1,090 thoughts on “Hawaii Visitors and Residents Whipsaw in 1,000 Comments”
Kinohimauloa S.
Unfortunately, Hawaii has become too totally dependent on Tourism dollars and MUST start to think and act differently. When Tourists outnumber Locals, negatively impacting Residents lives there is a major and unpopular imbalance happening. Overtourism is comparable to having too many visitors staying in your home, selfishly over using resources, disrespecting your space, property and living habits or culture and treating you personally with disdain. Truthfully, whether it will be publicly admitted or not, In recent years as the number of Tourist increased to todays numbers, full time residents began to feel like and sometimes have been treated like indentured servants needing to be nice to people that they could see were disrespecting, them, their home,land and culture yet having to smile and take it in lieu of loosing their income. Hawaii is not the only special place in the world where Overtourism has risen it’s ugly head in recent years requiring potentially unpopular rules imposed on Tourist being put in place at these locations. Some of same type of rules,regulations and quotas are and will further be put into place in Hawaii to preserve the culture, the islands and sustain the Aloha spirit. Especially in Hawaii’s very rural areas Tourist today are not welcomed in the overwhelming numbers in the way smaller numbers of them may have been embraced years ago. Many Tourist today seem to be coming with a very different attitude that is not respectful or thoughtful of those that live on these islands. They frequently demonstrate an attitude of “I spent a lot of money to get here and be here and I can do and act as I please”. To sustain any future Tourism in Hawaii that will make Tourist feel welcome (especially on the neighbor islands) the number of Tourist coming requires diminished numbers in whatever way it can be achieved. Tourism marketing needs to stress the need for Visitors to be respectful of the residents, the land and the Hawaiian culture with examples of what NOT to do. Residents, due to the vi rus impacts, have now had a taste of what life is like without being “overrun” with Tourist,traffic and disrespect. . Almost everyone in Hawaii at this time is loosing money due to lack of Tourism but many may really wish there was a way to do something else to make money instead of chasing the Tourist dollar. Many wish that Tourism would NEVER again reach the previous number prior to this shut down.
So true! I don’t really ever see locals being rude and inconsiderate but i do see a whole hell of a lot of visitors being terribly rude and entitled. It has been wonderful not having the crowds, its allowing people to see their home in a very real way, without the crowds.
I have been to Oahu 3 times recently and every single time I had nothing but positive experiences. It may be because my parents have been coming for over 15 years and have immersed themselves in the culture and have shared it with me. They have even taken classes on the culture and my dad can speak a smidgen of Hawaiian. I think that if you act like a typical tourist, you’ll be treated as such, but if you have an understanding of the native culture, you’ll only be doing yourself a favor!
Well said Sandy H……The Aloha spirit is all about respect. As we slowly open up the state it will be even more vital.
Wearing a mask is a sign of respect. You respect others because you want to reduce the chances of passing this on.
We respect our Kapuna here. We would never choose letting them die to save the economy like some mainland politicians
voiced.
Respect as we open up means tourists accept whatever restrictions are in place to keep us safer. Notice I didn’t say safe, that’s impossible, but we can keep us safer. It’s the best we can hope for.
We want tourists back that understand that, not the narcissists.
On a visit to Kauai a few years ago I was loudly reminded to stay 10 feet from a turtle on the beach. I bristled because I was at least 6 to 7 feet away for my photo op. My reaction was fueled by guilt of course. There is a parallel today with social distancing. 4 feet isn’t enough to avoid droplet transfer of orgamisms. At least 6. That’s been scientifically measured. I am sure the 10 foot rule for turtles has scientific rationale as well as cultural respect. I apologize.
I have worked in hospitality for over 40 years and have seen the Kona Coast go from a very rural laid back place to a crowded destination. You see both sides, folks who are thrilled to be here and want to learn about Hawaii, our culture and ways. Then you see folks who believe Aloha, means snap to it and serve me NOW, I have $$$ so jump.
Too bad not everyone gets that Aloha is really simple it’s called Respect. Respect us and we respect you. No matter where you travel in the world isn’t that a basic way to behave to all?
We were in Oahu, Kauai, and Maui in February 2020 for over 2 weeks and felt welcomed and appreciated while there. We read up on customs and expectations of visitors and bought reef safe sunscreen before we left. We didn’t encounter anyone with a negative attitude toward us. We had a lovely time in Hawaii’s gorgeous islands!
As a tourist from the chilly country of Canada for 9 months of our year, Hawai’i is truly a paradise and also a cultural treasure. We visit during our worst months here, for the past few years and feel so fortunate to be able to do this, with such a warm welcome each time. Our family try to be very respectful and recognize how fragile the islands are ecologically, sociologically and economically. We give our extras when we leave to the homeless. We don’t litter or speed and we keep up with the news of Hawai’i back at home because we care. If our presence puts locals at risk, we would rather stay away, to help protect people. One day, when things are better, we will hope to visit again…A hui hou! Mahalo.
One thing to keep in mind is the phrase “one bad apple spoils the barrel”. I suspect that many locals have encountered a bad tourist apple who has spoiled the barrel of all visitors. This probably works the other way around but I also suspect that much of the frustration experienced by visitors might be rooted in not understanding the local cultural norms and dare I say, an arrogant attitude that they are paying big money and deserve what they want.
I prefer to take a different view when I travel to Hawaii or really any place. I think of myself as staying in someone else home as an honored guest and one who wants to always be gracious. I feel this is especially appropriate for Hawaii given that Hawaii hosts so many visitors and truly the best parts of the islands are maintained for the benefit of visitors and not locals. I would think that you’d be really upset if a guest in your home took the master bedroom, drank the special bottle of wine you had been saving, left the place a mess and then complained that you weren’t doing things “the right way”.
