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.
Unfortunately, this attitude isn’t all that one-sided and there are issues on both sides. I have lived on Oahu for years, but being a blonde-haired blue-eyed woman I look nothing like a local, so I am automatically considered a tourist by most. One time I was literally pulling a loaf of bread off a shelf at a grocery store, and a local woman passing behind me directed several derogatory words in Hawaiian in my direction. I had never before met, seen nor talked to the particular woman in my life. Another time, my husband (who also does not look like a local) was standing in a parking lot waiting for his food order and a local woman yelled towards him ”Haoles aren’t welcome here!” And these, unfortunately, aren’t isolated incidents.
This is such goofy posting. What you are describing has nothing to do with tourism. It’s just the way the world is in general–and who is “ruining” what for whom is clearly a matter of perspective. I could write a similar–if not much more convincing article about how “a few bad Hawaiians are ruining Hawaii for everyone”–or how “a few bad Hawaiian lawmakers / elected officials are ruining Hawaii for everyone”–or how “outrageously high taxes in Hawaii are ruining Hawaii for everyone”, etc, ad infinitum. And your weak examples are anecdotal at best. You don’t personally know where the Starbucks customers or the beach goers are from: They could be locals. You are assuming certain things (and character traits)–if not simply projecting.
Unfortunately, it only takes one or two bad apples to spoil it for everyone. I work in tourism on Maui and it is hard not to fall into the all-tourists-are-jerks attitude when you see or are on the receiving end of just a couple of the entitled, complaining sort. The reality is that there are a lot more entitled jerks traveling, but they are still a tiny minority. Most, particularly those returning, or coming back year after year, “get it” and are wonderful. They don’t walk around with a drink surgically attached to their hand, or fly drones into people’s lanais, or ride turtles, etc. They are here for what Hawaii has to offer them, not what they think Hawaii must provide them. Don’t try to change Hawaii, let it change you.
Frank P.
Thank you for that thoughtful response. I was relieved to hear that it isn’t a prevalent attitude towards tourists in general. Mahalo!
Thank you for your comment Frank P. It breaks my heart to read that some tourists are not treating the Hawaiian Islands as the treasures that they are and that resident employees are being treated disrespectfully. Our yearly visit to Maui from BC Canada is cherished immensely by me and my husband and we have been treated very respectfully by the Hawaiian resident we have come in contact with and I would hope they would say the same of us. I agree with others that this is not Las Vegas or Disneyland and would encourage those looking for that type of experience to visit those places.
While I totally understand the negative impacts of travel on the beautiful Hawaiian Islands, I also understand the reliance of the islands on the tourism industry. For about the last decade, I have booked about 70% of my travelers to Hawaii. I am very aware of the malama that is so important to Hawaii. As an advisor, I make sure to express things of importance like using reef safe sunscreen or patronizing small family businesses while vacationing there. Please don’t lump all of us into the same category as some bad actors. It’s an unfair characterization.
Mahalo Rob & Jeff for your ongoing vigilance and reporting.
Unfortunately, this behavior isn’t exclusive to Hawaii–it’s pervasive and getting worse.
It’s likely more visible in Hawaii, since this obnoxious attitude is in such contrast to the
beauty and serenity of Hawaii. A lack of manners (no “please’ , “thank you” or even a courteous smile anymore),
coupled with an outrageous sense of entitlement. It appears to be the new standard, and it is very disturbing, indeed.
Hi Dayna.
Thanks. Yes we get that. Maybe it is just more shocking and now more frequent to us here. The restaurant arrest put it over the top.
aloha.
Those types of incidents are the exception, not the rule. I think this article as a whole, totally missed any productive point and will be viewed by many (as is evident in the comments) as a depiction of tourists in general. We visited Hawaii, (Oahu, Kawaii and the Big Island) back in 2007 for our honeymoon. It was the best trip either one of us had ever taken and we will always cherish the memories from it! But if the attitude now is that tourists are a bunch of rude, obnoxious, people, that only come to Hawaii to boss people around, then I am sure you are going to drive many good people away from visiting there. Please examine the content of this article and I hope you will find a way to “tweak it”!
Thanks for listening,
Ed
As a 25 year resident and a service worker I feel that the sheer number of visitors is too high and causes problems. I also have seen for many years that frequently tourists seem unaware that streets, stores, restaurants and the like are used by locals and should not be blocked while they make decisions on what to buy, where to eat, whether to stop in a town. In your own home you do not stand in the middle of a busy road while discussing where to eat, nor do you completely block a grocery aisle for several minutes discussing how much cereal to buy for your stay. It’s a daily occurrence and it’s very inconsiderate of others. Simply being aware that everyone is not on vacation would be an improvement, common courtesy.
Having been a tourist here in Hawaii so many times I always try to make visitors feel welcome. I have never personally experienced a negative tourist in the 2 1/2 years I have lived here. Yes there are always those negative people who are never happy so there is nothing we can do to please them so it is best to just stay clear of them. The best we can do is set an example of the Aloha spirit for everyone and hope the sentiment is returned.
Well said Michelle.
I’m in tourism and I think 5 years of political turmoil and a pandemic of cooped up people has left a mark on us all but there is definitely a difference in visitor’s behavior. Not for the good but it is not all but a small group
There are an equal amout of stories regarding how rude local are towards visitors…
The woman from Massachusetts is just one of a legion of MA residents that act that way at home. There’s actually a theater production here where the hosts just play actual 911 calls to the Brookline police from the most entitled, clueless yet morally superior fools you could imagine. There entire existence revolves around finding something to be outraged about.
Keith, I don’t know if that is sadly funny, funnily sad.
But a good point – those exhibiting bad behavior in Hawaii are just bringing their own home state behavior with them.
I first came to Hawaii in 1965 and have been there too many times to count since. I think I’m respectful to the people and the land. But not because they are special, but because that’s how I am wherever I am.