The most ever long-time readers just left comments about why they aren’t returning to Hawaii. Let officials take note, as this is unprecedented.
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370 thoughts on “Longtime Hawaii Visitors Bid Farewell: The Why Behind Their Leaving”
The most ever long-time readers just left comments about why they aren’t returning to Hawaii. Let officials take note, as this is unprecedented.
Sorry to see so many writing off Maui. The people there suffered a horrendous trauma. Let’s give them some time and space to grieve and recover. Maybe even a donation to a Lahaina organization helping with the recovery….
Who is tracking the donations both time and money ?
We made reservations for another Kauai visit, but this is it. Like I read, it’s a big world, more welcoming locations with attractive prices. Getting around Kauai traffic is terrible.The airlines, food and lodging is no longer fun to consider.
Yeah, the traffic especially through Kapaa is really bad. My sister lives in Lihue.
As a long time resident of Oahu, Hawaii and now 31 years on Maui, I have seen tourism change. Before the pandemic, many tourists (mainly domestic) were rude, acted entitled, and showed little to no respect for the Aina and culture. I believe this is what created the animosity toward tourists. I was at a west Maui beach where young adults were taking selfies right next to a turtle that had beached itself. When I mentioned this was illegal and that it was important to give the turtle the appropriate space, I was told to “f-off” and that because she “spent alot of money to come to Hawaii I can do what I want”. It is this disrespect that makes locals cringe and not welcoming. Live Aloha and you are welcome anytime!
Wife and I are from Oahu. We’re staying home on da mainland and using our money at home. We have great weather where we live now (not Vegas, CA or FL). I use miles to visit friends for a week or two. OW we’re using our kala at home. Remember when I was young and surfing every day, I went around Oahu a million times. Now it takes all day just to go North Shore once. Choo choo train, and the track is falling into the ocean in Kaaawa. We’ve done the Crater many times and Maui No Ka Oi. Kaupo Gap is da bomb. Lived on the BI for many years. The Koolau Summit is my spiritual home, along with Maunalua Bay. Surfed 15-20 foot Portlock Point perfection. Along with 25 foot Sunset Beach perfection. Lived da dream. Secrets!
Since 1990 my wife and I have traveled to Hawaii 40 or 50 times, for work and more recently on vacation. I have seen a big change in attitudes, of the locals towards tourist, and a huge change in the cost. We have been visiting other Pacific countries, as they are more welcoming to tourist and the hotels are cheaper. We returned from our last vacation in October and we spent one night in Hawaii going out and about 6 hours in the airport on our return trip. We are now planning another Pacific island vacation and this time we will avoid Hawaii all together.
We own a place north of Lahaina so price wise we’re okay. Last trip we noticed restaurant prices almost doubled. But this is not just Hawaii. We used to go to bentayin Big Sur every year. Our last stay was $590/night. When I was going to make a reservation this past year the price was $3-$4,000/night. It just ain’t worth it anymore. Hotels everywhere are pricing themselves out of middle class and catering to the rich and famous. So it just isn’t Hawaii.
No Aloha ! For years the loud minority made noise about wanting their Hawaii back. They are getting what they have asked for. Going else where. We’ve visited the Islands every year since 1985. Missed because of Covid. Skipped last year due the messaging and cost. Love and respect the islands but not willing to somewhere that we are not wanted
I work at farmers markets around the Big Island, my customers are both tourist and locals. I have noticed a change in many tourists through the past four years. Some of this is due to Covid and technology. During Covid we had a huge flush of tourists many who have never been here before, and saw this more as a playground and treated many workers rudely. There was an influx of people who could work remotely, they rented or bought property in an already tight market. This drove housing prices higher.
With the phone, people now have to have a selfie moment and they’re posting videos about places that were more remote so now they’re crowded.
I love the tourist that come here with Aloha. I hope the prices come back down for all of us.
I was born and raised in Honolulu, but have lived in California since 1995. I’ve been coming back to the Hawaiian Islands at least once every year either as a true vacation or to visit local family and friends. Travel and lodging has been getting too costly and now that Alaska Airlines is buying out Hawaiian Airlines, I don’t expect to be returning as often. I’m planning to use all of my hundreds of thousands Hawaiian Airlines miles on first class flights to Aotearoa or Australia and Hawaii until I have no miles left. My loyalty to the airline and Hawaii has rapidly dwindled. Soon, I’ll be looking to Central America and Southeast Asia for my warm weather getaways.