I am a special case since I am lucky enough to have lost count of the number of times that I have visited Kauai and because of a business have been able to connect with various locals. And however much I have learned and tried to be a gracious guest I still get caught up. For example, my wife and I went to see a show presented by the Kauai Community Players in Puhi and it was clear that we were definitely considered outsiders and we felt a bit unwelcome. I do not begrudge this – locals should be able to have their own things but it is really hard to know. I had been to the monthly star watch in Kaumakani a number of times and had always felt welcome.
The citizens of Kauai and the rest of the state need to hold their government responsible for the rapid growth in tourism.
We purchased a condominium in Kauai just before Iniki. One of the reasons we loved Kauai and still do was the ‘Slow growth approach’ they took to development. That has all changed and the tourists and non-resident property owners did not get to vote on those new developments.
The county government loved the tax dollars and the new jobs. I would like to know if any readers of this have ever been able to see the annual budget for Kauai. Tax revenues have been at an all time high for several years and the roads have deteriorated to the point where you wonder where all the revenue is going.
We do vacation rent our unit when we are not on island so if you think there are too many tourists on the island then we are part of the problem. On a positive note we have found that Kauai does not attract a ‘Party’ crowd. The typical visitors we have found are either families, snow birds, or young people who want to enjoy the outdoor wonders of the island.
As a non- resident property owner I’m always amazed when statements are made that we, and tourists, are a financial burden requiring additional resources to be provided.
We are not a burden on the school systems, generally speaking if you look at the Kauai police blotter, we are not a large
law enforcement problem and if we require medical help we pay for it. We pay much higher real property taxes than permanent residents and all our visitors are taxed at almost 15% at the current time. It keeps going up because as another post mentioned it is easy to tax non residents who do not have the vote.
Bottom line we love Hawaii and in particular Kauai but we were a little surprised at some of the animosity shown to tourists during this crisis. In some cases it got very ugly. This has been followed by a lot of virulent talk about not wanting the tourists back.
One of the arbitrary rulings in effect now is to not allow any ‘Short term rentals’ even if the renter has passed a 14 day quar antine stay.
We have been informed by the Kauai Mayor’s office that if someone passes the 14 day quar antine we can rent to them if the stay is 6 months or longer.
Sounds like the county just doesn’t want ‘Tourists’ even if they have passed quar antine. We will survive this but many people who service and maintain vacation rentals will not.
Not sure if the county and state will survive the financial outfall.
Aloha Jeanne C,
Mahalo for you response! I really appreciate you answering my questions! Those were my feelings, especially with Ewa Beach being a local area. I very much appreciate your honesty and kind response. As much as I wish circumstances would be different and we would be able to come, I very much respect the people of Hawaii and do not want to be a reason for concern for them. Much Mahalo and Aloha!
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
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!
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
It was amazing to us to think we were in the USA. We sat at a picnic table surrounded by locals smiling and laughing with us. All offered their hand in friendship. One shared his dinner, another offered a taste, and one knew the vendor and brought us rice pudding to try. It was delicious. This is the Hawaiian way, the aloha spirit. Upon leaving, another placed a kiss on my cheek in friendship. As we were leaving, a store owner offered an infinity scarf for holding a parking place for her so she wouldn’t have to lug her wares for blocks to her car. Every one along the sidewalk smiled. Cars stop at crosswalks. It appears everyone knows each other, but we knew this wasn’t so, it was simply the way of the island of Kauai. The Aloha way. Kauai is a place called Paradise, but the truth is, it is the people. They are as beautiful as the sunrises and sunsets. It would be a lonely place without the smiles and kindness of the few who call this island home. We leave this island with a permanent warming glow in our hearts. We now understand what Aloha means and will forever love this island and its people. There is no place like Kauai. Aloha and Mahalo for sharing your island with us!!
I have been to the islands several times. I have always been treated wonderful by the people. We love it so much we are planning to move to the big island. My husband is going to teach there. I love the way the waters and beaches are kept so clean. I see nothing wrong with respecting the Hawaiian ways. I thank you for the respect you have shown us when we visited.
I am a resident of the Big Island. Also what’s considered a “haole”, a person not of polynesian decent (sometimes percieved as derogatory but generally not the case). The general population NEEDS tourists to bring home money for their ohana (family). I was warned of non-friendly locals and have never had that experience in my time living here. In hawaii, there is aloha spirit. They take care of their own first but there is always room for one more. As far as the pan demic goes, everyone just wants their families safe no matter the cost. These islands already rely heavily on tourism..BUT we are also small enough to be scared that it would spread like wildfire amongst our islands. The people are only rallying to re open because unemployment isnt kicking in for most of us. It’s been an uphill battle. Keep coming to visit hawaii when you are healthy!
Why would anyone visit Hawaii knowing that there’s a 14 day quar antine? Thats 14 days staying in a hotel room. I guarantee it they plan on breaking quar antine. I only our governor stopped visitors from coming during this time.
I think it’s important to remember that a handful of visitors not respecting the land, the wildlife, nature and locals is not a good brush to paint the rest of the 10 million visitors. Likewise, a few rude or disrespectful locals or shop owners is not at all a clear picture of the vast majority of Hawaiians who are a welcoming and beautiful people.
Aloha,
We visit Hawaii every year and are well aware of the local/tourist label, but some of the strongest objection to tourists seems to come from transplanted mainlanders. At what point does somebody become “a local”? In a place as culturally unique as Hawaii it would seem to me that if you are not born and raised in the islands then you are not a local. Does citizenship confer the right to be “a local”? What if you moved to China and were not of that origin; could you ever be “a local”?
