Average nightly rates of $404 (incl. accommodation tax) are helping curtail Hawaii vacation enthusiasm.
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99 thoughts on “Why Hawaii Visitor Decline Persists | Latest Report”
Average nightly rates of $404 (incl. accommodation tax) are helping curtail Hawaii vacation enthusiasm.
I’m glad I managed to visit the islands. My last trip was in 2022. It was then I saw the effects of the HTA. It felt obvious that blue collar people were not wanted.
I would love to return, but it’s just not a financial possibility.
I hope the Hawaiian people manage to survive the changes forced on them by their own government.
I use to go once a year but now that the hotels and other rentals have added extensive taxes, processing fee, resort fees and other fees we refuse to go to Hawaii. I don’t mind the daily costs for fun but the hotels and rentals have gotten out of control. I refuse to support those costs.
Don’t forget the impact of the strong dollar. It’s allowing Americans to travel abroad and keeping many foreigners away.
While deeply sympathetic to the people effected by the Lahaina fire, the messaging has been horrible. We want tourists, we don’t want tourists, we only want tourist’s money. It’s a little offensive when other destinations are soo much cheaper and appreciative.
Hawaii s about to be deeply Humbled. I have zero sympathy for them.
I live and work here, and I can’t even afford a staycation. Don’t let the hotels fool you, they are making more money than ever. They love fewer, higher paying customers, because they can cut staff.
That is a ridiculous statement.
My wife and I went to Kauai in February, we went through Costco travel and did a lot of research on hotels, restaurants, etc. We found some very good deals, and booked through them, we also ate at alot of local restaurants I think people need to do there homework and take the time to research what they want. This would definitely help!
I think the concerns for traveling to Hawaii are the cost of hotel stay , car rentals and food and to add the 18% tax. With the cost of airfare keeps on going up , people are inclined to just travel where their limited budget can go.
“The consistent decline”. It’s 71%. People will always come hawaii. The pandemic didn’t stop them.
Love Hawaii but is just too expensive and the crazy hotel taxes make it even worse. Was planning an extended trip to Maui this year but discovered trip to Europe is much cheaper. Our favorite Maui hotel is now $1300.00 a night!
Oahu is overpriced, over-hyped, and over-run with tourists. Also, there is a significant amount of rainfall which consistently falls on the weekends which takes away from the fun of enjoying outdoor activities. This haole is out – shootz…
Long time visitor to Lahaina. After the fire we were looking forward to visiting with island again but the messaging was stay out, don’t come back we don’t want to come. We now
have discovered great places in the Carribean and probably won’t return. Unfortunately we still love Hawaii.
Coming to the comments here rarely disappoints. It is continuously the same tired old talking points. No more Aloha for the tourists. Too expensive. Mexico and the Caribbean are cheaper. We won’t be coming back. Hawaiians will be sorry when their incomes disappear from lack of visitors. It’s the same tired declarations over and over after every post on this blog and it’s really quite amusing.
Right? And then when there are no jobs because people are being laid off due to low tourism and hotel prices are too high, what will they do?
Crackdown on short term rentals should have an impact. What’s interesting is the whole claim that tourism is already down and I just don’t see it. I’m in the service industry and we are just as busy as ever. Road traffic has eased up a little but I associate that with the lack of snowbirds on the road.
I totally agree. Although I think we will cut back to vacationing once a year in Kauai instead of twice a year due to the high lodging costs.
Reading the political posts is like being back in middle school.
Why do the whiners and complainers even post here, if you want to go somewhere else just go there.
I think parking fees are outrageous. And now they’re going to add resort fees and accommodation tax? That is just too much! So disappointing. They need tourism but make it very unaffordable.
In my opinion, with vrbos or airbnbs. I can actually afford to go to Hawaii. With stopping that to 30 days it kind of puts it out of reach for me because hotels are ridiculously overpriced and have no kitchen which a lot of the vrbo’s offered. Which would then give me option to be able to cook most of my meals somewhere instead of spending so much money. Second, Hawaii keeps telling us we hate tourists. Why do I want to go somewhere if I’m going to feel like I’m not wanted. I know these are first world problems, but if you’re wondering why your tourism dips this is a lot of stuff I speak with other people about.
If you’re not spending money to support local businesses, like dining out, you’re not contributing to Hawaii’s economy. Instead, you’re straining our limited resources. We don’t need that kind of tourism here.
So going on all the tours, shopping at food stands for local vegetables and going to farmers markets instead of grocery stores for fresh vegetables. Eating at the food trucks when I can is not contributing to Hawaii’s economy? Going to shows and coffee shops plus stores but because I don’t eat out every night and day in Hawaii, I’m not contributing ? I’m not sure if you understand how economics work that is completely contributing to your economy.
