68% of all Hawaii visitors used to be return guests. Here’s why thats changing.
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428 thoughts on “Why Hawaii’s Repeat Visitors Aren’t Returning – Does Anyone Care?”
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68% of all Hawaii visitors used to be return guests. Here’s why thats changing.
Get Breaking Hawaii Travel News
Comments are closed.
Our first time in Hawaii was 1992. Two weeks in Waikiki cost about $2500. Since then we’ve been back 8 or 9 times (3 Kauai and 5 Oahu).
We love your islands and the aloha spirit of the people but find the prices getting too high (especially with low Canadian dollar.) The price now would be close to $1000 can. Per day. Hopefully the government will increase my pension, then I will be back. Aloha.
Making it more expensive ensures only the wealthiest will be able to visit. Unfortunately, many times this means corruption and bad behavior that comes with the rich and privileged. Less tourists means more financial hardships for locals. As I’ve heard it, many locals are already struggling. The challenge the council faces now is honoring the heritage and natives of Hawaii and at the same time integrating ideas into the culture to be more tolerant and accepting of the non-natives that want to visit. Though other states tax tourists, for example, Floridians do not penalize their visitors or make them feel unwelcome. It seems state to state (within the U.S.) cultures vary greatly and yet most are accepting of visitors.
Hell-o my name is homer and i love hawaii and i ave been about 30plus times from pa,a long trip but worth it and i love it can’t wait to get back.being there gives me peace.its to bad bad some don’t respect the islands. Never had a problem with the Sheraton princess hotel and the people who work there.cant wait to get back this year again
Homer m
We love Hawaii and respect ciultire and the people. We are repeat visitors. We expect to pay more for food. We very much dislike car rental prices.They were ok before covid. They are now out of hand. That needs to be fixed before tourists will come.
Our family’s been vacationing almost yearly to Hawaii for 20 years. I have no problem with fees to protect the eco system of the islands. They probably should have started that years ago, although it seems as if big corporate interests get whatever they want no matter the ecological impact to the islands. Some of this blame lies with the local elected politicians allowing more & more… I do take issue with skyrocketing car rental fees and the cost of hotels is insane. Private rentals & timeshares are also charging much more & I’m sure with rising fuel costs airfare will become more unaffordable and anti visitor media doesn’t help. We’ve been pushed out due to rising costs. Guess it’s finally time to see the rest of the country/world.
I have been going to Maui for about 30 years! In that time I hav seen such change in attitude, such as being yelled at by local for even walking in the park! The local people remind me of Mexico in that that want all the money they can get but don’t want you there! I own a condo at Maalaea Bay and have been paying taxes and all the fees ext! For 30 years! I have a trip planned in Oct. I am very discouraged about there attitude! Probably won’t go!
I live in Alaska, we have a super busy cruise ship and tourist season, and it gets very hectic but I guarantee you this. We welcome the tourists, help them, answer all their questions, and appreciate their business! Without them there would be fewer jobs, more expensive groceries and fuel and the list goes on and on. We love to share the beautiful State we live in. Hawaii used to be that way. No More Kauai for us.
We had a trip planned to Kauai for Sept. 2020 which had to be canceled due to the pandemic. We’re now scheduled to go over week after next and so excited to get back there! But it’s made even better this time as we’ll be celebrating three milestone birthdays and a 10-yr anniversary of cancer survival. Pretty special.
Here’s the wrinkle: We’re booking almost the exact same trip as we’d planned in 2020, but this time it’s going to cost double what it would less than two years ago. We’re up for the splurge given this special year of celebration, but I frankly don’t know when any of us will be up for returning, the one and only reason being the cost. So I guess we’ll just have to make this the best trip ever, right?
I love living in Hawaii
Thank you
I am one of these many visitors that you refer to about why people arent returning. But your bed is made. The horse has left the barn. Etc. Demand is high and tolerance for budget tourists is extremely low. Like most resorts you’re willing to put up wth unpleasant tourists and their ‘baggage’ as justification for the high rates and excess fees (plus more fees for administrating to all those fees). I would like to go back enough that I might even plan for a trip some years down the road, but only if you dispense with the greed factor, and I just dont see that happening. I am extremely grateful for the good old days not that long ago when i could come for a resonably priced trip, meet locals, treat them with respect, and enjoy Kauai….
According to State statistics, tourism related jobs are about 21-23% of the economy (depending on the island) which is large, but residents pay for the infrastructure that supports tourism, while profits from tourist related venues mostly go out of State. There are currently 10 visitors for every resident, which stresses resources where resources are limited, and foreign workers-who work for lower wages, make up the bulk of the work force-not locals.