Mahalo
Hawaii is truly a paradise for my family. We visit Oahu every year and we never get tired of coming back. As for the locals, we only had one time unpleasant encounter with a young girl and her mother at the china town. I was asking how much was the mango and the young girl was ignoring us as if we were invisible. I was with my 2 daughters who was at the same age with the girl at that time and she kept looking at them. My daughter said something about why she was ignoring us. This girl started yelling at us and telling us to go back to the mainland. The mother instead of correcting her daughter’s behavior, she even joined her in driving us away. Both were very desrespectful,using profanity words. It was very embarassing that my husband had to take us quickly away from that vegetable stand.Obveously they didnt want our business.One of the locals apologized how this young girl and mother behaved. It seemed like visitors were not welcome to patronize thier goods ;however , This did not stop us from going to hawaii but we avoided going to china town. We discovered waipahu market and we’ve been going there almost everyday to eat our favorite dishes. Overall, people in hawaii are pleasant specially in waikiki area. I just feel bad to learn that some locals doesnt appreciate visitors but hawaii is a tourist spot,and a lot of locals work at the tourist sites. I just hope that those who got affected from the lockdown are getting help from the community.
Hawaii certainly benefits from tourism, but as is true of everything, the marginal benefits of an additional tourist diminish as tourism grows.
At some point, additional tourists actually reduce the total welfare of our community. We need to be cognizant of that
Incredibly wonderful topic. I very much understand both sides. Our family have lived in the islands for many decades. I was so gifted to spend 8 yrs of my life there. Big Island, Waipio valley; when it was still natural and not what it is today. This was in the 90s. I was also blessed to have spent kindergarten and 1st grade on Maui. Molokai for months in 2003. Molokai was the most loving, friendly, giving, helping and caring community I’ve ever known. Maui was very rough as a white child. Big island was great! But also took 3 yrs to find myself feeling as a member of the community. Living in the valley? Best time of my life.
The families that I was part of knew exactly who I was and still am as a person that loved, respected, and protected the island and all that it offered me/us. The people that did not know me had me always feeling inferior because they didn’t know me. I was still verbally threatened and talked down to very often.
So, now that I’ve spilled my thoughts and memories…
I’ve always questioned. Is it fear based? Some sort of jealously? Is it the “it’s ours, not yours” mentality. That if you’re not born there you don’t belong. If there are answers for this please let me /us know.
I was torn from the islands for I had to move back to San Diego to care for my parents and a disabled sister. My spirit will always be there. Thank you for your topic.
I understand why tourists are treated poorly. Many of them have no respect at all for the planet, other people or themselves. How can we help tourists understand the importance of leaving everything one leaves, a better place than the one you entered? How can we give confidence to locals that gives them a sense of pride and leadership to parent tourists to become better living caring tourists.
Last September, well before Co vid, I booked our first trip ever to Maui. The 4 of us are scheduled to fly out on August 5th of this year. We are hoping things will be back to normal by then. However, we have been reading a lot lately about anti tourism from the locals as well as city officials. We are seriously considering canceling our vacation plans simply because we don’t want to go someplace where we don’t feel welcome. We have plenty of other places we want to visit. For now, everything remains up in the air. However, we are definitely not as excited about our trip as we were when we booked it. It could just be my perception, but I feel like the anti tourism sediment is not due to the current pandemic, but a deep seated feeling among many locals.
I am Kanaka, which not only means I am born and raised here but I also have deep genealogical ties to these islands. I have also worked in the tourist industry. Yes, there is a part of our culture that is welcoming and we enjoy sharing what we have (whether that is food, practices or knowledge) but aloha is so much more than that and it goes both ways. We also have a very complicated history with foreigners, especially those that just come to greedily take what they want. I have spent time with many tourists who are interested (and interesting) and respectful. But unfortunately, over the last 5 or so years, the attitudes I have come across are increasingly more entitled with more and more wanting access to everything. With the addition of Airbnb and monster homes, tourists are now in our neighborhoods and it feels as though we have been completely overcome. Nothing is sacred or off limits anymore – especially since it’s all been paid for and everything is for sale. Yes, some tourists are great people and amazing guests. But more and more it’s like we’re drowning, the mountain trails, the ocean and beaches and the people are full to capacity and there is no end in sight.
Now with the pandemic it feels like we can breathe again, the entirety of the islands can breathe again. No offense, but it is a nice break. I don’t mind tourists coming back after things settle down but hopefully not with the overwhelming numbers. I hope this helps give perspective.
I can understand you point of view and frustration with the problems you have with tourists because we also are tourists from Oregon. I never thought I would like Hawaii but our daughter wanted to get married on Maui so we went. The weather was horrible and most of our events were canceled, but we decided to come back and have been coming back ever since. Wish I had a answer on how to balance your need for tourists dollars and keeping your culture.
I am originally from New York moved to Kauai in 1979. I am a dark-skinned Italian but my husband was Irish and Italian very fair. I grew up in East Harlem New York and have never experienced as much hate and prejudice as I did on Kauai with my husband’s fair skin. When people used to comment negatively on The “haoles” aka foreigners right in front of me I shot back with “I am haole also, I am not from here” they put their arms next to mine and said you’re not a haole your Italian”! It took many years for them to accept my husband but they always accepted me and my darker skin. They actually do not like white people because white people represent all that was taken from them. White people come with money and buy a properties that they no longer can afford.Their children have to move to the mainland for jobs because they can’t afford a life there. There was a lot of resentment towards Tourists but they put on the “aloha” because they know it helps their economy.Yet they want no part of being part of the United States. My daughter was born there and still treated like a Haole because she had skin like her father. It takes a long time for acceptance there. Once they see you are hard-working as they are, they eventually learn to accept you. The vi rus brought out the hate that most of them feel towards tourists. It was just an excuse to vent their rage that they hold inside. People I know who are white and have been living there for years now hate the vacationers and are glad they are being told to turn away and go home. I had lived in Hawaii for almost 20 years and I still have many friends who live there local people and white people.. Even though my daughter was born on the island when her teachers picked her to be Queen of the islands for May Day one of the local mothers had a fit because she was white skinned and was very vocal about why she should not be Queen. Meanwhile she came from the island of Maui and my daughter was born there on Kauai. You don’t know how it really is until you’ve lived there. [Edited]. They are a bunch of big fish in a very small pond and I am glad I no longer live there!
