243 thoughts on “Nickle-And-Dimed To Death | Hawaii Visitors Reeling”
Jim P
I am originally from Hawaii. I flew back in May. It has been 15 years since I been home. I was shocked about all the fees and taxes I was charged on a hotel room and vehicle rental. The fees and taxes was more than I paid to rent the room and vehicle. My opinion, without tourists, Hawaii residents and businesses will have a hard time surviving. I have family considering moving to the mainland because they can’t afford to live in Hawaii. Gone are the days from my small kid times. Mahalo Beat of Hawaii for the content you put out. It helps me keep up with home.
I think travelers would accept the fees if they were clearly connected to improvements that benefited both residents and travelers and addressed the stated concerns about traffic, etc. For example, imagine a public bus system on Maui that connected the airport, the hotels, the towns and major beaches, so often that going carless was reasonable as one would visiting Manhattan. Passes could be “free”/required and issued at the airport, funded by a tax.
without the tourist dollars you would have no jobs…no restaurants because locals couldn’t go because no money. residents need to understand that. they have forgotten that because of all the free money handed out. when that dries up you will come back to reality
FRANK said go to Fiji … with all due respect Frank it was one of the worst places I have ever been. If I want to be surrounded by poverty and feel guilty about my vacation, I’ll go to Mexico where it is more convenient and doesn’t cost as much.
I am nickel and dimed to death to live in Hawaii, why should visitors get a discount? Truly, it’s so overcrowded we cannot even go to the places we once loved. Seems prices could go up for visitors who are using more of our resources than we do on most days.
One solution for mainland tourists to the nickel-dime-ripoffs is to spend a little more on airfare and head to Fiji. The Fijian equivalent of Aloha is very much alive there, without the pay-to-play problems of Hawaii in 2022.
Once loved Hawaii. Now will not return. Such a change in attitude and such extra charges for many things now. We rediscovered San Diego this spring and loved it. With no long flight and the money saved that is where we will go for palm trees and great weather and beaches.
Rod, I have lived in San Diego my entire life and I always thought – who needs Hawaii, we have Palm Trees and Beaches here … until I went to Hawaii for the first time. There is no place like it. Once I’m there – I dont’ want to leave, once I leave, I can’t wait to get back. All of this just makes me sad.
Now all you visitors get to see what it’s like to actually live in Hawaii! Residents get nickeled and dimed, but our resources still go to visitors first! Now try being second to visitors in your town, walking down your street, peering into your houses and finally awkwardly taking up space at your favorite nature zone. Now have some aloha
FYI, where ever tourists go they get treated differently because the tourist dollar helps the economy. Hawaii is a state not a country. Get some industry to sustain yourselves, once the tourist leave the locals will really pay, how’s that for Aloha
GLORIA, how are those Mexican vacations working out? The insatiable demand for drugs in the US has turned Mexican drug cartels into Murder Incorporated. Cancun, Tulumn and other Mexican resorts no longer safe.
Save your money for a slightly higher air fare, and head to Fiji, Tahiti, or elsewhere in the South Pacific. Life is full of choices!
Frank, all the things you say about Mexico are true. I’ve been to Tahiti – very expensive. I’ve been to Fiji – very disappointing. Shacks and Poverty everywhere. I live on the West Coast very easy to get there, but would never go back. Never felt Aloha. It felt very remote to me. But I think the saying is: Variety is the Spice of Life? …
So glad people are speaking up. This “poor me, I expected to be loved and pampered and have everything free” mentality is exactly why we are so frustrated. No parking. People disobeying posted signs to keep out or not park, lining the road to Hana with so many rental Jeeps that residents cannot get through. The most recent influx of tourists have been entitled, snobby, and frankly, cheap. So whining about it later is just further proving all of this.
Don’t come here, that’s absolutely fine! And if you do, understand that it is the most expensive state in the US and our wages are not adjusted to accommodate.
Have a little awareness, and lose the entitlement!
Been hearing these comments for a few years now. Visited Maui for 15 days beginning end of June and decided to fight back a little. In the past I tipped well, never took change or if I did, tossed in the jar. Paid wuth a credit card at restaurants and always paid a high gratuity. This year, decided to approaxh it a lot different. I paid for the family meals with cash and never left a tip. Nope, not even change. Figure we saved around $500 over 15 days. Got back home and my wife asked why I paid cash for all the restaurants, told her no tipping this year. I was making up for the crazy tourist fees. Still don’t think she’s over it. Ha! I forgot all about it until I read this article. Mahalo that!
I am originally from Hawaii. I flew back in May. It has been 15 years since I been home. I was shocked about all the fees and taxes I was charged on a hotel room and vehicle rental. The fees and taxes was more than I paid to rent the room and vehicle. My opinion, without tourists, Hawaii residents and businesses will have a hard time surviving. I have family considering moving to the mainland because they can’t afford to live in Hawaii. Gone are the days from my small kid times. Mahalo Beat of Hawaii for the content you put out. It helps me keep up with home.
