1,090 thoughts on “Hawaii Visitors and Residents Whipsaw in 1,000 Comments”
Jeanne
My husband and family have been to our happy place of Kauai many many times, we have made friends of the residents there who we love! I totally support the shut down during this even though it will likely mean our trip will be cancelled. During a pan demic this must be done.
I am truly saddened by the general, seemingly widespread and pervasive anti-visitor sentiments I’ve heard so much lately. I understand how visitors can be overwhelming and wearisome, that’s the nature of a tourist destination whether that’s an island, a ski town, a safari resort, etc. There is a tradeoff. I love Hawaii so much and it hurts to hear how unwelcomed we are. It does affect the joy I feel toward visiting.
Morgan T
I agree with locals not wanting tourists in Hawaii. My husband and I have gone to Hawaii almost every year for the last 10 years…The aloha spirit is a farce. Most of the locals tolerate tourists unless they are getting paid to be nice to them. I cancelled our planned vacation in July because of the vi rus and mostly because I didn’t want to endure the hostility that I knew we would encounter. Hawaiians need tourists and if they don’t wake up and start being more hospitable, more and more Mainlanders will be going other places and not Hawaii. Although I love Kauai, I can do without the Hawaiian hostility.
Mary G.
We visit Hawaii every other year for 2 weeks.. Mainly Maui. I’ve been to other beach destinations, such as the Bahamas and Aruba. We’ve always felt like our hard earned dollars were better off being spent in America than elsewhere where tourists were being tolerated for their money. It’s been disheartening to see the bitter comments about tourists. We try to be good visitors and respectful of the culture.
Mike
As one who lives in Hawaii part time I have mixed feelings about your comments. At the moment I’m stuck on the mainland and do not wish to have my American rights stomped on by returning to my island and following the governor’s oppressive mandates.
Of course I understand the need to protect residents and minimize the number of infections. But with a minuscule total of 613 cases and 16 deaths (as of April 29) the draconian measures go beyond reason.
I do get the sense that those on the islands would prefer to keep tourists away during this time and into the future. Well, that’s certainly been achieved. But the economy is suffering and the worst is yet to come. Don’t expect the federal gravy train and free money to go on forever. And without the revenue from the outrageous taxes on pretty much everything tourists do (rooms, rental cars, etc), it won’t be long before the bloated local governments look elsewhere (i.e. YOUR taxes).
And what do you think will happen once flights resume? Although there are obviously many more people in Hawaii who have been exposed to the virus (and hopefully have anti bodies to protect them) than the statistics say, the percentage is not nearly enough to insure the so-called “herd immunity” needed. So cases will go up when flights and passengers are coming again. It is the nature of the pandemic. Flatten the curve or not, this beast must make its way through the population.
Hawaii cannot isolate itself indefinitely. I want to come home.
Mario B
You can home anytime- 14 day quar antine. Same respect you would give a friend or relative if you travelled to the mainland to visit- stay away for enough time to ensure you aren’t the source of infection spread.
Its the Draconian measures that have proven successful in stopping a high rate of infection in Hawaii… the bug doesnt
care where you live or your climate- it wants to spread through the population.
Hawaii’s medical system is not equipped to handle a higher amount of infections.. certainly not equipped to handle
30,000 a day of visitors which is the high season number….
This shock will be good for Hawaii…government will have to restrict and take hair cuts, the beaches are quiet, the roads are less crowded, COSTCO still a zoo but well managed and we have gotten to know more neighbors via nightly outdoor cocktail hours than ever before …. its actually wonderful right now and we have delayed our trip back home to Colorado to enjoy the beauty of Hawaii.
Its no wonder people who live here year round or part time don’t really mind less tourism… its not so bad… stay on the mainland and there will more to enjoy for us that like the Rock the way it is….. meanwhile our local businesses are slowly going to open, but it will never be the same again and perhaps thats good…
TOURISM WILL BE THAT LAST ISSUE THAT THE STATE WILL ADDRESS and lets hope it does it correctly or it will undo all the sacrifice
Hell, you can always go to Georgia, they are wide open for business !
tony p.
