Kauai opens round two of Hawaii’s tourism debate as in-person meetings begin. Will the island chart its own path or echo Maui’s heartbreak or the Big Island’s limits?
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78 thoughts on “Kauai Kicks Off In-Person Hawaii Tourism Showdown”
We’ve been coming to Kauai for 12 years. We’ve always been respectful to locals and locals have been respectful to us. We appreciate the culture and try very hard to honor that.
Having lived on Kauai from 2010-13, then coming back to buy a house in 2023 to raise my young family, the immediate thing we noticed was the depleting reef. Trails are wider, more crowded, and beaches that were “chill spots” felt like Waikiki. While the Honu’s coming to Poipu Beach each evening is beautiful. I stopped going. It leaves a pit in my stomach seeing the amount of people crowding around and folks snorkeling so close to them as they come to the beach. I work in a field that is dependent on tourism. So for my livelihood, I need tourists. It also hurts my heart to see Kauai change so much in just a short decade.
Where do we find information for Kauai residents about where/when the meetings are?
My family has vacationed in Hi for over 40 y. I own three weeks of timeshare in Kauai and one week in Waikiki. Other family own two weeks.
Our maintenances fees have doubled or tripled the last few years mostly in property taxes. Despite being an owner & paying property taxes, I also pay daily occupancy taxes. I rent a car, buy groceries, gas & misc items, eat in restaurants, & pay for excursions. I bring guests who also spend significant money per day. I trade my Waikiki property as parking is $40/day plus. The place is a dump and yet my maintenance fees there have more than tripled including property and occupancy taxes. It is supposed to sleep four; a joke, two in a double Murphy bed. It used to be 2 blks to the beach. Now it is 5-6 blocks. As a disabled person, it has become impossible. I am not a resident; I do pay property taxes proportional to a resident plus occupancy & sales taxes. Time to sell & vacation on mainland. We will all be selling.
When and where are the kauai HTA meetings happening?
HTA meetings must be residents only. My wife grew up on Robinson Sugar Plantation. Her mother was Miss Elanor’s cook. Her father was her handyman/chauffeur. Kauai is my home. Because of economics I don’t have the means to return. Please take care of her!
This November will be my second visit, though my family and I lived in Oahu in the 60s when my Dad was stationed at Hickam. I am attending the writers conference at the Sonesta and definitely believe the residents should be in control of what happens on Kauai. I have friends there, as well as in Maui and Oahu.
As a visitor to Hawaii about 15 times it truly is paradise and one of my favorite vacation destinations ever!! I am respectful of the culture and follow all laws and rules as I imagine most people do. However, reading this article makes me sad. It seems like the locals really do not want visitors. Makes me wonder if I should spend my travel dollars going to the Caribbean? Places like Aruba actually say thank you for visiting our island. Much more welcoming. I see a drastic change in Hawaii pre and post pandemic. It’s very sad:(
A Kauai local here. Instead of US mainlanders traveling to the islands to gawk at the natives and then get upset that the Hawaiians are no longer willing to sell aloha just for their survival, how about they spend their time and resources looking at how they are still oppressing and destroying their own local neighborhoods at home. Allow water to run in its intended path, and stop robbing Peter to pay Paul. The islands need a break from being on “fake display”. Educate yourselves on native lands, on colonialism, on natural and sustainable agriculture. These, and general affordability of life are just some of the reasons we are fed up with the tourists. Set more restrictions on travelers like has been done in Haena and Kokee. Tourists, educate yourselves on the “social media hot spots” where you are trying to get the stupid shot: ex in front of the tiny red dirt waterfall (which is actually a man made irrigation ditch that is diverting natural flow).
I just returned from the Big Island, my first visit there, but I have now visited all of the islands many times in the past 40 years. The people I met there were gracious, hospitable, and cared deeply about the land, island, and the creatures. In all my travels to the islands, I have learned to respect culture and the ecosystems. Personally, I think there should be push back from the people living on the islands. Tourists are not respectful, and cost of living should not be that unafdordable for residents. Airbnb’s should not be allowed, and/or affordable housing needs to be added. Hawaii is a beautiful island oasis, but its lost if its not managed well and the residents know that. I will continue to return to the islands, I will always look for eco options when I am there, and continue to learn about Hawaiian culture and language in hopes to not lose this amazing destination to more over development.
As a 20 year resident of Maui I’m still a little reluctant to even comment, with that being said I think that there should be more of a focus on our local communities and not so much on the visitors. I live in haiku and our roads here are not good at all the but the roads the visitors travel are repaved every couple years keeping them nice maybe we should take care of the local people and put them first not the visitors first. Also cost the cost to rent a place is totally crazy you have to work 2 jobs 7 days a week just to pay for a place to live and you spend more time at work to pay for it rather than being able to enjoy it, I feel that parents that have to work so much don’t get any quality time with there kids anymore that should be the number one goal. Try to control cost so locals can live and be more involved with there kids and community rather than working all the time to make not even enough money to pay the bills and put food on the table.
Sounds like Hawaii doesn’t want tourists. I’ve been to 2 islands, I’m okay not returning. Who want’s to be where they arn’t wanted?
There shouldn’t be a problem with visitors being required to take guided tours for certain areas. And I have yet to see a crowded beach in Maui, most resorts have their own that even locals use. The problems arise when the locals decide to urinate in a rental convertible and laugh about it. When they decide to be ugly or speak harshly to visitors without the visitors having any previous contact, without knowing if the visitors are respectful or not, just because they’re visitors. Over the 20+ years we’ve visited we have formed contacts with local businesses. We would always buy gifts, for birthdays and Christmas from local vendors. So, I’m sure most visitors would be willing to accept restrictions for heavily visited areas. It is the attitude that needs to be addressed.
What you’re saying is true. On our last visit we noticed bumper stickers that said Aloha, but the letter h was a fist with the middle finger flipping people off. It made us wish we’d spent our money to go elsewhere.
I hope to never see such a bumper sticker on Kauai when we visit. This coming January will be visit number 32 for us, most of which have been on Kauai. While some visitors are in need of education, not all are. And tourism does make the Hawaiian economy work. Don’t chase us out, you may not like the outcome.
I am sitting here planning my trip to Hawaii for 2026. My last trip we visited local cultural places. We always try and do cultural activities and respect locals. After reading all these articles and the Hawaiian Airlines being taken over by Alaskan Air. I am saddened by rethinking my vacation plans.
People, locals and tourist alike must be respectful and kind. If local and tourists think tourist are or may seem entitled, they are!, they are entitled to be respectful, kind and to obey all policies, rules and laws of the place they are visiting. Tourism can cause overcrowding and over use of resources so its up to All to ensure they are properly managed and not abused. There is a simple solution, just took with tour brains and not emotions.
Aloha!
Eric g
We have come to this beautiful island every year for 15 years. We feel honored to get to be here. We are from a small town in Montana that has almost exactly the same issues with tourism and people from out of state buying up all the homes and pricing out residents who can no longer afford housing. We own a small business, so our perspective is different. We now rely on that tourism to pay wages that allow our employees to afford to live in an economy that has sky rocketed. I understand the conversation and respect that residents voices are the main voices to be heard. Given tourism is the main source of income it needs to be managed. Visitors should be willing to pay for the use of the land, beaches and trails. Residents should have areas exempt from tourists so they don’t get shut out from over crowding.
That said, we have never felt unwelcome here. But we are also very respectful of where we go and how we treat the Island and the people who live here.