While the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources and some counties are starting to implement fees and capacity restrictions, the embattled Hawaii Tourism Authority is throwing out recommendations too. One such idea? Hawaii may limit areas to residents only on weekends.
How do you balance tourism with residents’ quality of life and Hawaii’s delicate ecosystem? That’s a topic that’s come up time and time again since the lockdowns began over a year ago. Thus far, the only solution in effect now is the assessment of fees and reservation systems at certain parks and beaches around the state. But that only kind of solves one problem – limiting crowding to protect the environment. So, how do you balance tourism with residents’ quality of life?
Hawaii May Limit Areas to Residents Only on Weekends
We know Maui County is considering reserving 50% of parking spots at beach parks for residents while also implementing fees for non-residents. The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) has a far more ambitious idea – limiting areas to residents only on weekends.
The idea actually came up during conversations between HTA’s President and CEO, John De Fries, and residents in each county. Unsurprisingly, the biggest issue is overcrowding at certain hotspots around the islands. So much so that, often, residents can’t enjoy these spots anymore. And even if they can access these areas, they often have to jump through hoops to do so. It’s even worse for those that live around these areas, as there is no relief from the crushing congestion and crowds.
Yes, tourism is vital to Hawaii’s economy. But, should it come at the expense of our resident’s quality of life? No. And that’s why the proposal came up to reserve popular hotspots for residents only on the weekend. After all, weekends are typically the only time residents can typically enjoy these areas. In contrast, visitors can usually visit these sites at any point throughout the week. So, to me, it makes sense.
My Take
As a child in the 90’s, I spent virtually every weekend at the beach with my grandparents. This almost always involved sustenance fishing on the North Shore. And the places we’d go to might come as a surprise to many since one spot was Waimea Bay. The perpetually crowded and justifiably famous beach wasn’t always so crowded. During Halalu (juvenile bigeye scad) season, fishers would crowd the shore to catch the fish, as well as larger predators that pursued them, such as the mighty Ulua (giant trevally). But, these days, aside from not being able to find parking, you wouldn’t be able to cast off from anywhere in the bay anyway.
Typically, though, my family would frequent Kawela Beach, which is closer to the Turtle Bay Resort. It isn’t exactly the kind of beach that visitors think of when they dream of Hawaii. After all, it’s a rocky beach lined with prickly ironwood trees. But it’s a great spot to fish for Oama (juvenile goatfish) and Ulua too. However, pre-pandemic, the beach was often PACKED too. So, the rest of my family and I don’t really ever go to these places anymore. Would we like to? You bet. But it’s just too much of a hassle these days.
Final Thoughts
It’s important to note that, again, this idea is just a proposal. We’re nowhere near this becoming an actual restriction. And let’s not forget that the State is already implementing its own capacity controls on Maui and Kauai. What’s more, as I mentioned at the beginning of this post, counties also have their own ideas under discussion. Either way, I am all for finding a way to better balance tourism and resident’s quality of life.
What do you guys think?
I think l will vacation in the Caribbean, they are more tourists friendly.
The thing is most mainlanders would need to do the same to teach them a lesson.
For a state that lives mostly from tourism and the DoD
Some people will happily shut up and pay all the non-resident fees left and right and not realize that this is pure xenophobia and apartheid.
Inclusivity at its best.
Overall I think they need to do a better job managing tourism and development. I’m thinking regulating timeshare and hotel development, limiting the number of flights etc. Expecting tourists to stay in tourist bubbles is not viable. I get they want to have their cake and eat it too.
Unfortunately, only the federal government can regulate air travel. Hotel development doesn’t appear to be an issue any longer either – it’s illegal vacation rentals, at least here on Oahu, that’s becoming a major problem. Regulating that, though, is difficult.
Illegal vacation rentals are an interesting problem. I love mixing with the locals and getting a secret illegal vacation rental in Kahala, Waimanalo, or Hawaii Kai. My favorite illegal vacation rental spot is actually on the Windward side either at Kailua or Lanikai.
This is typical racism and xenophobia from the people of Hawaii. They were the first to launch lawsuits about Trump’s immigration policies and Trump’s wall, but what they are doing is essentially the same.
HAwaii First.
As to mainlander, you are fine for bankrolling the economy, and paying all kind of car rental surcharges, hotel taxes but don;t dare show up on the beach.