I really like the Monk seals and MOST visitors, like us, showed them respect and gave them space. HOWEVER, one “visitor” from the east coast of the U.S. thought that he knew better than everybody else. On a small sandy beach across from the Lawai Beach Resort in Kauai. a “mamma” seal was resting with her pup. The area was cordened off with yellow tape and signs not to enter. This person, with a big camera, decided that the warning and no entry signs were not meant for him, and crossed through the yellow tape to get a close-up picture of the seals. He wouldn’t listen to the others on the beach to stay away and to not disturb Mama and baby. When he was very close to them, “Mama” sprung into action (protecting her pup) and took a BIG chunk out of his behind. He was then yelling for help, but ALL of the other on the beach were laughing and clapping for what “mama” had done. Nobody would help him, BUT did call the local fire department to send an ambulance to take him to the hospital. Don’t mess with mama seals, especially if they have a baby with them !!!
Tony
Dean Z
He got what he deserved. Although tourists like him are small in numbers, their impact is big.
Scott M.
You GO GIRL!
Bob L.
Let’s hear it for the mama monk seal! 👐
Debra S
We love Kauai. We have been there a dozen times. We read books about the history and people and are very respectful. And love the music and dance and culture. But we won’t go back again. Over the years we felt and saw a real dislike of tourist including us. The papers were full of locals saying they did not want tourist there and making it hard to rent cars for several weeks. We will find another place to love. It breaks my heart as I will alway love Kauai.
Tammy W
I’ve read some really hateful comments made on various forums about tourists, ironically made by a lot of recent transplants, but also Native Hawaiians. The comments are so mean spirited, nasty, and downright threateningly scary that, for the first time in my life, I’ve considered not going back to Hawaii. Coincidentally, the Hawaii South Park episode where Butters voyages to his “homeland” came on and I had to laugh. They nailed it. I live in San Diego, large population, huge tourism industry. They unloaded at least 3 contaminated cruise ships here. I’m not mad at it. I just hope the hateful comments are just frustrated bored people locked up at home and not a new social norm. I gently remind them that at some point y’all are going to want to or need to leave the island and that judgmental finger will then be pointed back at you. I’m hoping this isolation doesn’t divide us as a nation or as a planet. I’ve always felt nothing but aloha on the islands but not gonna lie, the general vibe of the Hawaiian people making comments about tourism situation is pretty scary.
Ernie S.
I am a licensed healthcare professional. I have spent time and worked on both O’ahu and Kaua’i, more time on the latter. I came to help provide care to the local residents. Before I arrived, I made it a priority to learn how to pronounce the words, understand Hawaiian history, and be respectful of and familiar with the culture.
I, as a caucasian man, did not feel welcome at all. At best, the feeling was of being “tolerated”. At worst, the attitudes I experienced hearken back to the southern states during the 50s. The nepotism in practice on the smaller island helps ensure that the problem won’t go away without a top-down change in attitude.
I have absolutely no doubt that some visitors are disrespectful, demanding, rude, and insensitive to local attitudes and culture. I was not one of those, yet I did not witness any differentiation between those who make an effort to practice “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” and those who do not.
In no way do I claim that every Hawaiian local is negative, racist, or unwelcoming – The great majority are not, but those who are have a very strong presence, and it’s hard not to feel it.
The events of this year and the effect on tourism – and by default, the livelihood of nearly every island resident – should underscore the need for tourists to return in order for Hawaii to return to normalcy. The more welcome those tourists feel will directly influence whether they choose to return and bring their money to the island economy.
Scott
“The nepotism in practice on the smaller island helps ensure that the problem won’t go away without a top-down change in attitude”.
Favoring locals in employment insures people from the mainland don’t squeeze us off our islands.
There is room for improvement with a minority of the population wrt treating visitors as guests in our home.And as good guests in anyone’s home being rude and insensitive is not and should not be tolerated.
Dave S.
