ohana, Aloha and their love and appreciation for their lands-Hawaiians have so much respect for those things and I do too! That’s what Hawaii truly means! So I would love to hear from locals on how they would truly feel about tourists in June?!? Thank you so much! Much Aloha and Mahalo!
Bryson
No!!
Tanya
Yes, i think it would be better to postpone your trip. I live here and i will not be having my mom even visit this year, she usually comes 1-2x a year for an extended time or go to my nieces graduation on the mainland because it is not right, many local people are not even visiting their families on different islands to protect our people here. Its nice that you asked, shows your aloha spirit. Not much is open and you will be quar antined to your room for the first two weeks at risks of fine/arrest for violating the restrictions. Its not the right time, we have kept our numbers down because we are following the mandates and to watch people come here and not care about the local people is really frustrating and usually not met with much aloha. I hope you will replan your trip for a later date to keep our islands safe, mahalo. Tourists are welcome just not right now, see you later on when things are safer
* An important point to make here is that we have the oldest population of kupuna in the u.s., people live in multicultural households, our kupuna are in danger especially when people are coming here from hotbeds of infection. The kupuna here are very respected and valuable to the society and culture, first and foremost they deserve our respect and protection.
Barbara B
One thing I know for sure after visiting the Islands….visitor do not come to the Islands and throw out mattresses, refrigerators, bags of trash, stoves, cars, etc. but some how these items are littering these beautiful Islands???
Jeanne C
Aloha Shelli T,
I can’t speak to the feelings of locals in Ewa Beach (I live on another island), but please note the 2-week quar antine for arrivals is likely to be extended through late July, per state lawmakers’ discussions as reported on KITV today. So I wouldn’t count on a one-week vacation. Also, some airlines are waiting to cancel flights only two weeks beforehand as it becomes clear the quar antine isn’t being lifted; Honolulu is a safe bet but not guaranteed. Side note: Are you planning to stay in a vacation rental? It’s unlikely to be permitted if it’s in a residential area like Ewa Beach, and that is just one more divisive issue here that I would try to avoid. It’s wonderful that you want to introduce loved ones to the beauty of Hawai’i, but now really isn’t the time and Ewa Beach probably isn’t the place, in my opinion. I wish you the best when you are able to return and appreciate your respectful consideration. Mahalo!
Scott
Barbara B – don’t forget the rusted old cars dumped on the sides of the road! Always a pretty sight for locals and tourists alike….such respect for the “aina”.
JOHNW
Barbara B, Justin et al….you are the type of tourists many hope don’t come back. If you don’t like Hawaii, fine…it’s not for everyone….truly, there are other places you can go.
Same with the people that are incensed by new restrictions that will be implemented to try and reduce the spread here. If you think your rights are being violated because you are told wearing a mask will help reduce the spread…
DON’T COME HERE!
JohnW
whoops, didn’t mean Justin …Scott
Tanya
Truth 🌴 obviously these people know nothing about the limited resources we have for even old unwanted cars and no recycling., many of these people come homeless from the mainland and trash the island thinking their going to live off the land, but in truth it is the local people who eventually go pick up the opala left by these people.
Kimo
Very true!
Craig B
We have visited your lovely state starting in 2002 and visited ten times. We have always tried to be respectful of the islands and culture. We also try and find what the island folks feel about having so many non natives coming to their homeland and we have had some people say that they wish that we were not there BUT they also say and realize that it is a situation that they need the money. The first visit we had there was almost no Hawaiian music on the radio and now it is on a lot of stations and the Hawaiian language seem to be making a comeback. For the most part we usually visit Maui and really do love it. At this point we are all suffering but I am sure it will pass and we will have Aloha again.
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Hi I’m from NewYork. I have been visiting Hawaii since 1976. It’s my favorite vacation spot. My favorite island is Kauai. When I visit I stay a minimum of 2weeks. I don’t island hop, I usually stay on one island for my visit. This gives me the opportunity to relax more & enjoy & feel the Aloha spirit. Most visitors from the mainland (especially from the east coast) feel this is a once in a lifetime vacation so they try & pack in as much as the can during their visit. I don’t think many visitors from the mainland are intentionally rude or disrespectful. I’ve heard visitors reply when asked where they’re from say “I’m from the states”. This IS insulting to the locals, people forget. It’s no excuse but it’s true. Most visitors island hop & are in a rush so they may seem rude or disrespectful but they really aren’t. I truly respect the islands, the people & I really respect the Hawaiian culture which I love. I think if most visitors from the mainland had more time to spend on the islands, they would act differently.
My wife and I are “local”, living here for the past 10 years. We love tourists under normal circumstances.
Today we are protective of our health and the health of our friends and family. Maui has one hospital. Appx.30 ICU beds. Appx.25 RESPIRATORS. Tourism is the only mechanism to bring disease to MAUI. TOURISTS- STAY HOME till there is a vaccine or treatment
Tourism is not the only mechanism to bring this to the islands! The biggest percentage of cases on the islands is from locals returning home.