The pandemic showed us while tight, we *can* survive w/o tourism.
I understand how you feel. When I visit there I speak with most of the locals that work there.Even before the decline of tourism, they spoke of having to work three jobs just to make ends meet, they welcomed tourism, And I’m sure a lot will lose their jobs if your going to push not welcoming terrorism in the future.. Thank you
Long time reader, but first comment. I am one of those return visitors who is being priced out of returning. We have visited over the last nine years and appreciate the beauty and spirit of the islands. I’ve visited Oahu, Hawaii, Kauai and Maui and had wonderful experiences each time. The local residents have been very welcoming and we’ve made every effort to respect and appreciate their culture and heritage. But given the current situation and costs, we won’t be returning anytime soon. Based on what our 2019 trip to Maui cost, it would easily be double that today. I’ll miss you Hawaii! I hope a solution can be found. Thank you for your excellent posts!
Hi Dee.
Thanks. It’ll be interesting to see what you find in travels to other destinations, both regarding costs and aloha. We’re Hawaii-centric, so we always appreciate hearing how it is elsewhere.
Aloha.
We canceled our trip to Kauai this past April and instead went to the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico. Yes, we stayed at a resort, instead of our family-owned place on Kauai so it was more of a hotel experience than a homey one, but it was also more than $2000 less expensive than going to Hawaii would have been, even though we paid for lodging (which we wouldn’t have had to do when staying at our place on-island).
Granted, you can find kind people and rude people wherever you go, but on the whole, I felt just as embraced by the Aloha spirit in Mexico as I ever have been in Hawaii (and in some instances felt safer and less harrassed than I’ve experienced at times in Hawaii).
I love Kauai, and the Aloha spirit and will miss the islands.
The hotel prices at the Kohala coast resorts have skyrocketed over the past two years. In November 2020, we paid $400 a night with every other night free. In 2021 the same hotel was $600 a night with every fourth night free. The same room for this November is over $1000 a night with the fourth night free. After visiting at least once a year for the past 20 years it was the choice of a rental or not going at all.
We love Hawaii and have visited all four main Islands more than a dozen times over the past three decades. More restrictions and closed areas and higher prices than ever. Accommodations and rental cars are ridiculously high. Our next two trips are scheduled to be in the Caribbean and Yucatan. Aloha.
I went to the Pali look out
And saw that there is a 7 dollar and 50 cent charge for parking to go look at a view for ten minutes if that. Being a local this really had me upset.. No as a local I didn’t have to pay. But it angers me to see how the visitors are being taken advantage of, this is outrageous. Pro park is running this parking fee why??? And where dose this money go??
So not cool. This alone would turn me off of coming to visit Hawaii.
I’m surprised some of you still go there as unhappy an experience it was . I was at Kona 3 weeks ago . Wonderful vacation , great food, very kind people and would go back in a minute. Not the first issue . Yes it was pricey and I knew it was going to be . My choice to stay or go but I would never blame the locals for the prices, its everywhere.
We have been visitors to the beautiful state of Hawaii for many years. We will not be returning due to the cost and the changes noticed on our last trip. Would rather remember the wonderful times we had.
Just got back from my first trip to the Big Island. It was amazing and actually more economical than what is often portrayed.The greatest costs were restaurants.
I thought the entry fee to the state parks to be expensive.. yet understood the reason why and was happy to pay the associated costs.
All the “locals” I interacted with were extremely warm, kind, and professional. The city of Hilo was an amazing place to stay primarily because of the people.
(There was one older, local hippie guy at Magic Sands Beach who talked very loudly. He wanted tourists “taxed” even more so that he could get free stuff).
Over-tourism is a huge issue which can be solved if All stake-holders work together toward reasonable and positive solutions.
I agree with your points here but the problem is a lack of a voice for tourists in all of this. Look how easy it is to default to raising prices on items aimed squarely at tourists. The only action we have is to not travel to a destination if we (tourists) believe prices are too high and even then this choice is open to wide misinterpretation by state authorities. The state of Hawaii needs to realize that tourism is not a fixed commodity and stop maximizing the money it tries to drain from tourists pockets.
I have enjoyed Hawaii twice and would like to go again but if the taxes on Hotels and the greed of hotel’s themselves keeps up I won’t be able to and I am reading many others who won’t be able to either. In the long run that will likely decrease tourism enough that Hawaii hurts in the end. You are right, Hawaii does have to realize tourism is not a fixed commodity and will decline.