I love interacting with the Hawaiian people…..and I love learning about their history and customs. I love how their families are so important to them. My favorite pastime is snorkeling and I always try to respect the reefs and local sea creatures; sad to say unlike some tourists. When we come (like every 2 years), we try to see something different and experience the local culture. Love supporting the small local vendors, restaurants and stores. These are the things we come to Hawaii for…not the glitter and glamour of the large resorts. Kauai is our favorite island, but we enjoy visiting all of them. We were looking forward to being there this year…but sadly this may not come to pass.
Rob K
I have news for everyone locals in Maui hate
All tourists and people from the mainland. I lived
There for 5 years and experienced it myself.
They will tell you to your face go back to California
Even though you are not from there. If you are a tourist
You may not see this although all employees at hotels
Are nice to you if you grease there hands with a tip
I always told locals there is more Aloha in the states then in Maui
Mario B
Hey Rob, you are right, the locals who many by the way are also long term transplants from the mainland, don’t like to wait in line at restaurants or wait in line at the intersection or be locked out of beach and surf access by the tourists.
County officials are actually same way… they place extra taxes on non locals, tax the heck out of the tourists and supposedly think that the lower cost housing would magically come if the tourists left while at the same time they are trying to get rid of the transient rental program with idea that the houses that rent for 1500 a day will become available to locals working at McDonalds… Government in Hawaii ( and everywhere) really have no concept how economics work… well they are going to find out- people won’t come but for other reasons and hotels will get MORE expensive not less as many won’t survive with 50% or less occupancy rates… restaurants will fail with fewer visitors and more employees will be lost. Maui has got a 4-6 month reprieve while the super charged unemployment kicks in but after thats over there will be many people leaving the island because of lack of jobs and government will have to increase taxes ( how do they do that when property values are dropping ?) Basically Hawaii is screwed. Next movement will be not how to get rid of tourists but how do we get rid of incompetent and useless government workers who sap all business out off the islands? IGE says 20% pay cuts… not enough… get rid of 20% as well as not needed. Rail program will be a complete funding disaster that no one will use… and now Maui has to pay fines and build new sewage systems as they have been pumping treated waste water deep into the ground near the shore ( you get your water from the water lens in each island) and destroying offshore coral for last 30 years and like next 10-20 since it takes that long for water to percolate…. and should I remind you about the failed ferry boat experience and the ongoing failure in building the worlds largest telescope on Mauna Kea. Hawaii has so many disasters going for it
that actually, tourism is probably the smallest problem when put into proper perspective… GOOD LUCK we will all need it over the next few years- buckle up, its going to be a rough ride.
Jared L
I think Rob K’s observations are right on the money. Certainly the “vibe” from “locals” is different on different islands–and in different parts of the same island. For example, you could spend a week in Honolulu and never once get a bad vibe from anyone local… because Honolulu is a crowded, modern, ruined place that is typically over-run with tourists–and the few locals that you might encounter there are getting paid to serve you–either in hotels or bars or restaurants or shops. So, that’s what’s EXPECTED there. But if you wander too far out of that area–and bump into some of the more hardcore locals… out toward Ewa Beach and all the way up the coast toward Waianae and Keawaula… your interactions can be dramatically different even on Oahu.
The population density on Maui is WAY lower than Oahu. And the locals there tend to be a lot more aggro towards tourists and non-natives in general. And, to be fair, their “way of life” is really under threat–if not already ruined–by throngs of honeymooners and other visitors. Ironically, it’s Maui’s generally unspoiled natural beauty and low-density that makes it so popular–and is thus causing its own destruction. If you’re a local and you live somewhere along Mana Road… and you have to wait in long lines of tourist traffic to get out and go to work and get your groceries and run your errands every day–that’s going to wear on you after a while. And if you’re a local and you want to take your family to the 7 Sacred Pools for the day and when you get there it is mobbed with white-skinned tourists–that’s going to wear on your after a while, too. It’s the death by a 1000 cuts. None of them are major / serious offenses. But when you can’t even afford to buy the cheapest house on your own island–because wealthy foreigners have driven up prices to astronomical levels–how could you NOT feel resentment about that? Or if the only jobs available to you are tourist related–or constructing expensive houses for rich white people–how could you NOT come to eventually despise those people?