This was the reality for her family so please don’t say that it’s simply not reality. You asked for an open discussion from both sides so please don’t try to negatively counteract someone else’s comment just because it’s uncomfortable for you to read it. This does happen. My brother who was white, moved to Oahu with our parents in the seventies and was picked on and bullied at his middle school to the point of being beat up. He was a very shy and quiet kid who just wanted to go to school and make friends and fit in with his peers. It has hurt him and affected him to this day!
The only reason Hawaii relies heavily on tourism is because we made it that way. There are many countries in the world that have created a self sustained lifestyle. Hawaii shouldn’t be any different. We have the best climate in the world for producing food and fresh water but because of money hungry earthlings it’s not happening. Instead we feel like using Hawaii as an amusement park that in part is destroying the land/water. I don’t mind some visitors but 10 per local is way over board. Thank God this pan demic has stopped overtourism not just for Hawaii but all parts of the world. Stay safe-
My family (husband, adult son, his wife & their 2 youn children) were supposed to vacation on Maui the 1st week of April. A little over a week before, we made the decision to postpone our trip. Among the reasons – our son is an emergency room RN and was scheduled to work almost until the date we were scheduled to fly to Maui. We were also beginning to read that those who lived in Maui did not really want visitors from the mainland who could potentially bring this to the island. In retrospect, since restaurants, shops and beaches shut down, we are glad we did not come. I would like to thank the landlord and luau venue for allowing us to postpone our trip until next winter. And I would also say to the citizens of Maui – we understand. We live in a mountain town that is a tourist destination in winter and in summer. We also do not want potentially ill, contagious visitors.
Aloha, I graduated from UH in the mid 80s. I visited many times with my family and eventually I myself returned to make Hawaii my forever home in 2015. I put my skills to work with the DOE.
The island and the Hawaiian people have always made this Black woman feel the aloha.
Tourism during a pan demic is selfish and wrong. There is no other way to say it.
The most residents are abiding our laws and trying desperately to lower the curve.
It breaks me to see tourist wondering around town, climbing over closed signs and doing whatever they can to get away with.
Please right now is not the time to visit. Hawaii is healing and will be fully open again but right now please stay home.
I do feel animosity from SOME on social media, not all. I think the ones that have a hard time understanding are those like me that probably visited, and listened to the advice given prior to arriving such as respect the land, honu, and be courteous on the roads. It seems that there are some visitors that don’t. I just think people shouldn’t lump everyone into the same category. God i love Maui so much. Ive even felt compelled to help clean up beaches or roads on some of my next visit due to wanting to give back in some small way. To take care of it as if it’s my own. I don’t think everyone on Maui hates tourists but it saddened me to learn some aren’t welcoming. I cant say that I blame them. I think if everyone respects each other, and more importantly, the Islands, things will always work out.
My girlfriend and I love Hawaii. I don’t adopt native words because I think it’s a bit disengenuous, but that doesn’t stop me from being courteous and saying thank you when someone shows us hospitality.
We aren’t rich, but we sacrifice some to go to Maui as often as we can manage it. I envy those who live there, who have roots in the place; I do not envy the wealthy transplants in their gated communities. I feel for the descendants of Hawaii and I’m on their side, and my girlfriend and I aren’t that different from them (or you, depending on who’s reading this), so it hurts a little when all some see when they look at me is someone out to exploit them because I’m a white guy in a rental car staying at a vacation rental for the week.
We hope to come back when it is safe. I know we add to the crowdedness of the place, but if it becomes too restrictive Hawaii will only have rich visitors and the locals will be poorer if that is their only clientele. I speak from experience here, I clean residential windows with my son, and my best customers are neither poor nor rich, they’re just like most us and fantasize about living in paradise, if only for a week or two at a time.
I’m a transplant from the mainland and have lived here for 23 years. Upon arriving here the first thing I did was learn as much about the culture and beliefs of the hawaiian people. It was very important for me as I didn’t want to disrespect or interfere with the lives or culture of the local people.
After working here in the islands for a few years I started seeing some of the tourists being less than polite and expecting the local people to cater to their every wants or needs with out showing any appreciation or even saying thank you.
Please understand this is not all visitors but enough to irritate me and sometimes asking the visitor to please be a little more respectful to those that are trying to make your time here enjoyable.
I’ve always tried to greet all people with kindness and respect and by doing so making it a better experience for all. Thanks for your time, Aloha.
Sometimes anti-tourist sentiment is based on customs. Here in San Diego, we get a lot of people from elsewhere (I’m not gonna name the states, but you know who you are \;D) who don’t respect the ocean, who tend to seem loud and rude and pushy and now, with AirBnB, keep us up all night with loud “party houses”.
Years ago, there were billboards in Oregon that said “Don’t Californicate Oregon.” When I was just out of high school, there were T-shirts that said “Tourist Go Home but Leave Your Daughter” and “Keep California Green and Golden: Bring Money.” So this sort of thing has a long history with different degrees of attitude.
I have to admit that I avoid more and more areas, both in San Diego and in Hawai’i, because they are just too crowded. In the summertime, places like La Jolla and Laguna Beach are so crowded as to be unpleasant. And that’s nothing compared to O’ahu. It’s hard to imagine living in a place that gets hundreds of thousands of tourists every month!
I know that tourism is like the goose that lays golden eggs, but geese can be awfully noisy and messy!
I have been to Kauai , Maui and Ohua on different vacations . I could have not been more welcomed by locals . We all way respect there islands and take time to learn the culture and how life is Hawaii . We have been to other islands in the pacific and Hawaii is truly unique with its beauty and residents .