I am going back to Kauai in Sept for the third time. I’ve never found folks on that island to be unfriendly! The last time I went in 2019, I went alone and had a wonderful time, met many residents and found them all to be extremely friendly. Not just in the toursity places either. I’m talking grocery store lines, farmers markets, etc. I’ve also been to the BI which we didn’t care for as much—had a weird and sort of creepy vibe. But Kauai is my paradise! I hope it never changes.
It’s just too crowded these days. Iam done with Hawaii.
One of the tourism organizations created a report a couple of years ago, stating their desire to get the ‘higher value tourists to visit’, they stated that their goal was to have visitors each spend a higher amount, thus driving down the number of tourists but actually increasing the tourist dollars.
This ‘proposal’ was lauded by many locals during the current wars over STRs. People predictably pointed out, that limiting STRs would only exasperate hotel prices; and that most of the hotel profits goes off-island.
Sorry, but we are now seeing the fruit of these short-sighted policies.
We are a tiny little island with limited resources. We don’t make anything that can be sold or bartered; we only have Aloha and our natural beauty.
I remember that article well. My first thought was an elitist attitude and policy that will only hurt the lower and middle economic classes, both locals and tourists which is the majority. It’s basically saying we don’t want your money or you to those classes of tourists. In addition, the reduction of tourists will eliminate jobs on the island hurting again, local lower and middle economic classes. It’s a wealthy, elitist approach of not wanting to share with others hiding behind the mask of Hawaiian preservation. I’m beginning to see this more and more in the US in tourist locations since COVID.
The HTA has to realize that Hawaii needs tourism and tourist want Hawaii. Prices are already high
Raising prices makes tourists look elsewhere and actually hurts the locals. Respect needs to be shown on all sides. Now is the time to welcome and embrace. Not to regulate and overtaxed. There is an ebb and flow or a season…time to turn the page.
Over the past 30 yrs I’ve traveled to the islands some 20 plus times introducing 20 plus family and friends. I’ve not gone since covid but ive read of several changes and charges coming. I have plans to go again in Sept but I’ve already told everyone it will be my last time. Charging for parking and having “visitor” and “resident” parking is ridiculous. Having to pay to stop for a lunch break at the black sand beach state park on the way to Hana is ridiculous. Not being able to drive to kee Beach to snorkel and hike is very sad. These are just some of why I’m not interested. It’s all very sad.
Tourists are bread and butter in Hawaii.
Apply true meaning of “Aloha”
To all individual.
Almost of all “Safety” is number one. Keep tourists safe while in our island !
Some see the tourist as a scourge. That will change when the native hawaiians get their way. The next invaders won’t be so culturally sensitive.
The question is what percentage of people in Hawaii rely on jobs that are directly or indirectly connected to tourism. Hotels, Timeshares, Restaurants, ABC Stores, Memorabilia shops, almost any store in Waikiki. If tourists don’t come they may not have jobs, less tips, no raises. Furthermore the Accommodation and Get taxes that tourists help pay for the service workers that work for the Goverment. Less income from tourists means more income from residents.
According to State statistics, tourism related jobs are about 21-23% of the economy (depending on the island) which is large, but residents pay for the infrastructure that supports tourism, while profits from tourist related venues mostly go out of State. There are currently 10 visitors for every resident, which stresses resources where resources are limited, and foreign workers-who work for lower wages, make up the bulk of the work force-not locals.
The pandemic showed us while tight, we *can* survive w/o tourism.
I really wish to make a tripto Hawaii (my first) particularly to Kauai, but now I am put off by the negative information above. I am not so put off by the cost but the implication that the reception is not friendly. I would be disappointed if Havaii is no longer a friendly destination.
Hawaii had a great opportunity during the pandemic to reset. Move to other industries like tech. They did nothing but say let’s tax more. You have the tech giants living there. Anyone ever think of reaching out and forming a group of these people to come up with ideas? There egos aren’t huge so I am sure they would like nothing better to do then look great to Hawaii. Maybe open training centers allow subsidies to people that move there that work in tech. Nope same old stuff different day.
Having only visited Maui this year I am not yet a repeat visitor. However we loved Maui so much that we plan to visit Oahu and return to Maui next year. I know Hawaii is expensive and getting there is expensive, but it is definitely worth it. Maui is a beautiful island and it was probably one of the best vacations we’ve ever had. We’ve traveled around the world and there are places I would return to, but Maui and Hawaii in general is my favorite destination.