Stay away….easy to say when your financial well being is not tied to tourism. The rest need tourism to stay employed so we can put a roof over our heads and feed and educate our children.
Scott we will come when your island’s says it’s safe. Know very well how tourist can be pushy and caught up on themselves I live in Western Colorado. We also depend on alot of tourism. Respect your culture very much you live in Paradise we live in God’s country
Some people just suck and should not go to Hawaii. If you can’t go to a location and respect the locals then don’t go. Period. I’ve loved learning about the culture and history on our 5 trips over the past 10 years. Never had a bad experience! Been to Maui all those trips and stay in the exact same condo. I’m thankful that I’ve been welcomed to the island and wouldn’t be offended if asked not to visit again. I would be so sad though. Maui beaches have rendered the beaches in California useless and just plain disgusting haha! Aloha!
Hi Justin.
Thanks.
Aloha.
Aloha,
I agree with John W. And hope that there is happy medium between Hawaii having the tourists and still maintaining the beauty and culture of the Hawaiian people. It was my huge dream to be able to go to Hawaii and finally got to do so in 1994. I have been a few times since, after saving for years to be able to afford it. We recently went to Hawaii and Kauai where we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary by renewing our vows. It rained almost every day we were there but God took the clouds away when we renewed our vows and allowed the sun to shine. Everyone was wonderful! Our minister, or photographer and everyone we met. I can see why locals would be upset with tourism when I can see the same thing in the mainland. So many people in such a small space has to feel like they are being invaded by foreigners with no privacy. I would love to be able to go to Hawaii and stay where I could learn more about the cultures and local views. My husband says we will visits again, but it is expensive so not sure. We have now been to every island and our least favorite is the most inhabited (Oahu). Just don’t care for all the people! Our favorite is Kauai – it’s a lovely island with beautiful scenery and lots of aloha to share. Prayers are with all the local people from Hawaii to be able to keep their beauty and tourism at a decreased rate. I pray you will be able to figure out how to do that. Thank you for your aloha and letting us visit your island! Mahalo!
Back to the original question, how do the locals feel? Been a lot of comments from people who love to come to Hawaii and most sound like great people that contribute to what Hawaii is all about. A fantastic place on the planet that generally brings out the best in people as they meet new friends. The few grumblers are essentially the people that are not particularly welcome here. Hawaii is doing real well though this, we will be open at some point to tourists that are willing to accept new restrictions and treat the experience of coming here with respect. If you want to come over here claiming new restrictions violate your constitutional rights you are going to be about as welcome as someone waving a confederate flag and talking stink about immigrants and non white people. Hawaii is not for you.
The other perspective that is gaining momentum over here is prioritizing the environment over just continually trying to increase tourism numbers. We are an island and cannot support unlimited growth. Hopefully there will be a renewed effort to maintain the Hawaii you all fell in love with when you visited. If we don’t your children will only have stories of what a great place those islands in the pacific used to be. We have to focus on quality over quantity and if we don’t now, it will never happen and Hawaii will be ruined.
This is still America. Hawaii i think needs to also understand this , and NOT place draconian restrictions on tourists. The mainland could propose similar restrictions for Hawaiian visitors (but hasn’t. )
I think especially with this it has gone too far With tourist harassment. Hawaii in some ways wants to be and feels more like being in China or Phillipines than America. I feel this is wrong.
Maybe hawaii will feel the pain when tourists stop coming and wish they had allowed them to grocery shop etc like the rest.
Also people dont want to wear a mask when they visit hawaii so that will have to be lifted i think before things get back to normal. Sometimes i feel like hawaii just needs to adapt better and again needs to learn how to better manage tourism and their resources, and cooperation with the mainland usa is even more essential now.
Without the U.S.and tourism Hawaii would be just like Tonga struggling to survive while firmly in the hand of a Chinese debt Trap.
❤️exactly
Talking stink about immigrants… Illegal Immigrants would be simular to your disagreement with Tourists coming. Yet tourist contribute to your tax base. Illegal Immigrants use our infastructure, medical, police, fire and Schools and do NOT pay into the system. They take jobs from citizens. It may not be the best job but someone trying to overcome their situation should not have the competition from an illegal immagrant.
It’s really nice to not have tourists right now. I respect and understand that so many people rely on tourism for income so this is a really hard time for many (my partner included), but in the last 10 years the influx of tourism has skyrocketed, to an unsustainable point. Honestly it has been challenging and a burden on many levels for the local people and the environment. The island where I live feels like it did back in the keiki days. Definitely calmer. It’s nice. I hope we can move our economy away from tourism after this. Mahalo.
It’s up to Hawaii’s government to put restrictions or quotas on the amount of tourists coming to the islands, it won’t magically happen on it’s own. Some restrictions should be put in place because the islands just aren’t big enough to allow all of those people in at once. It’s not the tourists’ responsibility to monitor their numbers. The government should be able to see what’s happening and respect their land.