So, the question isn’t whether or not MANY Hawaiians on ALL of the islands have a Love/Hate relationship with tourism. Because they do. And they should. The real question is: Should it matter to you as a visitor? Should you NOT come to Hawaii just because some if not all of the locals don’t want you to come? Should that be the deciding factor? Because I would venture that that Love/Hate relationship between locals and tourists exists EVERYWHERE in the world that tourists throng to.
In a “crisis”, people show their true colors very quickly. And for sure the locals on Maui were the first that I saw on the news protesting against tourism and having small rallies and carrying signs that all said some version of “Tourists, Stay Home!” That thin veil of civility disappears very quickly when you add fear and ignorance together in a situation like this. It has happened over the millennia and will happen until the end of time: Whenever there’s a problem or a crisis, the blame immediately gets shifted to the outsider–the “other”. This has happened over and over again globally and in Hawaii specifically–as waves of cheap foreign labor were brought here to work different booms–mainly in sugar. Every time there was disease or high unemployment or civil unrest, the fingers immediately started pointing toward the foreigners as the source of the problem(s). (Just look at the way America treated its Japanese and German-ancestored citizens during WWII.)
So, again, should you CARE if the locals really don’t want you in Hawaii? Is it going to AFFECT your vacation and your experience here? That’s really the question.
Bobby
But who even is a LOCAL? Do you validate the feelings of someone living there 5 years/10/20?
Adam
We have been spending our vacations every year for over 20 years in Hawaii. This year we had to cancel and everyone knows why. If you respect the culture the locals are amazing. If you disrespect good luck. We all know that Hawaii survives by tourism dollars, One thing we have to remember is Hawaii is not like the mainland, their hospitals are not the same size or equipped to handle such a disaster as what’s happening. If you put yourself in the shoes of locals you can only imagine how hard it is for them worrying not only about loved ones and family but for the first time having to cut off the hand that feeds them by stopping visitors. Everyone in the entire world is under tremendous pressure right now, everyone needs Aloha. This will pass, things will change but we will all overcome this at some point and enjoy Aloha again.
Much Mahalo to BeatofHawaii🤙🏻
Beat of Hawaii
Hi Adam.
Thanks again.
Aloha.
Comments are closed.
Aloha!
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My husband and family have been to our happy place of Kauai many many times, we have made friends of the residents there who we love! I totally support the shut down during this even though it will likely mean our trip will be cancelled. During a pan demic this must be done.
I am truly saddened by the general, seemingly widespread and pervasive anti-visitor sentiments I’ve heard so much lately. I understand how visitors can be overwhelming and wearisome, that’s the nature of a tourist destination whether that’s an island, a ski town, a safari resort, etc. There is a tradeoff. I love Hawaii so much and it hurts to hear how unwelcomed we are. It does affect the joy I feel toward visiting.
I agree with locals not wanting tourists in Hawaii. My husband and I have gone to Hawaii almost every year for the last 10 years…The aloha spirit is a farce. Most of the locals tolerate tourists unless they are getting paid to be nice to them. I cancelled our planned vacation in July because of the vi rus and mostly because I didn’t want to endure the hostility that I knew we would encounter. Hawaiians need tourists and if they don’t wake up and start being more hospitable, more and more Mainlanders will be going other places and not Hawaii. Although I love Kauai, I can do without the Hawaiian hostility.
We visit Hawaii every other year for 2 weeks.. Mainly Maui. I’ve been to other beach destinations, such as the Bahamas and Aruba. We’ve always felt like our hard earned dollars were better off being spent in America than elsewhere where tourists were being tolerated for their money. It’s been disheartening to see the bitter comments about tourists. We try to be good visitors and respectful of the culture.
As one who lives in Hawaii part time I have mixed feelings about your comments. At the moment I’m stuck on the mainland and do not wish to have my American rights stomped on by returning to my island and following the governor’s oppressive mandates.
Of course I understand the need to protect residents and minimize the number of infections. But with a minuscule total of 613 cases and 16 deaths (as of April 29) the draconian measures go beyond reason.