I think you are contributing but there is the other side of the coin in Hawaii. Tip,Tip where’s my tip. Everybody wants a tip. Even the street acts around Kuhio street on Oahu. Restaurants automaically add the tip fee to the total bill and then apply sales tax to the gratuity without the customer even being informed. Is this considered contributing or stealing? I guess you went where most people don’t receive tips. No free money or 100% profit in ripping off the tourist.
Thanks for epitomizing the reason for the down turn!
Message received: Go somewhere else!
My wife and I, and the rest of our relatives, do support local businesses, we just don’t want to have to eat out for Every meal.
If you don’t want “that kind of tourism”, then you can say goodbye to almost all of your tourist dollars going forward. Good luck with that.
Exactly this. If you don’t vacation how we want you’re not welcome.
I was exactly that kind of tourist that you’re talking about wanting and desiring on your island and I was still treated like crap, manipulated, and gouged.
Hawaii is morally bankrupted. That’s Hawaii’s problem. Hateful and blaming everyone else for their problems is not going to solve them. You seriously only have a tourist economy after all this time?
Oh, wait,I’m sure it’s somebody else’s fault… 🙄
Those who don’t take care of their problems like adults will lose whatever they have. And personally, I feel like the way that I was treated, I’m anticipating Hawaii to get a good dose of reality about how worthwhile they really are to the rest of the world…
visitors and tourists are realizing what a joke Hawaii is and will hopefully just stop showing up all together.
Aloha is Dead.
Hawaii needs to be humbled.
Aloha. That is a lousy attitude. Most restaurant food is low quality and often hideously overpriced. If I had to eat every meal out I would stay home. Reminds me of Las Vegas; they won’t put a coffee pot in your room because they don’t want you in your room, they want you downstairs spending money. I do not want to go out for coffee at 6am. Thus the condo with a kitchen.
Mahalo
Of course there is a downturn in visitors to Hawaii.
It has turned into a rich man’s paradise that regular people can no longer afford.
A real shame
Proverbs 11:29 – He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: Kūkalahale / ʻōlauniu
I wanted to plan a Christmas graduation trip on Maui for our daughter as she finishes PA school this December. I know the week of Christmas is a pricey time anywhere but 20,000 for two hotel rooms and four flights was ridiculous so instead we are going on a cruise to the Bahamas for $8,000 which includes the flight and will enjoy our Christmas in the Caribbean. Sorry Hawaii We do love you but you’re overpriced!
It’s been a pretty clear message to me here on Maui from my friends and family, they’re only coming if they can stay with us. The room rates are so past being just “high”, even with the recent “drop”, to the point where friends and family literally feel the rates are offensive and egregious gouging. Part affordability and part principled revolt – they refuse to come to Maui because of it. So, the Hoteliers need to get in line with dropping rates to the betterment of the entire tourism ecosystem and Mayor Bissen needs to focus his housing ire on those same Hoteliers. No tourists, no jobs, no jobs, no income, no income housing doesn’t matter because you can’t afford it.
I love visiting the Hawaiian islands and it was my vacation highlight. With the staggering cost of both hotel and car rental rates in the islands I can find better holiday values on the mainland, Mexico, Canada and even Japan. I wish Hawaii the best as gouging visitors will have short term gains and long term lasting repercussions as people avoid travel to the islands as being to expensive.
Our governor and mayors are taxing the visitors to death. Now they are halting the VRBO’s. to line their bloated pockets. Why should i fly 10 hours to get ripped off. i can go to the Caribbean or Mexico or even south Florida and get a hotel room for $150 a night or a VRBO for $100 a night. I have lived on and off Oahu, Maui, Big Island since 1997. and I can get cheaper sand anywhere in the world. When the local folks notice that people are talking with their wallets. They will vote in some visitor friendly bureaucrats and Politian’s that want to see Hawaii grow. Not destroy the economy. Like they did with the pandemic. funny Florida opened up 18 mo early and survived. Good example where we still have frightened voters running around with masks.
Enjoying bigger and better places folks! Many Many Many visitors have found a better place to go.
I don’t think it should be a surprise that raising prices means less visitors. Additionally less airbnb opportunities or higher prices in the airbnb world will also hurt the island. Both equate to less foreign $$$ coming into the economy for restaurants, car rentals, tourism adventure guided trips which will ultimately mean less employment. I don’t think the economic policy makers are holistically reviewing their policy and consequences. Luckily Hawaii is one of the most beautiful places and in the world, and so policies can be toggled to find the right sweet spot.