Unfortunately, Hawaii has become too totally dependent on Tourism dollars and MUST start to think and act differently. When Tourists outnumber Locals, negatively impacting Residents lives there is a major and unpopular imbalance happening. Overtourism is comparable to having too many visitors staying in your home, selfishly over using resources, disrespecting your space, property and living habits or culture and treating you personally with disdain. Truthfully, whether it will be publicly admitted or not, In recent years as the number of Tourist increased to todays numbers, full time residents began to feel like and sometimes have been treated like indentured servants needing to be nice to people that they could see were disrespecting, them, their home,land and culture yet having to smile and take it in lieu of loosing their income. Hawaii is not the only special place in the world where Overtourism has risen it’s ugly head in recent years requiring potentially unpopular rules imposed on Tourist being put in place at these locations. Some of same type of rules,regulations and quotas are and will further be put into place in Hawaii to preserve the culture, the islands and sustain the Aloha spirit. Especially in Hawaii’s very rural areas Tourist today are not welcomed in the overwhelming numbers in the way smaller numbers of them may have been embraced years ago. Many Tourist today seem to be coming with a very different attitude that is not respectful or thoughtful of those that live on these islands. They frequently demonstrate an attitude of “I spent a lot of money to get here and be here and I can do and act as I please”. To sustain any future Tourism in Hawaii that will make Tourist feel welcome (especially on the neighbor islands) the number of Tourist coming requires diminished numbers in whatever way it can be achieved. Tourism marketing needs to stress the need for Visitors to be respectful of the residents, the land and the Hawaiian culture with examples of what NOT to do. Residents, due to the vi rus impacts, have now had a taste of what life is like without being “overrun” with Tourist,traffic and disrespect. . Almost everyone in Hawaii at this time is loosing money due to lack of Tourism but many may really wish there was a way to do something else to make money instead of chasing the Tourist dollar. Many wish that Tourism would NEVER again reach the previous number prior to this shut down.
So true! I don’t really ever see locals being rude and inconsiderate but i do see a whole hell of a lot of visitors being terribly rude and entitled. It has been wonderful not having the crowds, its allowing people to see their home in a very real way, without the crowds.
I have been to Oahu 3 times recently and every single time I had nothing but positive experiences. It may be because my parents have been coming for over 15 years and have immersed themselves in the culture and have shared it with me. They have even taken classes on the culture and my dad can speak a smidgen of Hawaiian. I think that if you act like a typical tourist, you’ll be treated as such, but if you have an understanding of the native culture, you’ll only be doing yourself a favor!
Well said Sandy H……The Aloha spirit is all about respect. As we slowly open up the state it will be even more vital.
Wearing a mask is a sign of respect. You respect others because you want to reduce the chances of passing this on.
We respect our Kapuna here. We would never choose letting them die to save the economy like some mainland politicians
voiced.
Respect as we open up means tourists accept whatever restrictions are in place to keep us safer. Notice I didn’t say safe, that’s impossible, but we can keep us safer. It’s the best we can hope for.
We want tourists back that understand that, not the narcissists.
On a visit to Kauai a few years ago I was loudly reminded to stay 10 feet from a turtle on the beach. I bristled because I was at least 6 to 7 feet away for my photo op. My reaction was fueled by guilt of course. There is a parallel today with social distancing. 4 feet isn’t enough to avoid droplet transfer of orgamisms. At least 6. That’s been scientifically measured. I am sure the 10 foot rule for turtles has scientific rationale as well as cultural respect. I apologize.
❤️
Please inform me as how to book a vacation rental in Oahu
Thanking you in advance for your help
JP
Hi Jacqueline.
That is not what our website is about. Try starting with a Google search, a guidebook, or Airbnb or VRBO.
Aloha.
I have worked in hospitality for over 40 years and have seen the Kona Coast go from a very rural laid back place to a crowded destination. You see both sides, folks who are thrilled to be here and want to learn about Hawaii, our culture and ways. Then you see folks who believe Aloha, means snap to it and serve me NOW, I have $$$ so jump.
Too bad not everyone gets that Aloha is really simple it’s called Respect. Respect us and we respect you. No matter where you travel in the world isn’t that a basic way to behave to all?
We were in Oahu, Kauai, and Maui in February 2020 for over 2 weeks and felt welcomed and appreciated while there. We read up on customs and expectations of visitors and bought reef safe sunscreen before we left. We didn’t encounter anyone with a negative attitude toward us. We had a lovely time in Hawaii’s gorgeous islands!
As a tourist from the chilly country of Canada for 9 months of our year, Hawai’i is truly a paradise and also a cultural treasure. We visit during our worst months here, for the past few years and feel so fortunate to be able to do this, with such a warm welcome each time. Our family try to be very respectful and recognize how fragile the islands are ecologically, sociologically and economically. We give our extras when we leave to the homeless. We don’t litter or speed and we keep up with the news of Hawai’i back at home because we care. If our presence puts locals at risk, we would rather stay away, to help protect people. One day, when things are better, we will hope to visit again…A hui hou! Mahalo.
Hi Adrianna.
Thanks.
Aloha.
One thing to keep in mind is the phrase “one bad apple spoils the barrel”. I suspect that many locals have encountered a bad tourist apple who has spoiled the barrel of all visitors. This probably works the other way around but I also suspect that much of the frustration experienced by visitors might be rooted in not understanding the local cultural norms and dare I say, an arrogant attitude that they are paying big money and deserve what they want.
I prefer to take a different view when I travel to Hawaii or really any place. I think of myself as staying in someone else home as an honored guest and one who wants to always be gracious. I feel this is especially appropriate for Hawaii given that Hawaii hosts so many visitors and truly the best parts of the islands are maintained for the benefit of visitors and not locals. I would think that you’d be really upset if a guest in your home took the master bedroom, drank the special bottle of wine you had been saving, left the place a mess and then complained that you weren’t doing things “the right way”.
I am a special case since I am lucky enough to have lost count of the number of times that I have visited Kauai and because of a business have been able to connect with various locals. And however much I have learned and tried to be a gracious guest I still get caught up. For example, my wife and I went to see a show presented by the Kauai Community Players in Puhi and it was clear that we were definitely considered outsiders and we felt a bit unwelcome. I do not begrudge this – locals should be able to have their own things but it is really hard to know. I had been to the monthly star watch in Kaumakani a number of times and had always felt welcome.
The citizens of Kauai and the rest of the state need to hold their government responsible for the rapid growth in tourism.