I do get the sense that those on the islands would prefer to keep tourists away during this time and into the future. Well, that’s certainly been achieved. But the economy is suffering and the worst is yet to come. Don’t expect the federal gravy train and free money to go on forever. And without the revenue from the outrageous taxes on pretty much everything tourists do (rooms, rental cars, etc), it won’t be long before the bloated local governments look elsewhere (i.e. YOUR taxes).
And what do you think will happen once flights resume? Although there are obviously many more people in Hawaii who have been exposed to the virus (and hopefully have anti bodies to protect them) than the statistics say, the percentage is not nearly enough to insure the so-called “herd immunity” needed. So cases will go up when flights and passengers are coming again. It is the nature of the pandemic. Flatten the curve or not, this beast must make its way through the population.
Hawaii cannot isolate itself indefinitely. I want to come home.
You can home anytime- 14 day quar antine. Same respect you would give a friend or relative if you travelled to the mainland to visit- stay away for enough time to ensure you aren’t the source of infection spread.
Its the Draconian measures that have proven successful in stopping a high rate of infection in Hawaii… the bug doesnt
care where you live or your climate- it wants to spread through the population.
Hawaii’s medical system is not equipped to handle a higher amount of infections.. certainly not equipped to handle
30,000 a day of visitors which is the high season number….
This shock will be good for Hawaii…government will have to restrict and take hair cuts, the beaches are quiet, the roads are less crowded, COSTCO still a zoo but well managed and we have gotten to know more neighbors via nightly outdoor cocktail hours than ever before …. its actually wonderful right now and we have delayed our trip back home to Colorado to enjoy the beauty of Hawaii.
Its no wonder people who live here year round or part time don’t really mind less tourism… its not so bad… stay on the mainland and there will more to enjoy for us that like the Rock the way it is….. meanwhile our local businesses are slowly going to open, but it will never be the same again and perhaps thats good…
TOURISM WILL BE THAT LAST ISSUE THAT THE STATE WILL ADDRESS and lets hope it does it correctly or it will undo all the sacrifice
Hell, you can always go to Georgia, they are wide open for business !
I really like the Monk seals and MOST visitors, like us, showed them respect and gave them space. HOWEVER, one “visitor” from the east coast of the U.S. thought that he knew better than everybody else. On a small sandy beach across from the Lawai Beach Resort in Kauai. a “mamma” seal was resting with her pup. The area was cordened off with yellow tape and signs not to enter. This person, with a big camera, decided that the warning and no entry signs were not meant for him, and crossed through the yellow tape to get a close-up picture of the seals. He wouldn’t listen to the others on the beach to stay away and to not disturb Mama and baby. When he was very close to them, “Mama” sprung into action (protecting her pup) and took a BIG chunk out of his behind. He was then yelling for help, but ALL of the other on the beach were laughing and clapping for what “mama” had done. Nobody would help him, BUT did call the local fire department to send an ambulance to take him to the hospital. Don’t mess with mama seals, especially if they have a baby with them !!!
Tony
He got what he deserved. Although tourists like him are small in numbers, their impact is big.
You GO GIRL!
Let’s hear it for the mama monk seal! 👐
We love Kauai. We have been there a dozen times. We read books about the history and people and are very respectful. And love the music and dance and culture. But we won’t go back again. Over the years we felt and saw a real dislike of tourist including us. The papers were full of locals saying they did not want tourist there and making it hard to rent cars for several weeks. We will find another place to love. It breaks my heart as I will alway love Kauai.
I’ve read some really hateful comments made on various forums about tourists, ironically made by a lot of recent transplants, but also Native Hawaiians. The comments are so mean spirited, nasty, and downright threateningly scary that, for the first time in my life, I’ve considered not going back to Hawaii. Coincidentally, the Hawaii South Park episode where Butters voyages to his “homeland” came on and I had to laugh. They nailed it. I live in San Diego, large population, huge tourism industry. They unloaded at least 3 contaminated cruise ships here. I’m not mad at it. I just hope the hateful comments are just frustrated bored people locked up at home and not a new social norm. I gently remind them that at some point y’all are going to want to or need to leave the island and that judgmental finger will then be pointed back at you. I’m hoping this isolation doesn’t divide us as a nation or as a planet. I’ve always felt nothing but aloha on the islands but not gonna lie, the general vibe of the Hawaiian people making comments about tourism situation is pretty scary.
