It just takes one person to wreck it for others. With some ugly details.
500 thoughts on “How Some Tourists are Ruining Hawaii Travel for Everyone”
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It just takes one person to wreck it for others. With some ugly details.
Comments are closed.
I’ve visited Maui twice. Both times I experienced the Aloha spirit in all my interactions. There was a young blond Karen whom shoved me and my bag over to take mine and my husband’s spot on a whale watching tour boat He has a bad back.. My husband and I are in our early 60s. When I asked her why she did that, she justified that she needed i more than me because she had a larger family. No apology. Later that day she stood behind us in line at a restaurant. I confronted her about her rude behavior and she sneered, called me a liar, and then threatened to fight me! People like her give tourists a bad name!
Pele demands human sacrifice, nice of her to volunteer!
I feel like there should be an island just for tourists…….maybe 500 miles or so
from Hawaii? But looks like it to an extent, just full of resorts….run by haoles with dark tans….. But called something….like…..oh well sorry. You know what I mean. It’s hard enough that all the “chains” have basically totally changed Hawaii, and lost almost all of our small local wonderful sweet businesses….. It’s very sad for me….really sad…. (I’m a haole by the way, lived in Hawaii from 1978…married a born/raised local….. but Hawaii and Colorado are my 2 paradises) I believe disrespectful tourists like this should just go to the Caribbean. They do not understand Hawaii.
A couple of bad apples – tourists and locals – happens all over the world. Respect for the place you are visiting. Some people need a primer before taking a trip that you are visiting where people Live!
It’s always with Aloha that we come with to the islands. Raining? Pffft, we’re in Hawaii! Little bit of traffic jam? We could be back home in our true traffic jam. Slow service in the restaurant? We’re in Hawaii! Living in the moment knowing it will pass fast and we’ll be back home way too soon. Smiles and hellos are #1 to everyone you meet, even to the grumpy tourists. It’ll be contagious. Whether tourists or locals, Don’t let a couple of bad apples ruin your trip. 🌴
Went to HI back in 1970 on our honey moon. Very unsettled by the general attitude towards visitors. After two days, we called it quits and hopped on board a flight heading to Sydney, Australia. Spent six weeks in Australia and had a great time. Never been back to HI and never will.
I’d love to hear more about this unsettling experience. I’ve been visiting since the early 80’s and haven’t had any bad experiences.
I have been disrespected by locals many years ago; now I spend my money in Mexico. Nicer people and better food.
The concensus from most locals here is that you get back what you give us; show Aloha, get Aloha. Show ‘attitude ‘ get attitude back.
Mexico can have you.
I had noticed the change of attitude of visitors since the last tourist boom of 2006-08. A large number of tourists just wanted to “consume” Maui instead of experiencing our unique island, its people, sites and culture. They seem to believe that after spending thousands of dollars in travel, they are entitled to be able to do whatever on Maui and local people should only salute, thank and worship them. They are oblivious to the burden they are putting on our environment and local way of life. Speeding on the roads, anger and road rage and cursing at the slightest inconvenience have become common.
The latest surge of tourists has only magnified this behavior where it is affecting every walks of our island life.
I understand how Hawaiians feel about Mainlanders. Living in Colorado we see the same behaviors from tourists trashing the environment with garbage. Treating locals who cannot afford to find housing in resort area, getting paid 20.00 and unable to live properly. We put up with entitled brats with staffing shortages who expect everything in exchange for rude, trashy inconsiderate behavior.
Aloha
Funny, how as a Mainlander I’m very considerate to obey the laws of the land only to find the speeding is done by the islanders themselves, passing me by and flipping me off for following the speed limit.
Thank you from an annual tourist who has had too many Islanders ride his bumper, cut him off and flip him the finger with so many curses. Even when I pull over to let them pass. Thank you.
People in general are ridiculous everywhere. I work with people everyday, they are more agitated and angry. It’s terrible. It’s part of a bigger problem everywhere. Hawaii is obviously experiencing the same idiots I do.
The resort fees are something many of us do not understand, nor do many feel like it is OK. We are expected to pay extra for what….perhaps a newspaper, coffee, maybe a stale roll? We have yet to see it’s for a except as a way for the hotels to charge more for an already overpriced room in many cases.
Other than resort fees, we love visiting the Islands.
Stay at the kahala or halekulani. They don’t insult you with these bs fees and kahal parking is free. By the time you add in all the bs fees at the others the price difference is minimal and the hotel and service is 10times the others.
We visit Maui at least once a year. We love and respect the island and the people. I have seen the entitled tourist and I am ashamed of them. I dont blame the locals. We lived in a tourist area. Its frustrating. Tourists visit but locals live there. I feel for people in service. I have seen them being treated horribly but still have a smile on their face. I want to tell these tourists if you cant be respectful and embrace Hawaii. Do not come!!!!
This is a fantastic post– thank you for this! It’s nice to hear legitimate reasons why the “blame” might not just be us locals in the tourist industry but also on unrealistic expectations and entitled attitudes, post Covid. It’s definitely both. Mahalo nui loa for this insightful piece, from Kauai!
