Are you one of the visitors Hawaii wants? In other words, are you a “mindful visitor”? If so, Hawaii Tourism Authority welcomes you to the islands. According to reports, with details to follow, the agency is planing for a Maui travel recovery plan for “mindful visitors.”
If you’re a “mindful and respectful” European visitor, you are welcome as well.
Using the same verbiage, Hawaii is reaching out to Europe, where perhaps more “mindful” tourists can be found. A new entity entitled Hawaii Tourism Europe will be a venture by HTA empowered by the private company Emotive Travel Marketing.
“HTA is eager to rejuvenate our longstanding relationships in Europe and support this strengthening visitor source market to help drive economic recovery for Hawaii,” reports Daniel Nāho‘opi‘i of the HTA.
If you’re interested to learn more you can read the HTA press release here.
It elaborates the message that “Strategic efforts will educate European visitors about traveling mindfully and respectfully while supporting Hawaii’s communities and economy. Focus will also be placed on driving visitor spending…”
Hawaii Tourism Authority reaffirms Hawaii’s tourism direction.
“The brand marketing will be targeted to mindful travelers with an emphasis on lifetime trip expenditures and increasing per person, per day expenditures.”
Beat of Hawaii reports the HTA said that European visitors contributed $268M to Hawaii’s economy in 2019. That is small, however, in relation to overall visitor spending in Hawaii, which was $1.91 B in 2019 and $2.18 B in 2022.
The new Hawaii tourism buzzword is “mindful.”
I’m thinking you’d agree that we are all expected to behave appropriately whether we are traveling within Hawaii, in Europe, or anywhere, right? But what exactly is Hawaii expecting of its visitors?
Beat of Hawaii has an interesting take on this.
You can also read more about how the HTA make its decisions and why is it so heavily criticized.
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Final Thoughts
One can easily be made to feel that the HTA uses “mindful” to mean high-spending visitors. The current governor has gone on record saying he seeks to reduce low-spending tourism. If the HTA doesn’t mean to equate “mindful” with high spending they can surely clear up this impression. Seems to me anyone who chooses to visit Hawaii rather than many other less expensive destinations is already a high-spending visitor.
What’s your take when a destination creates messages like this? Does it dissuade you from visiting?
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9 comments
How absurd. The prices are so high now there is no such thing as “low spending” tourism in Hawaii. And does this mean the governor does not want tourists who support food trucks and low priced restaurants??
I don’t need to visit overpriced Hawaii anymore except on points. Then he will get $0 in lodging revenue or taxes.
To us, “mindful tourism” doesn’t mean spending more money. As long-time regular visitors to the islands (particularly Maui), we’ve had many conversations with locals. While they appreciate and welcome tourists, they are very concerned that, since the pandemic ended, many more visitors treat the islands as “party time” and exhibit the attitude that because they throw money around, they can do whatever they want and disregard rules or common sense. This seems to be particularly true of visitors from the US. We’ve personally seen this on the beaches and the Road to Hana. If more of us would practice “Malama”, we think local attitudes would change.
You make a good point, K. Relationships are reciprocal. Appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.
This isn’t about politics Boraxo, this is about common decency and respect for the people, nature and history of Hawaii. It’s fair for the tourism authority to assume higher spenders and going to be perhaps better educated, better attuned and in a better position to treat the island with respect (not to say someone who visits and dines on the amazing food trucks or camps. vs a hotel isn’t respectful).
The island as a cheap “party time” destination needs to end. And it sure is getting expensive so part of that is weeding itself out. Just like over-touristed cities like Amsterdam and Barcelona are doing, it’s more than fair that Hawaii subtly market itself NOT as a place where visitors can do whatever they want and disregard rules or common sense.
I also encourage the Governor and Tourism Authority to scold and cajole hotels to provide better value and more transparency. The resort fees and other add-on fees are out of hand. Tourists are indeed responding to the greed.
Three well-said, good points, SP. Mahalo for taking the time to comment.
I lived in Hawaii for 16 years. My late wife’s ashes were placed in our favorite bay and my current wife and I were married on the beach of that same bay. I has a business there and have a huge numbers of friends there. My wife and I will return there in the fall to celebrate our 7th anniversary. My heart will always be in Hawaii, but because of how expensive it is to vacation now, it will be our last trip there until my ashes are scattered into my favorite bay.
Well said, Skypeso! I would really hate for Hawaii to become the next Cancun.
I am just completing 2 weeks on Oahu (Ko Olina) and really tired of hearing about keeping everything “pristine and natural” etc. They could start by rounding up all the homeless with their trash and shopping carts littering the beaches and parks. I’ve been visiting Hawaii for 25 years now, but not sure I’ll continue, especially with the prices getting out of hand and charging for parking everywhere you go.
No comment on the content, but MUST you present it in a tiny, light-gray font? This is a HORRIBLE reading experience. If you designed this website yourself, please engage a professional and re-do it. If you paid a professional to do it, you got ripped off and should ask for your money back.