We purchased a condominium in Kauai just before Iniki. One of the reasons we loved Kauai and still do was the ‘Slow growth approach’ they took to development. That has all changed and the tourists and non-resident property owners did not get to vote on those new developments.
The county government loved the tax dollars and the new jobs. I would like to know if any readers of this have ever been able to see the annual budget for Kauai. Tax revenues have been at an all time high for several years and the roads have deteriorated to the point where you wonder where all the revenue is going.
We do vacation rent our unit when we are not on island so if you think there are too many tourists on the island then we are part of the problem. On a positive note we have found that Kauai does not attract a ‘Party’ crowd. The typical visitors we have found are either families, snow birds, or young people who want to enjoy the outdoor wonders of the island.
As a non- resident property owner I’m always amazed when statements are made that we, and tourists, are a financial burden requiring additional resources to be provided.
We are not a burden on the school systems, generally speaking if you look at the Kauai police blotter, we are not a large
law enforcement problem and if we require medical help we pay for it. We pay much higher real property taxes than permanent residents and all our visitors are taxed at almost 15% at the current time. It keeps going up because as another post mentioned it is easy to tax non residents who do not have the vote.
Bottom line we love Hawaii and in particular Kauai but we were a little surprised at some of the animosity shown to tourists during this crisis. In some cases it got very ugly. This has been followed by a lot of virulent talk about not wanting the tourists back.
One of the arbitrary rulings in effect now is to not allow any ‘Short term rentals’ even if the renter has passed a 14 day quar antine stay.
We have been informed by the Kauai Mayor’s office that if someone passes the 14 day quar antine we can rent to them if the stay is 6 months or longer.
Sounds like the county just doesn’t want ‘Tourists’ even if they have passed quar antine. We will survive this but many people who service and maintain vacation rentals will not.
Not sure if the county and state will survive the financial outfall.
We all hope that the Aloha spirit returns
Patrick M
Aloha Jeanne C,
Mahalo for you response! I really appreciate you answering my questions! Those were my feelings, especially with Ewa Beach being a local area. I very much appreciate your honesty and kind response. As much as I wish circumstances would be different and we would be able to come, I very much respect the people of Hawaii and do not want to be a reason for concern for them. Much Mahalo and Aloha!
Mahalo,
Shelli
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.
It was amazing to us to think we were in the USA. We sat at a picnic table surrounded by locals smiling and laughing with us. All offered their hand in friendship. One shared his dinner, another offered a taste, and one knew the vendor and brought us rice pudding to try. It was delicious. This is the Hawaiian way, the aloha spirit. Upon leaving, another placed a kiss on my cheek in friendship. As we were leaving, a store owner offered an infinity scarf for holding a parking place for her so she wouldn’t have to lug her wares for blocks to her car. Every one along the sidewalk smiled. Cars stop at crosswalks. It appears everyone knows each other, but we knew this wasn’t so, it was simply the way of the island of Kauai. The Aloha way. Kauai is a place called Paradise, but the truth is, it is the people. They are as beautiful as the sunrises and sunsets. It would be a lonely place without the smiles and kindness of the few who call this island home. We leave this island with a permanent warming glow in our hearts. We now understand what Aloha means and will forever love this island and its people. There is no place like Kauai. Aloha and Mahalo for sharing your island with us!!
Hi Kristen.
That’s the Kauai that we know too.
Aloha.
I have been to the islands several times. I have always been treated wonderful by the people. We love it so much we are planning to move to the big island. My husband is going to teach there. I love the way the waters and beaches are kept so clean. I see nothing wrong with respecting the Hawaiian ways. I thank you for the respect you have shown us when we visited.
I am a resident of the Big Island. Also what’s considered a “haole”, a person not of polynesian decent (sometimes percieved as derogatory but generally not the case). The general population NEEDS tourists to bring home money for their ohana (family). I was warned of non-friendly locals and have never had that experience in my time living here. In hawaii, there is aloha spirit. They take care of their own first but there is always room for one more. As far as the pan demic goes, everyone just wants their families safe no matter the cost. These islands already rely heavily on tourism..BUT we are also small enough to be scared that it would spread like wildfire amongst our islands. The people are only rallying to re open because unemployment isnt kicking in for most of us. It’s been an uphill battle. Keep coming to visit hawaii when you are healthy!
Why would anyone visit Hawaii knowing that there’s a 14 day quar antine? Thats 14 days staying in a hotel room. I guarantee it they plan on breaking quar antine. I only our governor stopped visitors from coming during this time.
Because they are not really staying put for 14 days and the hotel staff cannot really stop them from leaving.
I think it’s important to remember that a handful of visitors not respecting the land, the wildlife, nature and locals is not a good brush to paint the rest of the 10 million visitors. Likewise, a few rude or disrespectful locals or shop owners is not at all a clear picture of the vast majority of Hawaiians who are a welcoming and beautiful people.
Aloha,
We visit Hawaii every year and are well aware of the local/tourist label, but some of the strongest objection to tourists seems to come from transplanted mainlanders. At what point does somebody become “a local”? In a place as culturally unique as Hawaii it would seem to me that if you are not born and raised in the islands then you are not a local. Does citizenship confer the right to be “a local”? What if you moved to China and were not of that origin; could you ever be “a local”?
Mahalo
Hi Gerry.
Thanks for your comment.
Aloha.
I agree with you!
Hawaii is truly a paradise for my family. We visit Oahu every year and we never get tired of coming back. As for the locals, we only had one time unpleasant encounter with a young girl and her mother at the china town. I was asking how much was the mango and the young girl was ignoring us as if we were invisible. I was with my 2 daughters who was at the same age with the girl at that time and she kept looking at them. My daughter said something about why she was ignoring us. This girl started yelling at us and telling us to go back to the mainland. The mother instead of correcting her daughter’s behavior, she even joined her in driving us away. Both were very desrespectful,using profanity words. It was very embarassing that my husband had to take us quickly away from that vegetable stand.Obveously they didnt want our business.One of the locals apologized how this young girl and mother behaved. It seemed like visitors were not welcome to patronize thier goods ;however , This did not stop us from going to hawaii but we avoided going to china town. We discovered waipahu market and we’ve been going there almost everyday to eat our favorite dishes. Overall, people in hawaii are pleasant specially in waikiki area. I just feel bad to learn that some locals doesnt appreciate visitors but hawaii is a tourist spot,and a lot of locals work at the tourist sites. I just hope that those who got affected from the lockdown are getting help from the community.
