What’s your reaction to thie controversy started about where the best Hawaii visitors come from?
Leave a Comment
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?
So we are from central ca and have been to the islands almost yearly for the last 20 years. We used to fly out of San Francisco for a direct flight to Kauai but no longer will go to San Francisco as the city is not the safest place to be. Are we welcome when we fly from San Jose or L A? What an insult to all hard working Americans!
Done with the islands. It’d be nice if the mainland was done with the islands as well. Tax the islanders as they were mainlanders traveling there. Vegas would go bust. Yup. Give them the islands back. I simply don’t care anymore. That’s what the goal is and that’s just fine.
I’m really upset about this, because I just propped up the new HTA in a comment I left with you earlier. Getting off on the wrong foot? I think so… Sue H.
Thanks for your blog. We live in Seattle and don’t have as much money as SF techies but we are perennial good respectful visitors to Kauai. I have been appalled over and over by Hawaiian tourism’s rejection of tourists since the pandemic And am dismayed that this egocentric thinking of a minority is guiding the state’s messaging about tourism.
Hello! My name is Melissa and I am from the Chicago area. My family and I love to travel to see this beautiful earth and marvel at the beauty we are surrounded by everywhere we go! Be it Hawaii, the beautiful National Parks and Federal Parks of the mainland, or the countryside and mountains of other countries. Regardless of where we go, we are always mindful of our impact and are very upset when we see others abusing this beautiful earth. I think that the marketing message is very narrow-minded. It’s not simply where you are from, but rather what kind of person you are. Mahalo!
I am not sure if their comments were intended as a way to create controversy, or truly their opinion, either way its so off base. We were raised to pack in-pack out and leave places better than you found it. I am however not from SF. We do this and more when we visit. Hopefully they understand that there are a lot of people who try to be good visitors.
Wow, talk about a dysfunctional agency and conflicted messaging. Come, spend tons of money, but be “mindful”, and by the way there’s a $50 “admission fee” proposed for all arrivals.
How about Hawaii property owners coming back to the islands? They’re not tourists, will they also get charged? Lunacy from money hungry politicians. Can hardly believe how much my property tax on Kauai has grown over the past decade without a concomitant improvement in roads, public services, etc. Another fee is an insult.
How about those of us from Wisconsin? The rest of the world seems to appreciate our dollars!
Aloha!
In response to your article about the HTA preferring visitors from San Francisco (or anywhere on the west coast), I just have one question. How do they tell the difference between West Coast and East Coast money?
It just seems counter-productive, to me at least, to purposely alienate anybody seeing how Hawaii’s main income comes from tourist–not tourists from California only.
Just MY opinion.
Aloha & Mahalo
Quite frankly, I am insulted. We don’t live in the “holy land” of San Francisco. We live in the Midwest (Oklahoma), what many east and west coast people call “fly over country”. We have visited the islands more than 20 times (Maui mostly). I am not certain what HVCB means by “mindful travelers”. If it pertains to environmental issues, we volunteer for beach clean up each trip, we recycle, we limit our waste, and overall practice “aloha”. We study Hawaiian and Hawaiian Pidgin English and may know more about Hawaiian history than the members of HVCB. Apparently, that is not enough. Again, quite frankly, I am tired of the “demand” for respect. Respect is a two way street. If one “wants” respect, they must “give” respect. I am fully sympathetic with the plight of the Native Hawaiians regarding the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. But visitors are not always the bad guys. Breaking onto people’s car doesn’t show the Aloha spirit and doesn’t help their cause.
The “Green Fee” is a non-starter with me. It’s not the money, its the principle. Hawaii has already priced themselves out the market for many people. This “fee” is just one more nail in the coffin. HVCB needs to take a trip to San Francisco and look at what has happened to that city. They may change their mind on courting their people and making ridiculous statements such as this.
I don’t think it is as much geographical area as travel style. The problem is more the “cheap” bargain shoppers who are swayed by promises of Costco gift card rebates and are looking more for a cheap Cancun/Bahamas all-inclusive experience that can be found on Expedia and other discount booking engines. I live on the East coast and have worked in the luxury travel space since 1983 and many travelers here save for years for that bucket list Hawaii trip. That gives us a good opportunity to educate them on culture, acceptable behavior, history, respect, and aloha. There are excellent travelers out here who are seeking exactly what you want them to experience and will behave themselves. These are the travelers you want!
As a long time, frequent and repeat visitor, I’m offended by much of what is said and written by those who seem to be in charge of visitor messages and policy.
I’m from Seattle and have been going to Hawaii nearly every year for 38 years. Locals sometimes think I’m a kamaʻāina and offer me the kama’aina discount. I usually eat at locally owned upscale-ish restaurants, but am fond of the North Shore garlic shrimp and huli-huli chicken shops. I got over the cultural stuff years ago, but I’ve been known to frequent the Bishop Museum on rainy days.
