With Hawaii’s Safe Travels program coming to an end, most experts thought that tourism would pick up again. However, I don’t think anyone could’ve predicted how quickly that would happen. Hawaii is getting busier – and that’s causing problems for visitors once again.
Hawaii Safe Travels is set to end on March 25. Before that, however, most of the U.S. will be in spring break. And that, it seems, is driving a massive surge in demand for travel to the islands. With that surge, however, comes complications for visitors.
Hawaii is Getting Busier
According to Hawaii News Now, many Hawaii travel statistics for the rest of March are, well, kind of crazy. We’re already seeing an average of about 30,000 people arriving each day, which puts us back to where we were pre-pandemic. The major difference being, of course, is that these are primarily domestic travelers – international travel is still a ways away from recovering. And that moment doesn’t look like it’ll be slowing within the next few weeks. In fact, airline load factors for the immediate future are coming in at over 90% – especially from the West Coast.
With so many people arriving in the islands again, it’s putting a major squeeze on many services. For example, rental cars have become difficult to find again, and those that are still available are coming in at “super-premium” prices. What’s more, expect restaurants to be fuller once again, meaning you may not be able to get in without a reservation. Hotels too are filling up, with some already sold out for the rest of the month.
Final Thoughts
As was the case when visitors came surging back last year, advance reservations are now a requirement for virtually everything again. And the sooner you can make those reservations, the better – especially for rental cars, for which a shortage still exists. What’s more, expect your next vacation to Hawaii to cost you more. Sure, inflation has a part to play in this – I recently paid $5.27/gal for premium gas, which is what my car requires – but supply and demand is the bigger issue here. Right now, more people want to come to Hawaii than we have rental cars for and even rooms for at more popular properties. So, expect to pay more for virtually everything during your next visit.
Yet, the surge in visitors doesn’t mean our economy is going to recover just yet. Domestic visitors still spend far less than international ones, such as those from Japan, Korea, Germany, the U.K., etc. But, it could be six months to a year or more before we see those markets recover.
Oh, and if you’re coming to Hawaii, please be kind. Do not harass, berate, or bully businesses and their employees that choose to adhere to rules that are stricter than current emergency mandates. And do not attack businesses and their staff over pricing – WE’RE ALL SUFFERING.