No X nor Y. Proper English please.
🙂
I think travelers would accept the fees if they were clearly connected to improvements that benefited both residents and travelers and addressed the stated concerns about traffic, etc. For example, imagine a public bus system on Maui that connected the airport, the hotels, the towns and major beaches, so often that going carless was reasonable as one would visiting Manhattan. Passes could be “free”/required and issued at the airport, funded by a tax.
What about the residents of Hawaii. We are nickeled and dime to death to keep this place going, so visitors can enjoy.
Without the locals working to keep the state moving,there would be nothing to visit. What’s in it for the locals?
without the tourist dollars you would have no jobs…no restaurants because locals couldn’t go because no money. residents need to understand that. they have forgotten that because of all the free money handed out. when that dries up you will come back to reality
FRANK said go to Fiji … with all due respect Frank it was one of the worst places I have ever been. If I want to be surrounded by poverty and feel guilty about my vacation, I’ll go to Mexico where it is more convenient and doesn’t cost as much.
I am nickel and dimed to death to live in Hawaii, why should visitors get a discount? Truly, it’s so overcrowded we cannot even go to the places we once loved. Seems prices could go up for visitors who are using more of our resources than we do on most days.
Thank you! No one is forcing these poor mistreated tourists to come here. In fact….don’t! 🙄
and when they dont you will be crying poverty..just wait, with your attitude, that is not far off in the future for you
One solution for mainland tourists to the nickel-dime-ripoffs is to spend a little more on airfare and head to Fiji. The Fijian equivalent of Aloha is very much alive there, without the pay-to-play problems of Hawaii in 2022.
Once loved Hawaii. Now will not return. Such a change in attitude and such extra charges for many things now. We rediscovered San Diego this spring and loved it. With no long flight and the money saved that is where we will go for palm trees and great weather and beaches.
Rod, I have lived in San Diego my entire life and I always thought – who needs Hawaii, we have Palm Trees and Beaches here … until I went to Hawaii for the first time. There is no place like it. Once I’m there – I dont’ want to leave, once I leave, I can’t wait to get back. All of this just makes me sad.
Awesome! Mahalo!
Now all you visitors get to see what it’s like to actually live in Hawaii! Residents get nickeled and dimed, but our resources still go to visitors first! Now try being second to visitors in your town, walking down your street, peering into your houses and finally awkwardly taking up space at your favorite nature zone. Now have some aloha
FYI, where ever tourists go they get treated differently because the tourist dollar helps the economy. Hawaii is a state not a country. Get some industry to sustain yourselves, once the tourist leave the locals will really pay, how’s that for Aloha
GLORIA, how are those Mexican vacations working out? The insatiable demand for drugs in the US has turned Mexican drug cartels into Murder Incorporated. Cancun, Tulumn and other Mexican resorts no longer safe.
Save your money for a slightly higher air fare, and head to Fiji, Tahiti, or elsewhere in the South Pacific. Life is full of choices!
Frank, all the things you say about Mexico are true. I’ve been to Tahiti – very expensive. I’ve been to Fiji – very disappointing. Shacks and Poverty everywhere. I live on the West Coast very easy to get there, but would never go back. Never felt Aloha. It felt very remote to me. But I think the saying is: Variety is the Spice of Life? …
So glad people are speaking up. This “poor me, I expected to be loved and pampered and have everything free” mentality is exactly why we are so frustrated. No parking. People disobeying posted signs to keep out or not park, lining the road to Hana with so many rental Jeeps that residents cannot get through. The most recent influx of tourists have been entitled, snobby, and frankly, cheap. So whining about it later is just further proving all of this.
Don’t come here, that’s absolutely fine! And if you do, understand that it is the most expensive state in the US and our wages are not adjusted to accommodate.
Have a little awareness, and lose the entitlement!
Right on! Wish I could upvote a thousand times!
Been hearing these comments for a few years now. Visited Maui for 15 days beginning end of June and decided to fight back a little. In the past I tipped well, never took change or if I did, tossed in the jar. Paid wuth a credit card at restaurants and always paid a high gratuity. This year, decided to approaxh it a lot different. I paid for the family meals with cash and never left a tip. Nope, not even change. Figure we saved around $500 over 15 days. Got back home and my wife asked why I paid cash for all the restaurants, told her no tipping this year. I was making up for the crazy tourist fees. Still don’t think she’s over it. Ha! I forgot all about it until I read this article. Mahalo that!
Was thinking Honolulu, but all the reviews & word of mouth, we said no way.
Staying on the mainland, Florida Gulf coast, definitely, not Hawaii.