I am a licensed healthcare professional. I have spent time and worked on both O’ahu and Kaua’i, more time on the latter. I came to help provide care to the local residents. Before I arrived, I made it a priority to learn how to pronounce the words, understand Hawaiian history, and be respectful of and familiar with the culture.
I, as a caucasian man, did not feel welcome at all. At best, the feeling was of being “tolerated”. At worst, the attitudes I experienced hearken back to the southern states during the 50s. The nepotism in practice on the smaller island helps ensure that the problem won’t go away without a top-down change in attitude.
I have absolutely no doubt that some visitors are disrespectful, demanding, rude, and insensitive to local attitudes and culture. I was not one of those, yet I did not witness any differentiation between those who make an effort to practice “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” and those who do not.
In no way do I claim that every Hawaiian local is negative, racist, or unwelcoming – The great majority are not, but those who are have a very strong presence, and it’s hard not to feel it.
The events of this year and the effect on tourism – and by default, the livelihood of nearly every island resident – should underscore the need for tourists to return in order for Hawaii to return to normalcy. The more welcome those tourists feel will directly influence whether they choose to return and bring their money to the island economy.
“The nepotism in practice on the smaller island helps ensure that the problem won’t go away without a top-down change in attitude”.
Favoring locals in employment insures people from the mainland don’t squeeze us off our islands.
There is room for improvement with a minority of the population wrt treating visitors as guests in our home.And as good guests in anyone’s home being rude and insensitive is not and should not be tolerated.
I love interacting with the Hawaiian people…..and I love learning about their history and customs. I love how their families are so important to them. My favorite pastime is snorkeling and I always try to respect the reefs and local sea creatures; sad to say unlike some tourists. When we come (like every 2 years), we try to see something different and experience the local culture. Love supporting the small local vendors, restaurants and stores. These are the things we come to Hawaii for…not the glitter and glamour of the large resorts. Kauai is our favorite island, but we enjoy visiting all of them. We were looking forward to being there this year…but sadly this may not come to pass.
I have news for everyone locals in Maui hate
All tourists and people from the mainland. I lived
There for 5 years and experienced it myself.
They will tell you to your face go back to California
Even though you are not from there. If you are a tourist
You may not see this although all employees at hotels
Are nice to you if you grease there hands with a tip
I always told locals there is more Aloha in the states then in Maui
Hey Rob, you are right, the locals who many by the way are also long term transplants from the mainland, don’t like to wait in line at restaurants or wait in line at the intersection or be locked out of beach and surf access by the tourists.
County officials are actually same way… they place extra taxes on non locals, tax the heck out of the tourists and supposedly think that the lower cost housing would magically come if the tourists left while at the same time they are trying to get rid of the transient rental program with idea that the houses that rent for 1500 a day will become available to locals working at McDonalds… Government in Hawaii ( and everywhere) really have no concept how economics work… well they are going to find out- people won’t come but for other reasons and hotels will get MORE expensive not less as many won’t survive with 50% or less occupancy rates… restaurants will fail with fewer visitors and more employees will be lost. Maui has got a 4-6 month reprieve while the super charged unemployment kicks in but after thats over there will be many people leaving the island because of lack of jobs and government will have to increase taxes ( how do they do that when property values are dropping ?) Basically Hawaii is screwed. Next movement will be not how to get rid of tourists but how do we get rid of incompetent and useless government workers who sap all business out off the islands? IGE says 20% pay cuts… not enough… get rid of 20% as well as not needed. Rail program will be a complete funding disaster that no one will use… and now Maui has to pay fines and build new sewage systems as they have been pumping treated waste water deep into the ground near the shore ( you get your water from the water lens in each island) and destroying offshore coral for last 30 years and like next 10-20 since it takes that long for water to percolate…. and should I remind you about the failed ferry boat experience and the ongoing failure in building the worlds largest telescope on Mauna Kea. Hawaii has so many disasters going for it
that actually, tourism is probably the smallest problem when put into proper perspective… GOOD LUCK we will all need it over the next few years- buckle up, its going to be a rough ride.