Someone has to explain me why having non resident pay $10 +$10 to visit Diamond Head when locals do not. For what? To maintain a 0.5mile trail? Seriously? And you are going to tell me that all the taxes paid at airports, rental cars, hotels, and restaurant do not cover that?
Same for the Pali Highway lookout. It is a joke to believe that the almost deserted lookout which has been there for 40 years is now for pay for non residents. This has to be the joke of the day. Are vehicle tires of non residents more damaging than those of residents?
Jeff, I used to come every Summer to Hawaii in the 1990 and it was a much better place back then. You are nickel and diming the very people that are bankrolling your economy. If you feel that your parking spaces are too crowded, why not think for a minute and expand them. Do you really think that a 100 car parking for a beach the size of Waimea is adequate? Do you think that a car park with about 100 pax on Diamond Head is sufficient when you have plenty of green empty space around?
At the time of Woke, let me tell you that all of the great practices that you advocating/ supporting in the name of quality of life are all but inclusive. Isn’t that the very definition of apartheid.
Let’s hope that California does the same and starts having a Disney World for California Residents only during the week-end, same for Nevada and its casinos.
With a bit of luck, you are going to reserve Waimanalo Beach to residents only. After all, it is already occupied by all kinds of semi-permanent-residents hawaiians that are definitely not exulting the Aloha spirits.
I hope the federal government steps in and check the constitutionality of all these moves and the prevalent xenophobia that is underlying them. This said, there are many better places in the Pacific to get a Polynesian experience.
This isn’t a race thing as it would impact all visitors of all races equally. And think about it. You say Hawaii was a better place to visit in the 90s. Why? Because it was less crowded. Tourism numbers are substantially higher now than they were back then. Even tourists complain about it.
Regarding parking expansion, more often than not, this is not possible. Land is at a premium here and building a multi-level parking structure would be offputting from a visual standpoint. The same could be said with surrounding Diamond Head with parking. Building enough parking to accommodate everyone would destroy the natural beauty that attracts people in the first place. Plus, as noted in previous articles, scientists have found that, during the lockdown, wildlife returned to many busy locations around the islands. That helped push the idea of capacity limits along. Officials aren’t trying to balance only quality of life for residents, but environmental preservation as well.
Now, as far as fees are concerned, the state of Hawaii’s infrastructure and even the quality of our parks are always complaints we hear from visitors and locals alike. The money to make improvements to these items have to come from somewhere and increasing taxes isn’t an option. Wages in Hawaii are among the lowest in the nation when compared to our extremely high cost of living. And residents already pay taxes, such as income and property tax, that visitors do not. Yet, things continue to remain in poor condition. The only reasonable way to make improvements is to charge fees to help offset the expense of maintenance. Do you complain that the National Park Service has been increasing entry fees across the nation? Many of the more popular parks cost $20 to $30 to get into now. And states like California, Colorado, Florida, etc. already charge similar fees to non-residents access state parks. Where do you think Hawaii lawmakers got the idea from?
You do know that Disneyland has California-resident pricing, right? Las Vegas casinos also have resident-only perks and pricing, while the state of Nevada either charges lower fees for residents or admits them for free at state parks? So, again, the things Hawaii is proposing are not new.
It does not need to be a question of race.
Apartheid means living apart and it can be based on race but also on any other criteria of your liking. This is what you guys are suggesting here and the criteria is ‘belonging’.
The US population is increasing ay 0.5% per year every year. Eventually all places will be crowded. You have to live up with that. The Grand Canyon NP is crowded, Glacier NP is crowded….
If you think there are too many tourists, then why do Hawaii keeps issuing new hotel building permits? You guys went about with creating the multi thousand room artificial monstruosity of Ko’Olina and then complain about tourists? Sorry pick and choose…
Reduce the number of rooms and supply and demand will take care of the rest. But once the state pockets the dollars of tourists, it is too easy to exclude them from the good spots.
“You say Hawaii was a better place to visit in the 90s. Why? Because it was less crowded.”
Not really. I came back in February and there was no one. In April, there were more people but still fewer than in the 90’s. But that was not the reason. What was better back then is that tourists were not being viewed as just an ATM. Yes I remember circling the Hanauma Bay parking lot and Waimea parking lot to get a spot. But no I don’t remember being excluded or being the only one to pony up. The lifeguard costs the same for a resident or for a non-resident.
