45 thoughts on “Key Hawaii Travel Market Drops Unexpectedly | Is That A Good Thing?”
carrie a
My family and I have been going to Hawaii for years. Prices are up and so is overcrowding. We are also disappointed that Alaska air is not leaving out of Oakland anymore( so much easier than San Francisco). This year for the first time in 17 years we are skipping Hawaii . We’re going to the Cook Islands instead. If it’s going to be expensive and difficult to go to Hawaii from the West coast , then it’s time to expand our horizons.
Transportation infrastructure is, in my opinion, one of the biggest issues. A more regular bus service from Kahului Airport to the west at Kapalua and return is a big issue. I have not checked but regular service to the Wailea area too.
I’m flying over tomorrow(fri) delta from lax, flight is Full. and my car rental from thrifty is $359, incl tax etc.I stay with a friend in kailua. lucky me I guess. $500 for Hampton inn. wowsa. last visit, really, was March 2020 just as everything shut down. I AM happy to be returning.
While I don’t like to see any market drop for the sake of this economy; It would be a great thing for locals to breath easier with their daily commutes. It would also possibly help rates come down a bit, so that I could come to visit again.
Aloha Rob+Jeff. I think that you both have such a great website with so many followers, that the responses from readers have really affected people’s decision to travel to Hawaii. They are taking seriously the high costs of travelling there. A lot of commenters have decided to skip Hawaii for the foreseeable future as it’s become too expensive. They are choosing to go elsewhere and find that it is a better choice for them all the way around. It really is sad for the longtime lovers of the islands to be priced out of not visiting anytime soon. It’s a magical beautiful place with so much to offer. What will happen is in the hands of the “people that make the rules and the prices”. Hopefully they will see the decline of visitors cash input. Ma
Isnt this the objective of Hawaiian residents? So screw the mainland visitors (except the billionaires) and bring on the international visitors? Whatever. Caribbean and Europe here I come.
Kay, the billionaries are not that warmely welcomed in Hawai’i. They are closing access trails to the beaches, just as they do in Malibu. They have run away millionaires. One of the one percent publicly stated that “you know what traffic is like on Kaua’i. We do not need any more affordabble housing.”
Laarry Ellison ownes ninty eight percent of Lana’i. No longer is he seen as a protector, but as one who is going to have things his way. The billionaries do not care about the thoughts or concerns of the middle class. Why should they, we will always puurchase from their compamnies.
Mainland visitors have decreased probably due to the rising or excess costs recently added to the parks, sights in Oahu. Its the inconvenience of booking them online, and just the whole infrastructure deters visitors, despite high costs of hotels, etc.
My family and I have been going to Hawaii for years. Prices are up and so is overcrowding. We are also disappointed that Alaska air is not leaving out of Oakland anymore( so much easier than San Francisco). This year for the first time in 17 years we are skipping Hawaii . We’re going to the Cook Islands instead. If it’s going to be expensive and difficult to go to Hawaii from the West coast , then it’s time to expand our horizons.
Have The Governor and all the Mayors read all this remarks, and the Governor wanted to charge green fees to all visitors? $50.00 each person?
This is actually not as bad as I expected. YTD figures are much better this year than 2022, which is surprising. Maybe the April YOY is a blip.
Transportation infrastructure is, in my opinion, one of the biggest issues. A more regular bus service from Kahului Airport to the west at Kapalua and return is a big issue. I have not checked but regular service to the Wailea area too.
I’m flying over tomorrow(fri) delta from lax, flight is Full. and my car rental from thrifty is $359, incl tax etc.I stay with a friend in kailua. lucky me I guess. $500 for Hampton inn. wowsa. last visit, really, was March 2020 just as everything shut down. I AM happy to be returning.
Mary
While I don’t like to see any market drop for the sake of this economy; It would be a great thing for locals to breath easier with their daily commutes. It would also possibly help rates come down a bit, so that I could come to visit again.
Aloha Rob+Jeff. I think that you both have such a great website with so many followers, that the responses from readers have really affected people’s decision to travel to Hawaii. They are taking seriously the high costs of travelling there. A lot of commenters have decided to skip Hawaii for the foreseeable future as it’s become too expensive. They are choosing to go elsewhere and find that it is a better choice for them all the way around. It really is sad for the longtime lovers of the islands to be priced out of not visiting anytime soon. It’s a magical beautiful place with so much to offer. What will happen is in the hands of the “people that make the rules and the prices”. Hopefully they will see the decline of visitors cash input. Ma
Isnt this the objective of Hawaiian residents? So screw the mainland visitors (except the billionaires) and bring on the international visitors? Whatever. Caribbean and Europe here I come.
I am afraid you are right.
Kay, the billionaries are not that warmely welcomed in Hawai’i. They are closing access trails to the beaches, just as they do in Malibu. They have run away millionaires. One of the one percent publicly stated that “you know what traffic is like on Kaua’i. We do not need any more affordabble housing.”
Laarry Ellison ownes ninty eight percent of Lana’i. No longer is he seen as a protector, but as one who is going to have things his way. The billionaries do not care about the thoughts or concerns of the middle class. Why should they, we will always puurchase from their compamnies.
Lol the European travelers are way down now too
Mainland visitors have decreased probably due to the rising or excess costs recently added to the parks, sights in Oahu. Its the inconvenience of booking them online, and just the whole infrastructure deters visitors, despite high costs of hotels, etc.
The west coast visitor drop might be due to everyone leaving the west coast! Especially California, they are leaving in droves.
138,400 people left, down to 38.94 million for all of 2022. 2023 is about the same. Not exactly leaving in Droves.
Many of them moved to Hawaii!