I expect I am not the kind of tourist the HVCB targets because I’ve been sold on Hawaii decades ago. I’m thinking they are targeting young couples who are thinking about Hawaii for the first or second time and haven’t figured out how to stay in an Airbnb yet. They will stay in Waikiki hotel, attend a luau, and never make it out to the locations outside of Waikiki. They will spend a lot of money at Ala Moana. By their third trip, they are staying in an Airbnb or a timeshare, renting a car and getting out of Honolulu. The cultural stuff goes out the window because you can see only so many hula shows.
Citing a preference for visitors from San Franciso is a bonehead marketing move. On the other hand, I’m not easily offended. It won’t stop me from visiting the islands.
We’re from Wisconsin & we’ve been to Oahu twice, flying out of ORD.
We aren’t filthy rich, but neither are we riff-raff. We booked thru a travel site partnered with AAFES & got very reasonable rates on the hotel, airfare, & car rental. Had no interaction with the CVB or other marketers, however.
During our stay people were very friendly & welcoming to us. We were respectful, responsible & courteous, & we had a couple of the best vacation trips ever.
I think it’s disgusting & appalling for HVCB & HTA heads say such a thing! Las Vegas City officials said nearly the same thing- they wanted to cater to the $150K+/year visitors… & they were pushing away the middle & upper middle class away….It backed fired & nearly bankrupted the casinos & many new casino construction abruptly stopped & sat vacant for years; & still sitting unfinished. Vegas realized it’s the middle & upper middle visitors that kept business alive… All the casinos are forcing visitors to eat from out rageously over priced buffets (like your proposed Green fee) that are not all that great tasting except the variety of foods served… Now, Vegas is still struggling…Hawaii & it’s citizens are suffering as it is & it shows… I’m returning to visit Oahu because I am a Navy Veteran. I love traveling & immersing my self into many different cultures & I’m trying to understand the planet I live on….It’s unfortunate, that 10% of visitors/tourists screw up for everyone else. Everyone else should not have to be penalized for the 10% of the screwups. I say a “No Tolerance Behavior” citation should be enforced. The idiots keep doing what they do because no one speaks up… I for one speak up when I see wrong, & I don’t care what the age is….5-years & up!…One last thing, Hawaii gov has too many greedy chiefs & not enough good troops… Think more of the indigenous & local peoples. Not the Hauli’s…I wish you good luck! Aloha!
Aloha Adrienne, I live part time in Hawaii and part time in Las Vegas. My son works for MGM Corporate. I can assure you that Las Vegas is Not struggling. They are actually experiencing a Record number of visitors. And I’m not sure what you are referring to with your comment about casinos “forcing visitors to eat from out rageously (sp) over priced buffets” as most casinos have done away with buffets. Just to set the record straight. Mahalo.
As a resident of San Francisco and a haumana of a halau for 20 years, I speak from experience when I say I love and respect the Islands when I visit. I understand the fragility of the environment and do my best to support the culture and it’s kanaka. This may be the reasoning why Northern CA is being targeted for marketing. As far as the state of SF, many big cities have similar issues and we as a community are working together to resolve it. Just as Hawai’i is trying to resolve it’s issues also.
Hmmmm, seems like there needs to be more follow up here. I don’t see anything wrong with the host being able to say, we like people who are willing to take their shoes off before coming in our home. Money aside, I don’t think Hawaii people or those trying to figure out how to properly support the visitor industry should be penalized for recognizing that some “cultures” that come from any other state or country are “generally” easier to host. I don’t see anyone grumbling about them trying to get the Japanese people back. Known for being humble and mostly non-invasive. I think they are following their data on points that the community has made in the DMAP process to try to get more visitors that pay attention to the fact they are in fact a visitor in someone else’s home where we are desperate for “easier on our community and easier on our culture and natural resources”. Do I think it sounded like a nice comment to LA peeps where my family is? No. When you look at what has been happening at HTA, let’s not forget to look at what happened at the Legislature the last few years to understand the pressure they are under to have people there that make other people happy.
“,,,Japanese people back. Known for being humble and mostly non-invasive.”
My Korea wife would disagree; after a history of 50+ years of Japanese occupation and forced “comfort women.”
Hi Guys,
I love your articles and the comments from readers. This is kind of on the same subject. I received an email from a Maui based running group advertising a one mile, 5k and 10k race in Lahaina on September 16th. It sounds fun and since I’m going to be in town why not? There is one problem, if you are from out of state you pay an extra five dollars. The five dollars is not that bad, but I feel like I’m being discriminated against and I am considered a second class citizen. Just another reason why I will consider another destination next time.
Thank you again,
David from the unwanted Los Angeles area
Hawaii should change their Tourism motto to:
“Spend your money now go home”!