When you or your parents emigrated to Hawaii, locals could have said exactly the same. It is hypocritical of people who came here to now claim there are too many people. If you think so, then head to Molokai. there is one pretty empty beach all year long on the Western coast.
California Disney does not prevent non residents from accessing Disney during week-ends. Sorry but no, they don’t do that and this is what you are suggesting here. This is outright xenophobia and non-inclusive. Even if they were, two wrongs do not make a right.
Doesn’t this bother you that everything has to be inclusive nowadays, but suddenly you’re fine that the beaches become exclusive because you feel there are too many people?
“Regarding parking expansion, more often than not, this is not possible. Land is at a premium here and building a multi-level parking structure would be offputting from a visual standpoint. ”
The Waimea beach parking lot has not expanded a single car place since 1991 when I first came in. Sorry, but if rental-car, hotel, and airport tax/charge dollars are not going to maintain or grow the infrastructure despite the growth in tourist arrivals, where is it going? The new train? In 30 years of tourism growth, you have not found any other solution to increase parking spots by a single spot at one of the most popular beach on Oahu? Seriously?
And by the way, it is not only tourist nbrs that grow. In the 1990’s the South West side of oahu was not populated as much as it is now. It is now packed. So it is easy to blame the tourists for stealing your car park spot (Trump would have said your job by the way), but you are competing also with other residents as well.
“The same could be said with surrounding Diamond Head with parking.”
The crater is full of empty land not being used, including a gigantic green lawn. In any case, if you do not want to improve the infrastructure, why only charge the tourists with your non-inclusive paying schemes?
“Plus, as noted in previous articles, scientists have found that, during the lockdown, wildlife returned to many busy locations around the islands. That helped push the idea of capacity limits along.”
Of course they will. The same would happen in Los Angeles, in Venice Beach, in New York, like it did in Tchernobyl. Nothing to see there.
“The money to make improvements to these items have to come from somewhere and increasing taxes isn’t an option.”
Why is increasing tax not an option when increasing fees exclusively on non-residents is?
What you are doing is changing Diamond Head that used to be “pay for everyone” which is fair, to a non-inclusive pricing where some are discriminated against, and some get a free ride.
“Wages in Hawaii are among the lowest in the nation when compared to our extremely high cost of living”
Yes… so this warrants xenophobia and discriminatory practices? That warrants paying $8 to stop 5min at the Pali lookout, just because your ID says something else than HI?.
“high cost of living”
That tourists also have to pay for, when purchasing anything from McNuts to BigMacs to dinner at the Hau Tree and which helps fund the state with the GST.
” And residents already pay taxes, such as income and property tax, that visitors do not.”
Like in most other states. That helps to pay teachers for instance that tourists do not use.
“The only reasonable way to make improvements is to charge fees to help offset the expense of maintenance.”
Maybe but that is not the point. The point is why have discriminatory policies? and why try to prevent non locals from using these facilities when you guys want to?
Plus it remains to be seen if that helps do anything. Last I went, Diamond Head was using four employees just to collect the fees. That’s a lot of expenditures just to collect revenues….
Speaking of which, we are not even dealing with a proposal to increase fees for tourists, we are speaking of an outright ban on them. You might as well ban them for seven days per week and see the impact on your wage and cost of living.
“Do you complain that the National Park Service has been increasing entry fees across the nation?”
No I do not, because it is the same fee for most people (not all). Same benefits, same fees. No outright discrimination. No reserved days for the elite few.
February was empty because visitor arrivals still hadn’t rebounded. If you had come in March, it was as if there was no pandemic any longer. Maui, especially, was at 110% of their pre-pandemic arrival numbers. And, yes, Hawaii’s population has grown substantially since the 90s, but in recent years, we’re seeing residents flee the state thanks to our ever-increasing cost of living.
As far as non-resident pricing at state parks, you still haven’t given your opinion on the same practice happening in California, Colorado, Florida, and many more. If you have such a problem with Hawaii doing this, then surely you think those states are being xenophobic as well? Again, our lawmakers got the idea FROM those states.
