68% of all Hawaii visitors used to be return guests. Here’s why thats changing.
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427 thoughts on “Why Hawaii’s Repeat Visitors Aren’t Returning – Does Anyone Care?”
68% of all Hawaii visitors used to be return guests. Here’s why thats changing.
We have been waiting about 3 years to get to Maui and we’re able to go in May . I will say I have no desire to return . We had a great time and yes it was expensive and we new that ahead of time . I’m so happy we went and I can cross it off my list . Most of the locals we interacted with were nice however there was a lot that weren’t . Travel books say to obey the laws etc and we did . Speed limits etc . Many of the locals do not . Much of Maui is poor by todays standards with abandon cars throughout the island . While the beautiful pictures are all true there is a side to Hawaii that is not depicted in the tourism books . I traveled over 5000 miles from eastern US but there are just as pretty beaches and mountains a lot closer
My first visit to Hawaii was in 1968. Having worked for the airlines, I have been able to visit over 60 times. Of course, things have changed over the years; however, I still love visiting Hawaii. My family and I visited Christmas 2021 and because of the QR rules and all of the restrictions, I felt for the first time no aloha from the airport to the hotel to the car rental. When we returned for Easter 2022, life had improved, especially because the QR was eliminated. We plan to visit for Thanksgiving and Christmas 2022 becuase we do love Hawaii.
I am a long time return visitor to Hawaii, and these changes make me sad, Because the Hawaiian islands have always been known for their hospitality and “aloha spirit”. I stayed at Four Seasons in Wailea, Maui in February and the prices were astronomical. Yes, everything has gone up, but these rates were more than double what they were 10 years ago when my late husband and I used to visit.
The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement?
Theodore Roosevelt was absolutely spot on.
Might as well have BLM in charge…… 😂.
Aloha
I’m retired and would love to volunteer for their Organic Gardens Produce stands, Hotel customer service desk, airport customer service desk, in exchange for room and board on Maui Hawaii Island. I’ve been to Hawaii in April 1975 spring break before graduating from High School and didn’t want to leave, I’ve been dreaming of the opportunity again.
Mahalo,
BB
I’ve been a repeat visitor to Honolulu 9 times. Have always had a wonderful time but notices the steep increase cost of absolutely everything. Can’t have a decent meal under $150 a couple.
If Hawaii wants fewer visitors than quit granting developers and hotel chains permission to build more new hotels and condos!!!! How dumb can you be? Does no one see the connection here??? As they tear down the old hotels and condos turn the lots into a public park. But, it will never happen because the City of Honolulu wants the tax revenue. How else can they pay for that incredibly expensive light rail system that will never even come close to being self supporting, and will have to be subsidized forever by tax dollars. Time to throttle back the taxing and spending by the mayor and city council who think the islands can accommodate all of their silly schemes.
3 thousand dollars for a week rental of a car and food that’s OK and hotels raising the prices with fees and taxes 50 dollars a day just to park the car.and on and on so yes we will not be going back after 10 years of alot of love for the islands to many other places to see
I hear many people who live in hawaii saying that if people don’t want to spend the money to come then stay home. That is the wrong mentality. Many of us do want to spend money. It is just what is reasonable for us to spend to go. There is only so far you can raise prices and taxes on tourists before Hawaii becomes a playground for the rich alone. Once that happens then Hawaii will become unaffordable for locals as well. I live on Long Island and if we in this area took the same attitude our rents and house prices would be even higher. New York City has a lot of tourism and we encourage it. It helps to keep already high costs down. The difference for New York is we have a much more diversified economy that can survive a drop in tourism.
Hawaiʻi is already a “playground for the rich alone.” Many locals work multiple jobs just to make ends meet. There has been a steady flow of residents, particularly Native Hawaiians, who have effectively been forced to leave their home in search of a better quality of life for their families. Those that stay contend with the effects of over tourism – extreme traffic congestion, environmental degradation, strained infrastructure, water shortages, etc. Moreover, most tourists spend money in resort zones flowing into mainland corporations, not the truly local economy. We don’t Need exploitive min. wage service jobs. We Need to reform tourism into an industry that is actually in reciprocity with both residents and the ʻāina itself.
It Sounds more like the issue is not tourism itself but how Hawaii has let the big corporation abuse it which is happening even more now. The government needs to find a way to make the big chain hotels reinvest in the local economy, not funnel money out. Big companies will not like that but there has to be a compromise somewhere. I understand the frustrations of locals but over taxing and charging tourists won’t work. Hawaii had a good agricultural economy in the 70’s and 80’s more balanced with tourism and prior generations moved away from it to tourism. Now that is hurting Hawaii because it has to import everything and now tourism is too big a part of the economy. But you can’t bite that hand to hard or else more will be hurt.
Return visitors are more likely to know about cultural issues, and more aware.
Thanks, Don for making this point. We have been coming since 2006 and a huge draw is learning local culture and customs – new and old. We have enjoyed talking with so many wonderful locals and other long-time visitors and consider it a privilege to be welcomed back. We try to take the long-range look at the current situation and though it has become incredibly expensive, hope to continue to visit and learn. We arrive Monday for my 50th birthday.
I’m more likely to visit, more often, from California with reduced crowds, environmental impact, and social impact. Even at higher costs, I can feel better that I’m not ruining a place I think is so special.
I havent returned since the pandemic began, not out of spit, but out of respect and at mayors’ requests.
What I’d like to see is a Hawaii less dependent on tourism, resulting in a better place to live for it’s residents. The magic of Hawaii lays in it’s people, environment and culture. If we continue to destroy that in the name of tourism, there will be nothing left to your.