I think returning to a more cultural base state is a good thing as long as Hawaii doesn’t forget where most of its revenue comes from.
I returned to Maui for the first time in years recently and tho many businesses were closed down from the pandemic it was still nice. The costs are very high but honestly that might be a good thing. I live in Las Vegas and we have inexpensive hotels and bargains everywhere as well as the high end places. The inexpensive places bring the city down with elements that I try to get away from when I’m on vacation. I would hate to see the mainland ghetto scene get to the islands.
I love Hawaii.. it has become my favorite place to visit. Spend good, quality time with friends, dining at some fabulous restaurants, great shopping and get in as much sun and beach time possible. It’s the most relaxing time ever. I plan to return every year as long as I can.
My family has been visiting Kauai every other year since 1993. This last trip in April solidified that Hawaii may not be the haven we once knew. We will most likely try the Big island or leave hawaii altogether.
Exorbitant costs coupled with severe restrictions on rentals are going to destroy the Hawaiian economy. They may not like tourists but they’ll miss their money!
Typical American mentality pursuing the dream, decimated a culture and now it’s biting their ___ and yet they still too ignorant to accept responsibility for the wrong that they done. No shame, no aloha.
Indeed. You’re obviously speaking about the genocide of the original Marquesan inhabitants of Hawaii?
Good. Stay home where you belong.
“Aloha Spirit” is a gift that’s given.
Not an expectation.
I’ve visited Maui five times and will be there again in March 2023. It is my heaven. My husband and I have never been treated with anything but kindness, each and every visit. Yes, it’s expensive but so is everywhere else. Maui needs tourist to survive, that’s just common sense. But if people don’t want to spend the money…good stay home….more room for me!
We, my wife and I and earlier our children have visited Hawaii regularly since the 70s, becoming rather annual since retirement. We must be “odd” in our likes as we primarily bird/sightsee/photograph as well as snorkel daily. Don’t eat at too many restaurants but prefer home-cooking. Expensive, yes, but not really bad as compared with other places we visit. Since we are coming from the Left Coast, travel time is not bad and is significantly shorter than other desired locations. So, we likely will be back. We have booked ’23 already but will note that we changed accommodation as the previous one significantly raised prices. I don’t have a problem with a visitor tax but it should be added to all airfare (as done in other countries).
Ran out of space. Want to add that while I support a tax to improve the environment and make tourism (and probably just being there) more sustainable I would want to see quantifiable benefits. Birdlife increases in numbers, more fish, more seal, turtles, more restored natural vegetation. Show me the results and I’ll gladly pay.
If you google, the data you want is already there. Increased flora, fauna and aquatic life happened during the pandemic closures.
I’ve been to Hawaii twice and loved both visits. That being said, even though we live on the west coast we will stick with the USVI and Florida for our in country vacations. Yes it’s cheaper than Hawaii has become.
Aloha
I have been to Hawaii Hundreds of times and have taken numerous family members to the islands For beautiful vacations. It has become increasingly hard Due to the crazy high resort fees Et cetera. My husband is multi racial Hawaiian Chinese White, And many of our family members are moving to the mainland Because they can no longer afford to raise their families Hawaiian. Tourism isn’t the only thing suffering From high prices and high taxes. Living Aloha shouldn’t mean living at the poverty level. I hope they do a better job Of managing tourism. Mahalo
PS,I find tourists worldwide generally very demanding And inconsiderate of locals customs and privacy.
For our vacation this year, instead of returning to the condo we’ve owned for 21 years on the islands, we opted to fly to Mexico and stay for 2 weeks. Even including paying for lodging (which we wouldn’t have needed to do in Hawaii), it was about $2000 cheaper (including food and transportation) than it would have been for us to fly to Hawaii and stay for free for 2 weeks.
I am born and raised in Hawaii and have seen first hand on how visitors are treated. Yes, a small percentage of tourist don’t respect the places they visit and that happens all over, not just Hawaii. There are ways to manage tourism the right way. Stealing,bad mouthing,derespect and even beating them up that sometimes can cause death, is not the answer. Hawaii is destroying itself from within. The local people are suffering, the tourist are suffering and no one so far has found middle ground. I was visiting once and a transplant yelled at me saying tourist go home. Haha! I was more local then him. There is enough blame on both sides to discuss, but treating the situation the wrong and pricing the affordability out of control is wrong.