Hawaii’s tourism problem
Have you been to Hawaii before?
Would you like to go soon?
What is Hawaii famous for?
Hawaiian businesses are in trouble because the number of tourists visiting the islands have dropped. (2024’s visitors were down 7% compared to 2019)
Maui has had the biggest drop in visitors after the 2023 wildfires. Some people were criticized for visiting Maui just after the fires but local businesses want visitors to come
The number of Japanese and Canadian tourists has fallen the most. Why?
Since 2019:
Japan - down 60%
Canada - down 30%
other international countries - down 14%
For Japanese, the weak yen is the main cause.
Also inflation in the US has been high. Prices of Hawaiian hotel rooms have risen by 30% since 2019
Canadians are angry at Trump and the US because of their terrible tariff policies. When Canadians tell their friends they went to Hawaii, their friends get angry at them.
Do you know any more reasons people don’t want to visit the US?
visas
LGBT travellers
people with tatoos
Reasons:
The news has shown stories of people being arrested and held in jail for weeks because of small visa mistakes.
LGBT travellers are scared to visit the US because of the government’s views and policies
Some people were arrested because the immigration officers thought their tattoos were gang tattoos
One travel website gave advice on how to save money. Which island should we stay at? - Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, or one of the smaller ones?
Other advice:
Use your airline miles
Stay at an Airbnb (the most popular 民泊 site) so you can cook dinner and not pay for hotel parking
Some restaurants have a beautiful view but the food is expensive. You can get the same quality food at places without a few for a lower price.
Some hotels have free night time shows (fireworks, cliff jumping)
Many islands have free museums and cultural events or festivals are often free. Check online for dates
Have you done anything to save money while travelling?
Hotels are most expensive on Maui and cheapest at Oahu.