Hawaii certainly benefits from tourism, but as is true of everything, the marginal benefits of an additional tourist diminish as tourism grows.
At some point, additional tourists actually reduce the total welfare of our community. We need to be cognizant of that
Incredibly wonderful topic. I very much understand both sides. Our family have lived in the islands for many decades. I was so gifted to spend 8 yrs of my life there. Big Island, Waipio valley; when it was still natural and not what it is today. This was in the 90s. I was also blessed to have spent kindergarten and 1st grade on Maui. Molokai for months in 2003. Molokai was the most loving, friendly, giving, helping and caring community I’ve ever known. Maui was very rough as a white child. Big island was great! But also took 3 yrs to find myself feeling as a member of the community. Living in the valley? Best time of my life.
The families that I was part of knew exactly who I was and still am as a person that loved, respected, and protected the island and all that it offered me/us. The people that did not know me had me always feeling inferior because they didn’t know me. I was still verbally threatened and talked down to very often.
So, now that I’ve spilled my thoughts and memories…
I’ve always questioned. Is it fear based? Some sort of jealously? Is it the “it’s ours, not yours” mentality. That if you’re not born there you don’t belong. If there are answers for this please let me /us know.
I was torn from the islands for I had to move back to San Diego to care for my parents and a disabled sister. My spirit will always be there. Thank you for your topic.
I understand why tourists are treated poorly. Many of them have no respect at all for the planet, other people or themselves. How can we help tourists understand the importance of leaving everything one leaves, a better place than the one you entered? How can we give confidence to locals that gives them a sense of pride and leadership to parent tourists to become better living caring tourists.
Again thank you.
Last September, well before Co vid, I booked our first trip ever to Maui. The 4 of us are scheduled to fly out on August 5th of this year. We are hoping things will be back to normal by then. However, we have been reading a lot lately about anti tourism from the locals as well as city officials. We are seriously considering canceling our vacation plans simply because we don’t want to go someplace where we don’t feel welcome. We have plenty of other places we want to visit. For now, everything remains up in the air. However, we are definitely not as excited about our trip as we were when we booked it. It could just be my perception, but I feel like the anti tourism sediment is not due to the current pandemic, but a deep seated feeling among many locals.
I am Kanaka, which not only means I am born and raised here but I also have deep genealogical ties to these islands. I have also worked in the tourist industry. Yes, there is a part of our culture that is welcoming and we enjoy sharing what we have (whether that is food, practices or knowledge) but aloha is so much more than that and it goes both ways. We also have a very complicated history with foreigners, especially those that just come to greedily take what they want. I have spent time with many tourists who are interested (and interesting) and respectful. But unfortunately, over the last 5 or so years, the attitudes I have come across are increasingly more entitled with more and more wanting access to everything. With the addition of Airbnb and monster homes, tourists are now in our neighborhoods and it feels as though we have been completely overcome. Nothing is sacred or off limits anymore – especially since it’s all been paid for and everything is for sale. Yes, some tourists are great people and amazing guests. But more and more it’s like we’re drowning, the mountain trails, the ocean and beaches and the people are full to capacity and there is no end in sight.
Now with the pandemic it feels like we can breathe again, the entirety of the islands can breathe again. No offense, but it is a nice break. I don’t mind tourists coming back after things settle down but hopefully not with the overwhelming numbers. I hope this helps give perspective.
Ke aloha nui me ka ha’aha’a.
I can understand you point of view and frustration with the problems you have with tourists because we also are tourists from Oregon. I never thought I would like Hawaii but our daughter wanted to get married on Maui so we went. The weather was horrible and most of our events were canceled, but we decided to come back and have been coming back ever since. Wish I had a answer on how to balance your need for tourists dollars and keeping your culture.
I am originally from New York moved to Kauai in 1979. I am a dark-skinned Italian but my husband was Irish and Italian very fair. I grew up in East Harlem New York and have never experienced as much hate and prejudice as I did on Kauai with my husband’s fair skin. When people used to comment negatively on The “haoles” aka foreigners right in front of me I shot back with “I am haole also, I am not from here” they put their arms next to mine and said you’re not a haole your Italian”! It took many years for them to accept my husband but they always accepted me and my darker skin. They actually do not like white people because white people represent all that was taken from them. White people come with money and buy a properties that they no longer can afford.Their children have to move to the mainland for jobs because they can’t afford a life there. There was a lot of resentment towards Tourists but they put on the “aloha” because they know it helps their economy.Yet they want no part of being part of the United States. My daughter was born there and still treated like a Haole because she had skin like her father. It takes a long time for acceptance there. Once they see you are hard-working as they are, they eventually learn to accept you. The vi rus brought out the hate that most of them feel towards tourists. It was just an excuse to vent their rage that they hold inside. People I know who are white and have been living there for years now hate the vacationers and are glad they are being told to turn away and go home. I had lived in Hawaii for almost 20 years and I still have many friends who live there local people and white people.. Even though my daughter was born on the island when her teachers picked her to be Queen of the islands for May Day one of the local mothers had a fit because she was white skinned and was very vocal about why she should not be Queen. Meanwhile she came from the island of Maui and my daughter was born there on Kauai. You don’t know how it really is until you’ve lived there. [Edited]. They are a bunch of big fish in a very small pond and I am glad I no longer live there!
Hi Joanne.
We normally do not reply to comments without a request and a please, thank you or aloha.