I think Rob K’s observations are right on the money. Certainly the “vibe” from “locals” is different on different islands–and in different parts of the same island. For example, you could spend a week in Honolulu and never once get a bad vibe from anyone local… because Honolulu is a crowded, modern, ruined place that is typically over-run with tourists–and the few locals that you might encounter there are getting paid to serve you–either in hotels or bars or restaurants or shops. So, that’s what’s EXPECTED there. But if you wander too far out of that area–and bump into some of the more hardcore locals… out toward Ewa Beach and all the way up the coast toward Waianae and Keawaula… your interactions can be dramatically different even on Oahu.
The population density on Maui is WAY lower than Oahu. And the locals there tend to be a lot more aggro towards tourists and non-natives in general. And, to be fair, their “way of life” is really under threat–if not already ruined–by throngs of honeymooners and other visitors. Ironically, it’s Maui’s generally unspoiled natural beauty and low-density that makes it so popular–and is thus causing its own destruction. If you’re a local and you live somewhere along Mana Road… and you have to wait in long lines of tourist traffic to get out and go to work and get your groceries and run your errands every day–that’s going to wear on you after a while. And if you’re a local and you want to take your family to the 7 Sacred Pools for the day and when you get there it is mobbed with white-skinned tourists–that’s going to wear on your after a while, too. It’s the death by a 1000 cuts. None of them are major / serious offenses. But when you can’t even afford to buy the cheapest house on your own island–because wealthy foreigners have driven up prices to astronomical levels–how could you NOT feel resentment about that? Or if the only jobs available to you are tourist related–or constructing expensive houses for rich white people–how could you NOT come to eventually despise those people?
So, the question isn’t whether or not MANY Hawaiians on ALL of the islands have a Love/Hate relationship with tourism. Because they do. And they should. The real question is: Should it matter to you as a visitor? Should you NOT come to Hawaii just because some if not all of the locals don’t want you to come? Should that be the deciding factor? Because I would venture that that Love/Hate relationship between locals and tourists exists EVERYWHERE in the world that tourists throng to.
In a “crisis”, people show their true colors very quickly. And for sure the locals on Maui were the first that I saw on the news protesting against tourism and having small rallies and carrying signs that all said some version of “Tourists, Stay Home!” That thin veil of civility disappears very quickly when you add fear and ignorance together in a situation like this. It has happened over the millennia and will happen until the end of time: Whenever there’s a problem or a crisis, the blame immediately gets shifted to the outsider–the “other”. This has happened over and over again globally and in Hawaii specifically–as waves of cheap foreign labor were brought here to work different booms–mainly in sugar. Every time there was disease or high unemployment or civil unrest, the fingers immediately started pointing toward the foreigners as the source of the problem(s). (Just look at the way America treated its Japanese and German-ancestored citizens during WWII.)
So, again, should you CARE if the locals really don’t want you in Hawaii? Is it going to AFFECT your vacation and your experience here? That’s really the question.
But who even is a LOCAL? Do you validate the feelings of someone living there 5 years/10/20?
We have been spending our vacations every year for over 20 years in Hawaii. This year we had to cancel and everyone knows why. If you respect the culture the locals are amazing. If you disrespect good luck. We all know that Hawaii survives by tourism dollars, One thing we have to remember is Hawaii is not like the mainland, their hospitals are not the same size or equipped to handle such a disaster as what’s happening. If you put yourself in the shoes of locals you can only imagine how hard it is for them worrying not only about loved ones and family but for the first time having to cut off the hand that feeds them by stopping visitors. Everyone in the entire world is under tremendous pressure right now, everyone needs Aloha. This will pass, things will change but we will all overcome this at some point and enjoy Aloha again.
Much Mahalo to BeatofHawaii🤙🏻
Hi Adam.
Thanks again.
Aloha.