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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366 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.
We echo the comments. Let me add the spectacle of the homeless in their tents all over Oahu…2 years ago we saw less of this but now it’s far more disturbing. We’re done with the hyper inflated costs and seeing the misery which we can do little to help alleviate except send donations to local churches who seem to be the only ones doing anything to help.
Aloha Hawaii…it’s time to let Hawaii become an independent nation as the outsiders are bent on destroying it.
It’s been that way for 40 years, the homeless originally were just under the bridges on the Nimitz before getting to Sand Island, they’d work there way to Ala Moana, the Cab’s always used the H-1 so no one would see this. Since the millennia, Kuhio will always have homeless walking ‘open sores’, near the Foodland behind the Princess Kaiulani. I would wager, there is less foot traffic because of crime after 9PM.
We’ve been going to Hawaii nearly every year for the past 20 years. Since we have a timeshare the cost of accommodations hasn’t hit us as hard as it has those staying at the hotels, so perhaps our view of the cost of a Hawaii vacation is a bit different. I will say this. That over the last 20 years the cost has gone up, and so have the shear number of tourists. Frankly, a lot of the folks who complained the loudest about “lack of Aloha” are the ones I see that don’t have that Aloha spirit themselves.
We have been going to Hawaii every three years for the last 18 years. We visited last February. We got on the plane to come home and it was the first time we weren’t already planning our trip to come back. Some of the restaurants were three times the cost as they were before the pandemic. I love Hawaii but the Caribbean is a lot closer to South Carolina and cheaper. It makes me sad.
We’ve been to Hawaii 37 times since 1978, and love the islands. We’ve watched as prices have crept up and up. Our last trip in December was perhaps our last trip over there. Prices stopped creeping and have jumped up to a ridiculous level. We used to own a condo there at the Bill Fisher (Big Island). In the ten years we owned it the fees tripled. Much of that was for taxes. We were lucky enough to sell the condo for the same price which we bought it for. Our last trip was one of high prices for a condo, rental car & $20/hr parking. Upscale prices for very average restaurants. There are other nice places to vacation, like Cook Islands, Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia etc. where prices are still reasonable. Sorry Hawaii.
As a California resident Hawaii was always our go to vacation destination for the past 25 years. We have been to all the islands, but finally settled on going to the BI most of the time. We averaged 2-3 times a year with our 3 kids, family members, friends, and now our grandkids. My granddaughter who is 16 always brags she has been to Hawaii 13 times. Our last visit to the BI was in May 2023 with friends. And unfortunately, it was our Last visit. We recently fell in love with Costa Rica, beautiful beaches, reasonable priced hotels (even the 4 and 5 star resorts) warm water, and most of all…….very welcoming people. Since we are beach people, we are going to explore some of the less crowded Caribbean islands sad.
Will be going to Hawaii this summer because my 60+ year old sister has been saving to go there since she was very young so we are going this one time. Future trips we will go to the French Polynesians, New Zealand instead where the beaches are more beautiful and people are friendly. With the same cost of Hawaii we could visit Italy, Greece and Austria in the same vacation.
Living Aloha continues. Try to bring something to every home to which you are invited, we are all guests. Embrace the world with respect and civility. Honor the kupuna. Nurture the keikis. Care for the land. Find joy in small acts of kindness. Be grateful for the gift of being alive on these islands. We are here for such a brief instant. Blessings on us all, every one. Love is the heart of Aloha, and Aloha is love manifest.
We’ve been going to Hawaii for years. Typically, we spend 7 days on Oahu and 10 on Maui but our last trip was in 2022. Have no intention of returning other than a R/T cruise to Hawaii. Won’t have to spend any money on hotels as the ship is the hotel and food costs on the islands will be minimal. The voices heard from Hawaii residents have been heard loud and clear and they’re saying “stay away.”
Agreed – my wife and I have been spending 4-8 weeks in Maui, BI and Kauai yearly for the last 20 years. It’s gotten so bad politically that the culture, excess fees and expenses simply ruin the experience. We are people of means, culturally sensitive and conservationists. Our trip last year is our last. We decided that Italy now has more “Aloha”, cultural and environmental beauty (and great food) so we are taking the $30,000 monthly expenses we pay in Hawaii and enjoy Italy for less than 1/2 the costs.
That is a smart move, Dana D. There is no sense in throwing good money after bad. Enjoy Italy!
I feel I should observe as a frequent visitor (2 to 4 trips every year since 19940) from United Kingdom, I enjoyed another great Holidays on Kaua’i and have no intention of not returning. However I do think that Governor Green is not helping Hawai’i attract visitors. As an ER MD he shone out as a voice of sanity during Covid but his suggestions on helping the Hawaiian economy and attract the visitors who enjoy Hawai’i he has been far less convincing.
Venice, Italy is also conceding that while there will be tourism, the priority must be on those who call the city home: aol.com/venice-limit-tourist-groups-ban-132253415.html
There’s no such thing as the “Aloha Spirit”. We’ve been going to Hawaii since 1964, when you could plop down on Waikiki Beach and not be in the middle of a crowd. Locals weren’t friendly, only in restaurants and hotels or Matson Line greeters. It was all a facade. Locals used to mean those with Hawaiian blood. What’s a “local” now? Some kid from Wisconsin who arrived 4 years ago to surf and didn’t leave. They think they own the place. It used to be inexpensive to stay in Hawaii or for the locals to live there. That was before the rich and famous started buying up properties and driving up prices. Not unusual for desirable locals.
I love Italy but never got to go to Venice, a must do it at least once and dont mind paying the extra few bucks. I do understand the problem with overcrowded rude tourists though and cannot blame them. also Venice won’t be recognizable nor a wanted tourist spot with all the graffiti that is now covering the once great city so heavy tourist traffic wont be there much longer.