Aloha to all.
Be safe.
Be well.
Enjoy stay.
If leaving sorry for leaving with regret.
Hawaii is a place but is a place where you are welcome to visit.
All are Always been welcomed in Hawaii.
I never felt rejected when I visited long ago in 1988. I said I would buy land in Hawaii someday.
My retirement kicks in 38 months then I will.
Waiting to buy land.
Have choice.
Any island.
After reading reviews I see some disgruntled due costs.
Find solution.
I could not afford resort living on my retirement.
I served US Navy until retired. Served US Treasury retiring.
My parents and I own a time share on Hawaii (Kona Coast) and have been staying two weeks every year for the past 25 yrs. but the prices are making it difficult. And shops are closed. We go next week but it could be the last time car rental costs activity costs and favorite restaurants closed make me wonder
We own a little piece of paradise on the sunny Kohala coast on the BI. It seems insulated from many of the issues the state is facing. It will continue to be our winter escape. Bill H from Idaho.
Too expensive, did not feel welcomed .
We love Honolulu, the hotel prices are not too bad but we hate all the extra charges. It’s like they are tricking us into more money like we can’t do arithmetic. Everything u do there has doubled like luaus and everything else. It’s like they have all turned money hungry.
My husband, daughter and son in law went to Maui for a week this past December. Every person we encountered whether a worker or local was kind and appreciative that we were there and actually told us! We have been going to Maui for 26 years and we go every other year. I will say our condo was not as upkept as previous years and the prices were much higher at the local restaurants and shops with lesser quality. We attributed it to everybody just trying to get back to some type of normalcy. There were displaced locals living in the condos while we were there. It was heartbreaking! We are willing to go again and give Maui another chance. I just think it will take some time to recalibrate after such a tragic event.
Sadly, we took our first trip to Hawaii and out last in February 2023. The cost of hotels being our biggest expense. There is no doubt the beauty of Hawaii is a big draw. The people were really friendly but we saw alot of locals with yard signs for us to go away. So we will comply and never return.
We are long time, annual visitors. For the last 10 years we go to Kauai, though have been to other islands in the past. Prices have skyrocketed on everything, and the messaging has been confusing about whether we are welcome or not. We are planning to come again before summer but we will see, we can change plans if needed. It’s become almost impossible to afford to travel there but we really love it so we try to squeeze and make it work. Our hotel has doubled, food is expensive, they are threatening to tax the beaches, the crowds have become unbearable in many places, we don’t visit certain areas because of the crowds. We have considered trying other places to see if we can find a replacement.
We used to love going. The local attitude has pushed us elsewhere. Best of luck, we go where we are welcome.
My aunt lives on the big island in Hilo when my 81 yr old mom wants to go see her sister we will be glad to leave mt airy nc for a couple weeks. So love the weather there,we lucky to have free place to stay I think big island is lot cheaper than Maui check ur prices b4 traveling
We lived on Oahu for several years in our early years of marriage and were so excited to finally bring our 3 children there for a family vacation. While it was still beautiful the island had lost its spark. The aloha spirit wasn’t there anymore, beaches were dirty and overall it wasn’t what we had remembered. We’ll probably still go but definitely looking into trips to Mexico over Hawaii for our next vacation
You are going to Mexico, because you think the beaches are dirty on Hawaii? Just wait till you see the beaches in Mexico and most of Mexico is dirty!
I’m currently in Cancun, and the water and beaches are pristine, and the locals are so happy to have us.
We spent 10 nights in Kona this past June with family who were visiting Hawaii for the first time. We felt welcome wherever we went and thoroughly enjoyed our time. Yes, food prices were higher than our past trips yet that was known when we planned the trip, although we found a decent car rental rate for our time on the island. We used our Wyndham points for the trip. We were considering trying to get rid of the Wyndham ownership yet when we looked at costs for resorts or Airbnb we found our maintenance fees were a decent amount less than what we’d pay for similar accommodations. This is not an endorsement of vacation ownership as we bought years ago on the mainland and have used it for several trips to Hawaii.