Try again I see so many crimes in Hawaii now it’s worse than New York. Some dude just had his arm sliced off at a 711 by a guy wielding a sword. Everyday now is 2 or 3 stabbings, shootings, etc. not the same as when I lived there 10 years ago. I lived righ in Waikiki and felt safe walking anytime day or night.
This is an exaggeration; the crime level in Hawaii is a fraction of what it is in NYC.
The islands are almost as if they are sacred and Hawaiians can not allow disrespectful people to over run as they’ve done on the
Mainland!!
I have been to Hawaii in the 80’s. I have dreamed of taking my sons there when they Graduated from High school well they did but I wasn’t good financially. I still am planning on going. I loved the invironment and my two week vacation then can’t wait to to go again soon Aloha love the lays flowers smell like nothing I have ever smelled. Hang in there Hawaii residents.
Just returned from a marvelous two weeks on the Big Island and saw None of the negatives mentioned here. Are there a few Covid related disruptions from the norm? Sure there are, but nothing enough to dissuade us from looking forward to our return next year. Unfortunately one can look for and find the worst part of anything or any situation but we found nothing but friendly folks who welcomed us with open arms and hearts. Aloha Hawaii see y’all next year!!!
Actually I met the sweetest people this week, yeah and overworked young locals, underpaid and clearly worn out.
my wife and i have been to hawaii 8 times in 15 years , our expectation were met from the minute we stepped off the plane every time ,we enjoyed every minute we spent on maui & oahu.i do not know why people can be so obnoxious in a place so beautiful.
Because vested interests don’t really want your opinion or your pleasant feedback.
Spewing poison about the “Quality” of tourists?!
I met tons of people who are military working on the Destroyers telling me how happy they are to be ashore and ahoy!
Mahalo Patricia! It’s visitors like you and your wife that we locals appreciate & love! It’s about attitude: you receive the same attitude you present. If you’re nice w/out entitlement issues, we’ll love you & treat you like ohana! We might even invite you to our home, to our luau or paina, take you to the “locals only” spots, which can be so awesome! Please come back again & again!
I really think a clarification is necessary. These idiots mentioned in the stories are by no means restricted to Hawaii/Vegas. This behavior is 10% of the population everywhere.
10?
Warren,
I don’t know if you think it’s more or less than the 10% MJ suggested.
In the dozens of times I’ve been to Hawaii, I haven’t seen that. 10% would ruin the trip.
When I go, the tourists and the locals are all just polite or ignore those not in their group. I don’t know what some are expecting or hoping for or experiencing. I go to Hawaii for the beauty and the weather. As long as no one is attacking me, I’m okay. I’ll wait for Heaven to find the Saints.
But Hawaii does seem more uptight than it was, say, 20 years ago. And, that’s the locals. Maybe some have regrets that their Islands are so popular.
I would say most of the tourists are first-timers and very excited to have made it to Hawaii.
Agreed, we live in a small enclave of Residential adjacent to the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess and the TPC, the less then a mile Private Street Princess Drive between Hayden and Scottsdale Roads is daily covered with Beer Can’s, Big Gulp Cups, bags and wrappers from Chick Filet, In-an-Out, from those using our Street to get across from one street to another, invariably, it’s what we wake up to, so I don’t blame the Hotel Guests necessarily, but an overall lack of respect by those driving through.
Hawaiian islands are a true gem. The native Hawaiian people are some of the kindest and big hearted people on earth. When we come to visit and enjoy a vacation from other areas of the world, We need to be kind hearted and be thankful the Hawaiian culture is so open to outsiders as we enjoy their homeland, activities, and beautiful places. Yes it is more expensive than last time you were here. But where else is it not? It is up to Us visitors to be respectful and happy we are welcome here. We are the ones that need to “Live the Aloha way”!
We are frequent visitors to Hawaii (1-2x per year). I’ve also spent 24 years of my life living in Alaska, and have had my fair share of experiencing rude, entitled, and ignorant tourists. So I feel for the residents of Hawaii and understand their frustrations. It makes me sad to hear about the disrespectful tourists–they give those of us who love visiting the islands and being respectful and bad reputation. We have been fortunate in that we’ve never had a bad experience with the locals. Aloha goes both ways. Respect Hawaii, her land, her animals, and her people, and you will get the same in return.
Aloha. I live on the 9th island, Las Vegas. It’s the same here. Disrespectful tourists everywhere and it’s just getting worse. They litter. They treat hospitality workers horribly etc. Insurance rates are skyrocketing here due to many factors which include lots of uninsured motorists driving in from other states. The traffic laws that we have here do not apply to them, in their minds. They can do whatever, whenever and to whomever they chose. I’ve lived here nearly 29 years and it’s getting worse every year. Complete disrespect for locals and other guests. Entitlement, plain and simple. It’s just isn’t as much fun to travel as it used to be. Mahalo for letting me vent.
Hi Ron.
Thanks for sharing that from the 9th island. Very interesting perspective.
Aloha.
I understand your frustration, I feel most visitors to LV don’t see it as a place where people live. In traveler’s eyes, LV has always been touted as a place to do what you want while there. It’s more like an Adult playground and is treated as such.