What’s your reaction to thie controversy started about where the best Hawaii visitors come from?
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220 thoughts on “How Hawaii Marketing Just Dissed Almost All Visitors”
What’s your reaction to thie controversy started about where the best Hawaii visitors come from?
Where did HVCB get the data to support the statement that SF is the better ” profile? ”
Thanks
Hi Brad.
They said it was based on “proprietary research” regarding visitors.
Aloha.
Thanks for the informative article BOH. Always appreciated. It sounds like HVCB wants to cherry-pick its visitors. Good luck with that. IMO they’re wasting their money by trying to target certain areas in the U.S. Most people know how beautiful Hawaii is even if they’ve never been there, and if they want to visit there, they will. They would have a hard time stopping me unless I’m put on the no-fly list.
Having visited Hawaii in May 2023, I came away sad, dejected, disappointed at the ruination of beloved isles, cultture, food, spirit, history, and statues. No wonder Pele and her family are disrupting the sacred lands in pleas, cries for help. For documentation, this was my more than 30th visit to all islands. I took away precious memories in my heart, knowing, accepting citizens from heart of USA (TX, OK,KS, NE, SD,ND, MO, NM) and other places are not wanted in Hawaii. Listen to the great Hawaiian singer/storyteller IZ, he tell the heart rending facts of spiritual destruction. Example is go to South Point, drug useage reeks the air, thieves steal from visitors, untold history of Japanese Americans detention camp, phycical area denatured, residents who own/lease surrounding land are invaded much as our southern border, and more.
Thank you for inviting Honest comments.
Sounds like another wacko statement. San Francisco used to be a beautiful city and great place to visit. I would not visit again if you paid me to.
I hope Hawaii continues to welcome all visitors.
I’m from the Midwest we travel to Hawaii every year. We highly respect the Hawaiian culture and are very mindful of that and the environment. That comment was a slap in the face. We are very generous with our servers etc. We say please and thank you alot of visitors don’t.
Elitists just gotta rub shoulders with other elitists irrespective of the negative effects on the common folk and the State as a whole. After 45+ years of coming to the islands and owning ownership interests there, my view if they don’t shut this nonsense down is “let them eat poi” and I’ll take my dollars and buy a nice surf and turf plate elsewhere.
Obviously the HBCV has not seen the news nor has visited San Francisco lately. San Francisco has turned into a crime and drug ridden homeless cess pool. So if these are the type of people the HBCV is looking for then let them all come.
Also coincidentally this opinion was given in an interview with SF Gate, a local San Francisco newspaper. I wonder if it would have been a different answer if it was an interview with the LA Times or any other local city news paper on the West Coast.
“San Francisco has turned into a crime and drug ridden homeless cess pool.”
You been to downtown Honolulu lately?
All I have to say to this is “yikes”. Why would I go somewhere my hard earned money isn’t wanted because I’m too poor for their vacation standards? There are lots of other beautiful locations around the world that won’t look down their noses at my wallet friendly tourism budget. Talk about an unfortunate marketing choice.
Dear Jeff and Rob,
My husband and I are planning a long-anticipated trip to Hawaii to celebrate our 30th anniversary. We have looked forward to visiting your beautiful state for many years, and we came across your website and subscribed immediately. We have found it to be very helpful resource.
We were extremely disheartened at the recent HVCB comments about their preferences in exactly who travels to Hawaii. It is embarrassing and saddening to know that because we are from a land-locked state in the Midwest, we are not the “type” of Desiree’s traveler.
We are nature lovers, looking forward to quiet hikes to see flora and fauna not found where we live, getting a better understanding of a cultural history we are not well acquainted with, and perhaps to even spot of few of the native honey creepers we have long had on our birding life lists.
We are not spring break students looking for a quick and rowdy party, nor are we privileged retirees looking to be pampered. We simply hope to experience a land that offers a diverse natural beauty we have not encountered. . We do not wish to impose any of our “midwesterness” on anyone, but immerse ourselves in what being Hawaiian means.
I assure the HVCB, the money we have saved for years to travel to visit your beautiful land spends just the same as a more “desirable” West Coast dollar. We hope to be welcomed, not discriminated against simply due to our home address.
Hi RobynfromOhio.
We tried to be clear that “Hawaii marketing” has for as many decades as we’ve known them, has always been lacking at best. Many have said that Hawaii survives in spite of them. And as you see that between HVCB/HTA, and the state’s research arm UHERO, there is no lack of disagreement.
None of this should impact your planned 30th anniversary trip. And, if we can be of any help in your planning, please let us know.
Aloha.
Robyn,
Don’t let the comments of a few bureaucrats ruin your vacation.
I’ve been coming to Hawaii for decades and never once did anyone ask me if I was from LA (yes, I am, from a suburb). Never had a disrespectful moment/comment.
We go and have a good time. You will as well.
Aloha
Thank you Rod, for your reassurance. We booked our tickets (in spite of HVCB’s most earnest efforts) and look forward to making some new acquaintances on our visit!
Don’t let this article stop you. I am from Hawaii, with family still there, but left due to my job and live in the mid west. I go back often and I always encourage people from the mid west to visit. From reading your post you sound like the type of visitors the “kama’aina” (locals) are happy to have, respectful and wanting to learn of the culture and beauty. Techy wealth does guarantee that. Have a wonderful 30th!
Thank you, Rory, for your encouraging words! We have booked our tickets.
Sounds like, “Like-minded only please.” I’m not surprised. If you don’t agree with the agenda or politics, then your not invited.