This is very important. The people of Hawaii need to put this in place, before scolding tourists. If they allowed thousands of tourists in the past, how will visitors know not to come?
It’s unfortunate but sort of feels like they’re biting the hand that feeds them, and tourism should have been regulated long ago.
My husband and I have only been to Oahu 3 tines and all 3 times we have had the best experience. Hawaiians are warm and friendly We went into Dukes bar area one afternoon and met a local who every time he goes there he sits at a big round table and invites tourist a seat . Through this we met some amazing people and also he was a wealth of knowledge of places to visit and local information . We from Australia and have found that tourist from the mainland can be rather demanding f and rude to tour operators. We love everything Hawaii and cannot wait to get back there.
Aloha,
We have a trip planned to Oahu, staying in Ewa Beach-This question is for locals (I appreciate your honesty)- we have had our trip planned long before this, we are supposed to be coming June 3-10, we keep going back and for whether we should cancel or not: we have great respect for Hawaii and the people of the island and everything about Aloha! But I would like to know whether the locals feel we should cancel our trip. I love Hawaii and everything about it and I don’t want to be apart of the tourists that cause issue for the locals or be tourists that the locals feel are disrespectful! We planned to go on this trip this year for my husbands sister and her family. They have never been and have been wanting to go with us for years and this was the year they were going to get to see and experience Hawaii-the place we absolutely love! My family is moving away from My husbands family this year and we wanted to have a trip together before we did move. We love Hawaii for the beauty, the culture, the way of life: Ohana, Aloha and their love and appreciation for their lands-Hawaiians have so much respect for those things and I do too! That’s what Hawaii truly means! So I would love to hear from locals on how they would truly feel about tourists in June?!? Thank you so much! Much Aloha and Mahalo!
No!!
Yes, i think it would be better to postpone your trip. I live here and i will not be having my mom even visit this year, she usually comes 1-2x a year for an extended time or go to my nieces graduation on the mainland because it is not right, many local people are not even visiting their families on different islands to protect our people here. Its nice that you asked, shows your aloha spirit. Not much is open and you will be quar antined to your room for the first two weeks at risks of fine/arrest for violating the restrictions. Its not the right time, we have kept our numbers down because we are following the mandates and to watch people come here and not care about the local people is really frustrating and usually not met with much aloha. I hope you will replan your trip for a later date to keep our islands safe, mahalo. Tourists are welcome just not right now, see you later on when things are safer
* An important point to make here is that we have the oldest population of kupuna in the u.s., people live in multicultural households, our kupuna are in danger especially when people are coming here from hotbeds of infection. The kupuna here are very respected and valuable to the society and culture, first and foremost they deserve our respect and protection.
One thing I know for sure after visiting the Islands….visitor do not come to the Islands and throw out mattresses, refrigerators, bags of trash, stoves, cars, etc. but some how these items are littering these beautiful Islands???
Aloha Shelli T,
I can’t speak to the feelings of locals in Ewa Beach (I live on another island), but please note the 2-week quar antine for arrivals is likely to be extended through late July, per state lawmakers’ discussions as reported on KITV today. So I wouldn’t count on a one-week vacation. Also, some airlines are waiting to cancel flights only two weeks beforehand as it becomes clear the quar antine isn’t being lifted; Honolulu is a safe bet but not guaranteed. Side note: Are you planning to stay in a vacation rental? It’s unlikely to be permitted if it’s in a residential area like Ewa Beach, and that is just one more divisive issue here that I would try to avoid. It’s wonderful that you want to introduce loved ones to the beauty of Hawai’i, but now really isn’t the time and Ewa Beach probably isn’t the place, in my opinion. I wish you the best when you are able to return and appreciate your respectful consideration. Mahalo!
Barbara B – don’t forget the rusted old cars dumped on the sides of the road! Always a pretty sight for locals and tourists alike….such respect for the “aina”.
Barbara B, Justin et al….you are the type of tourists many hope don’t come back. If you don’t like Hawaii, fine…it’s not for everyone….truly, there are other places you can go.
Same with the people that are incensed by new restrictions that will be implemented to try and reduce the spread here. If you think your rights are being violated because you are told wearing a mask will help reduce the spread…
DON’T COME HERE!
whoops, didn’t mean Justin …Scott
Truth 🌴 obviously these people know nothing about the limited resources we have for even old unwanted cars and no recycling., many of these people come homeless from the mainland and trash the island thinking their going to live off the land, but in truth it is the local people who eventually go pick up the opala left by these people.
Very true!
We have visited your lovely state starting in 2002 and visited ten times. We have always tried to be respectful of the islands and culture. We also try and find what the island folks feel about having so many non natives coming to their homeland and we have had some people say that they wish that we were not there BUT they also say and realize that it is a situation that they need the money. The first visit we had there was almost no Hawaiian music on the radio and now it is on a lot of stations and the Hawaiian language seem to be making a comeback. For the most part we usually visit Maui and really do love it. At this point we are all suffering but I am sure it will pass and we will have Aloha again.