Your editors have a combined total of 60 years of personal experience here on Kauai, and what you are saying is simply not the reality.
Aloha.
This was the reality for her family so please don’t say that it’s simply not reality. You asked for an open discussion from both sides so please don’t try to negatively counteract someone else’s comment just because it’s uncomfortable for you to read it. This does happen. My brother who was white, moved to Oahu with our parents in the seventies and was picked on and bullied at his middle school to the point of being beat up. He was a very shy and quiet kid who just wanted to go to school and make friends and fit in with his peers. It has hurt him and affected him to this day!
The only reason Hawaii relies heavily on tourism is because we made it that way. There are many countries in the world that have created a self sustained lifestyle. Hawaii shouldn’t be any different. We have the best climate in the world for producing food and fresh water but because of money hungry earthlings it’s not happening. Instead we feel like using Hawaii as an amusement park that in part is destroying the land/water. I don’t mind some visitors but 10 per local is way over board. Thank God this pan demic has stopped overtourism not just for Hawaii but all parts of the world. Stay safe-
My family (husband, adult son, his wife & their 2 youn children) were supposed to vacation on Maui the 1st week of April. A little over a week before, we made the decision to postpone our trip. Among the reasons – our son is an emergency room RN and was scheduled to work almost until the date we were scheduled to fly to Maui. We were also beginning to read that those who lived in Maui did not really want visitors from the mainland who could potentially bring this to the island. In retrospect, since restaurants, shops and beaches shut down, we are glad we did not come. I would like to thank the landlord and luau venue for allowing us to postpone our trip until next winter. And I would also say to the citizens of Maui – we understand. We live in a mountain town that is a tourist destination in winter and in summer. We also do not want potentially ill, contagious visitors.
Aloha, I graduated from UH in the mid 80s. I visited many times with my family and eventually I myself returned to make Hawaii my forever home in 2015. I put my skills to work with the DOE.
The island and the Hawaiian people have always made this Black woman feel the aloha.
Tourism during a pan demic is selfish and wrong. There is no other way to say it.
The most residents are abiding our laws and trying desperately to lower the curve.
It breaks me to see tourist wondering around town, climbing over closed signs and doing whatever they can to get away with.
Please right now is not the time to visit. Hawaii is healing and will be fully open again but right now please stay home.
My understanding is very few tourists are arriving on the islands today. Could it be some ‘locals’ are doing whatever they can get away with?
I do feel animosity from SOME on social media, not all. I think the ones that have a hard time understanding are those like me that probably visited, and listened to the advice given prior to arriving such as respect the land, honu, and be courteous on the roads. It seems that there are some visitors that don’t. I just think people shouldn’t lump everyone into the same category. God i love Maui so much. Ive even felt compelled to help clean up beaches or roads on some of my next visit due to wanting to give back in some small way. To take care of it as if it’s my own. I don’t think everyone on Maui hates tourists but it saddened me to learn some aren’t welcoming. I cant say that I blame them. I think if everyone respects each other, and more importantly, the Islands, things will always work out.
My girlfriend and I love Hawaii. I don’t adopt native words because I think it’s a bit disengenuous, but that doesn’t stop me from being courteous and saying thank you when someone shows us hospitality.
We aren’t rich, but we sacrifice some to go to Maui as often as we can manage it. I envy those who live there, who have roots in the place; I do not envy the wealthy transplants in their gated communities. I feel for the descendants of Hawaii and I’m on their side, and my girlfriend and I aren’t that different from them (or you, depending on who’s reading this), so it hurts a little when all some see when they look at me is someone out to exploit them because I’m a white guy in a rental car staying at a vacation rental for the week.
We hope to come back when it is safe. I know we add to the crowdedness of the place, but if it becomes too restrictive Hawaii will only have rich visitors and the locals will be poorer if that is their only clientele. I speak from experience here, I clean residential windows with my son, and my best customers are neither poor nor rich, they’re just like most us and fantasize about living in paradise, if only for a week or two at a time.
Thank you, and peace be with you.
Hi Tony.
Thank you.
Aloha.
I’m a transplant from the mainland and have lived here for 23 years. Upon arriving here the first thing I did was learn as much about the culture and beliefs of the hawaiian people. It was very important for me as I didn’t want to disrespect or interfere with the lives or culture of the local people.
After working here in the islands for a few years I started seeing some of the tourists being less than polite and expecting the local people to cater to their every wants or needs with out showing any appreciation or even saying thank you.
Please understand this is not all visitors but enough to irritate me and sometimes asking the visitor to please be a little more respectful to those that are trying to make your time here enjoyable.
I’ve always tried to greet all people with kindness and respect and by doing so making it a better experience for all. Thanks for your time, Aloha.
Hi Paul.
Thank you.
Aloha.
Sometimes anti-tourist sentiment is based on customs. Here in San Diego, we get a lot of people from elsewhere (I’m not gonna name the states, but you know who you are \;D) who don’t respect the ocean, who tend to seem loud and rude and pushy and now, with AirBnB, keep us up all night with loud “party houses”.
Years ago, there were billboards in Oregon that said “Don’t Californicate Oregon.” When I was just out of high school, there were T-shirts that said “Tourist Go Home but Leave Your Daughter” and “Keep California Green and Golden: Bring Money.” So this sort of thing has a long history with different degrees of attitude.
I have to admit that I avoid more and more areas, both in San Diego and in Hawai’i, because they are just too crowded. In the summertime, places like La Jolla and Laguna Beach are so crowded as to be unpleasant. And that’s nothing compared to O’ahu. It’s hard to imagine living in a place that gets hundreds of thousands of tourists every month!
I know that tourism is like the goose that lays golden eggs, but geese can be awfully noisy and messy!
I have been to Kauai , Maui and Ohua on different vacations . I could have not been more welcomed by locals . We all way respect there islands and take time to learn the culture and how life is Hawaii . We have been to other islands in the pacific and Hawaii is truly unique with its beauty and residents .
Heath