Where’s the money going? Look around. The state is in the process of completing a Waikiki Beach rehabilitation process. The beach is literally eroding away, in part due to climate change. Kamehameha Highway along Oahu’s Windward Coast is crumbling into the sea thanks to rising sea levels. Hawaii has seen an explosion in our homeless population partly because the cost of living is becoming so much higher and partly because some states give their homeless a one-way ticket here to make them our problem. Hawaii also has other issues to contend with as a result of our history, such as providing Native Hawaiians – you know, the people here pre-contact – with homesteads as mandated by Congress as kind of a way to make amends for the overthrow of the monarchy. Yes, the train has been a boondoggle, but there are SO MANY competing needs. You only see what is most evident to you – you don’t actually understand what’s going on in this state or what life here is really like.
So, Diamond Head. You can’t turn the whole interior of the crater into a parking lot. Aside from being ugly as sin, further development isn’t possible as the crater is protected as a National Natural Landmark. What’s more, the crater is home to the National Guard’s hardened emergency operations center, as well as the Civil Defense’s operations center.
And, by the way, this proposal to ban tourists at certain spots on weekends is most likely not going to ever become an actual ban. It is entirely infeasible to enforce such a ban. What will likely happen is the implementation of fees and, perhaps, reservation requirements at more spots around the state. Sure, some people are all for this proposal, but I suspect many aren’t either. Residents in popular tourist destinations, whether that be Hawaii, California, Florida, etc. are will always have at least a small portion of their population advocating for these types of proposals.
But, I’m interested, what do YOU propose we do to better balance tourism. Remember, this isn’t only about quality of life for residents. This is also about creating a better experience for visitors – visitors often complain about how crowded it is here – and helping to preserve what’s left of our natural environment. Remember, Hawaii is the extinction capital of the world. And we’d very much like to save what we have left.
They are no better in California or Colorado. It is simply that COVID has exposed the latent resentment and xenophobia of Hawaii residents (not necessarily natives) towards outsiders and that was clearly shown with all the restrictions that were put in place there targetting exclusively mainlanders.
“The beach is literally eroding away, in part due to climate change.”
No t is not. It is eroding because this is an artificial man-made beach that had no reason to be in the first place. Let’s not bring climate change everywhere and for everyreason as the scapegoat of everything.
“But, I’m interested, what do YOU propose we do to better balance tourism”
Stop issuing building permits for monster resorts like Ko’Olina. I can tell you that in the early 90’s there were few resorts north of Kailua-Kona on the BI for instance. Now the coast is almost full of them until Hapuna Beach. No wonder then that by building 100,000 of hotel rooms (to pocket dollars) you get 100,000 of tourists. What were you expecting?
And you worry that tourists are not well behaved. Well, wait until the Spirit crowds gets in. Air transportation is democratizing tourism and there is little that you can do about it.
I don’t necesarily like it (in fact I don’t), but I also object to all the discriminatory and xenophobic practices – especially those emanating from the state that was always first in suing Trump left and right for, in fact, very similar behaviors to what you guys are proposing; except that your proposals are sugar-coated with quality-of-life bah blah blah. Speak about hypocrisy.
Kinda like the Facebook guy that claims to hate the Trump Wall and be all for inclusiveness, but the first thing he did once he built his compound on Kauai was to erect a gigantic wall all around… hahaha
Very disappointing. One of the reasons I go to Hawaii, is to mix with the locals. I don’t care for areas or beaches with tons of tourists. I avoid Waikiki like the plague, and love the local beach parks. And I think there is a move afoot to segregate locals from tourists and I have noticed that the discrimination cuts both ways. I have been at resort beaches and have seen locals turned away from beautiful beaches for lack of “parking”. Someday we will realize we are all Americans.
For now, this is just a proposal. Realistically, I don’t think this proposal will be implemented. And, yeah, beach access, especially ones fronting hotels, has long been an issue. Locals do frequent Waikiki Beach quite a bit, too, by the way! In fact, there’s been a lot of local kids using that sand staging area for the Waikiki Beach replenishment project as a playground – sliding down the big sandhill on boards, lol.
As for them vacation rentals… That’s a tough. Rentals popping up in areas with reasonable home prices are making more difficult for residents to purchase a home. Not only does it take a home out of the inventory, but it also contributes to our soaring real estate prices. There needs to be a better way to manage the situation – perhaps allow these rentals in more expensive locals like Kahala, but they really need to figure out enforcement first.
Hawaiians are just xenophobic trash. Time to remove all US infrastructure and support and abandon them to their grass huts.
So New York City implementing restrictions on museum access for non residents is agreeable?