As a marketer I am appalled by those statements. Did this person even take a marketing class. Haven’t they learned from what just happened with Budweiser? Just one false step … I am from the West Coast, Hawaii’s bread and butter, but not from SF. I’m still not sure why Hawaii continues to spend so much on marketing if they don’t want people to come? Plus people will come no matter what. Save the money and put it towards all the thing they want to charge the tourist for. How many things can we be responsible to pay for?
In spite of the fact that they insulted New Mexico, we’ll be returning twice a year as always!
Horrible messaging – had a time share on Kauai since 1994 which we have given to our daughter. Must have visited between 15 and 20 times from the East coast. Loved our trips and respected the traditions and the people. Nice to know our contributions to the islands aren’t good enough since we are not from San Francisco.
Is this a way to dissuade visitors who are not from the SF Bay Area to not visit Hawaii anymore? Any type of othering, like this tactic, only serves to distract from the real problem these tourist agencies face – a lack of vision. I feel like they are saying, “if only all of our visitors would be like those from the SF Bay area, then Hawaii wouldn’t be facing all the tourist woes it faces.” This is a cop out. It distracts from the fact that they have failed to market Hawaii as a gem that needs caring for, to educate visitors that they are guests to the islands and need to show respect. This type of program takes work and commitment- two things their leadership lacks.
Hi Rebecca.
Thanks for your first comment. That is insightful. Hope to see you again.
Aloha.
I’m a product of the corporate world, and I’ve worked in marketing organizations. The fellow who made those statements didn’t understand the goals, and lacked proper mentorship by senior people. First, the goal should have been encouraging some people to self-select themselves as tourists. The statements he made should have been features which entice some, but not others (like – We have x,y,z for people. We love everybody. We’ve noticed that the people of our state especially love tourists who appreciate our x,y,z activities or locations or….) And that should have been followed up with programs that target/entice that group. Junior people write statements and they get reviewed until they become senior. Revisions. Teamwork. Mentoring. Feedback. Data. This is a leadership problem.
Hi Tony.
Yes, another insightful comment on this topic. And by the way, thanks for so many other comments. A concern is that came from Jay Talwar, who is listed as the agency’s Senior Vice President of Marketing.
Aloha.
I live on the East Coast as do most of my close friends. Three of us have been timeshare owners for the last 15 years,and three of us are members of a local Church in Waimea. We “return home’ yearly for 1 to 3 months. Thus year we found prices on every day things there have sky rocketed. I am not complaining because the Islands suffered economically through Covid. However,are these agencies trying to discourage East coast visitors from coming. Despite the increased cost we came and will continue to come.Hawaii is our second home despite the already high cost of everything. Come on Govenor don’t paint all tourists as the same and don’t discourage East coast visitors who are already supporting Hawaii’s economy. What happened to the Aloha State??
Hi Mary.
Thank you for your first comment. We just wanted to point out this did not come from the governor but instead for the organization responsible for the state’s U.S. brand marketing, which is mired in controversy.
Aloha.
Velly Intellesting as a popular TV show character ‘used’ to say! Since San Francisco seems to have the most homeless of any major city in the US, maybe these are the visitors Talwar would like to see come to Hawaii???????????
We live within 60 miles of the beach on the east coast, and have travelled annually to Hawaii for over 30 years (All but about 4 trips have been to Kauai exclusively, as it meets our ‘low key’ needs perfectly). Our stay has usually been 3 weeks. We patronize farm markets, small restaurants, and spend time enjoying the parks and associated ecologically sound travel.
It seems we are definitely not ‘desirable’ visitors in Talwar’s opinion. But, we could care less about his opinion, and if we are physically capable (age related) will continue to enjoy the Aloha of Kauai in future years.
Hi G & K.
Glad you’re not taking his opinion to represent more than it is. We’ll continue to enjoy and appreciate your visits here too. Please shoot us a note sometime when you’re next visiting.
Aloha.
Just a thought from the Lake Tahoe, NV area. Many Bay Area visitors during July 4th weekend trashed our Jewel of the Sierras with over 6, 000 lbs of trash that had to be collected by volunteers. Surely people that Do Not respect our environment.
I’m a little offended that HCVB thinks that people from somewhere other than San Francisco are less desirable.
I feel that Hawaii tourism would be better served all around if the legislature would provide more funding to the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement for education of visitors with regard to Native Hawaiian culture and the ecosystem. Both have suffered immeasurably because some visitors refuse to educate themselves on both counts. Either that or they don’t care. I love Hawaii but it breaks my heart that some visitors completely disregard native Hawaiian culture, the ecosystems and having respect for both.
Aloha,
My wife and I are from British Columbia and have been to Hawaii 8 times since ‘95, this Spring being our most recent. Over those years we’ve noticed the visitor population explode, and with Southwest Airlines and direct flights from the east coast it’s about to explode again, making accommodations in Kihei (our favourite place) look more like Wailea. So the affordability part of the trip is getting out of hand for us. We love the culture and history of this magical place as much as the sheer beauty and amazing people and weather, it is truly paradise in our opinion, and we’ve always been very respectful of the local population, visiting swap meets and supporting local farmers on the weekends, our rule was to stay away from the beaches on weekends to give the locals time to enjoy their family gatherings and bbq’s , there is plenty to see and explore other than the beautiful beaches there. What we’ve also noticed over that span is the lack of respect that “new” visitors display lately, and that’s disappointing, people need to realize you are a visitor and should act accordingly, being polite and respectful of others is what “Aloha” is all about, and that costs nothing, it is truly the cheapest part of your visit, and makes it even more enjoyable. So Mahalo Hawaii, we hope this amazing place stays that way. (And prices get back to normal 😉)