A 23-year-old award-winning American singer-songwriter and actress, has caught herself in the middle of anti-tourism sentiment here in Hawaii. Olivia Rodrigo was on a Maui vacation and posted many photos and videos on Instagram and Twitter. The well-regarded musical star’s update had some 2.7 million fans who liked it on Instagram. But that wasn’t the only type of response she got.
Some Instagram followers criticized what others called her “well deserved vacation” on Maui.
Rodrigo was seen vacationing at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea. Perhaps with all the negative sentiment now expressed frequently on Instagram, it’s no wonder that of the 10 social media apps that Americans want to delete, Instagram ranks in first place (study conducted by cybersecurity experts, VPNpro.com).
Negative comments included: “I guess celebrities don’t read the local’s requests, that people should Not travel there. they are already struggling, pls don’t travel to Hawaii.” (Editor’s Note: When you comment on BOH, in order for your comment to be published, please be sure you are speaking for yourself and not representing Hawaii).
Positive comments included: The perfect Vacay. Love U in Maui. Looks so fun! Enjoy your vacay. A well-deserved vacation. I love that we’re in Hawaii at the same time.” (Editor’s Note: Hawaii tourism inevitably markets Hawaii as a paradisiacal theme park like Disneyland. That is changing, albeit slowly).
Are Hawaii vacations politically correct?
Let us know your thoughts! The Hawaii vacation backlash comes as many Hawaii residents continue to express concerns about over-tourism, and still more who would like Hawaii to be at least somewhat less reliant on the industry. All of this was acrimony was brought to a boil following the unexpected lightning-fast return of travel in 2022.
Keep in mind that Hawaii residents maintain a broad range of views regarding tourism. Tourism impacts most people’s lives here in some manner. And the fact is that there would be little money, other than the military, if there were no tourism at all.
At the same time, living in Hawaii has undoubtedly become far more challenging for everyone, even over the past few years. It isn’t very encouraging, as is reflected in a report that came out this week.
As Hawaii’s astronomical cost of living sits above all other states.
A report out yesterday confirms that “Hawaii residents spend $3,070 each month — 50% above the national average of $2,046” on expenses. The average Hawaii mortgage is $2,247, while the average rent is $1,856. Honestly, to us, those two figures for housing appear, as high as they are, are still far too low!
Hawaii also ranks as “the most expensive state to live in based on an index of prices for a range of goods and services. Located on the island of Oahu, Kailua is the single most expensive city in the state.”
Related comments we’ve received on the topic.
One comment from Maui said: “Yes, we respect tourists, and the economy needs them for the sake of locals’ livelihood. But what is happening is too many tourists visiting the Island just act as if they are at a theme Park. The Islands cannot handle the extreme disrespect given to the land and the local people. It is just a sign of the world we live in now. But on a small Island, everything is escalated.”
Another said, “Please don’t take it personally. Demand from tourism for consuming the islands has contributed to the standard of living dropping drastically (or even being priced out of paradise) for so many due to the price increases on every level, especially purchasing a home and renting.”
Where do Hawaii visitors and residents stand?
We are all trying to figure this out together. This is a topic that keeps resurfacing in various forms in the news. We know most visitors are respectful. But things have changed in travel here and globally, and there are also those that frankly aren’t the best behaved Hawaii travelers. And then too, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed here in Hawaii, when there are just so many visitors at one time.
Mainland and Hawaii travelers all share being vacation seekers.
Most people on vacation in Hawaii are here to simply break away from everyday life. They may well care about Hawaii but are still primarily here to enjoy the weather, the ocean, other aspects of our beautiful state, and generally escape.
This is much the same as Hawaii residents, when they travel to Las Vegas, and elsewhere. Do Hawaii residents take into primary consideration how Indigenous issues are hitting those in Las Vegas? Or the fact that Nevada’s infrastructure, both economic and political, is largely a product of expropriation of prior Native American lands, and the fact that many Native American homes in Nevada have no indoor plumbing?
Several years ago, a study showed no significant shift in how Hawaii residents feel about tourism.
At that time, some 1,600 Hawaii residents surveyed provided an average ranking of 8 on a scale of 1 to 10 on the value they placed on Hawaii’s tourism.
Many of us who live here are connected with tourism in ways, either indirectly or directly. And many, if not most, people here appreciate visitors (preferably in moderate numbers) who share the value of what Hawaii is, including our culture and unique ways.
We welcome your input in respectful comments below.
Maui loves tourism just not in Lahaina. It is now sacred ground and people need to heed that. Kaanapali going north to Kapalua and Kahakuloa are good with visitors as is Kihei and Wailea. Just be respectful of the people and the island. All is fragile at this time.
I would love for many people to stop going to Maui. Maybe all first-timers will choose to stay away. But ultimately, Maui must have tourists to survive and thrive.
Tourism will continue to exist in Hawaii, if only because that’s where so much of the state’s revenue comes from. They don’t seem to mind tourists as long as they’re the “right” kind of tourist. As far as I can tell, they mean respectful but also, rich and spends a lot of money. You know, more money from less people filling up the roads. Ms. Rodrigo seems the definition of the “right” type of tourist. There is no indication that she was disrespectful and if she’s staying at the Four Seasons, she’s spending a ton. Instagram trolls don’t represent the majority of the residents, native or otherwise in Hawaii. The vast majority of people are nice to tourists as long as the tourists are nice to them. Aloha on Instagram might be dead, but it’s not on the islands.
As a traveler who always pays the utmost respect to the lands I visit and the people to whom those lands belong, I can’t help but hope Hawaii experiences a drastic drop in tourism. It’s what locals have been begging for in an extremely vocal manner, and I think it is necessary at this point to give the people what they want. Most people I know who loved Hawaii now go to the Caribbean or South Pacific instead, mostly due to the unwelcoming aspect of Hawaii that has become impossible to ignore. The spirit of aloha is gone. Perhaps the only way it can ever return is with a drastic decline in tourism and tourism revenue. I may return in a decade or two, but for now, we’ve all gotten the message.