To navigate the love-hate relationship that has come to define Hawaii tourism, we look beyond our beautiful beaches, lush tropical landscapes, and vibrant cultures. What became a dream destination for U.S. travelers and those worldwide is fast-changing, and the future is anything but straightforward.

Behind what once appeared as a postcard of tropical perfection stands a complex relationship between Hawaii, the tourism industry, and its loyal visitors. While tourism remains the industry that in many ways sustains Hawaii, contradictory emotions have reached a new level of palpable tension between that which brings economic prosperity to some and the destruction of the Hawaii of old to others.

Hawaii tourism isn’t a panacea.

While Hawaii tourism is often referred to as the state’s financial lifeblood, employing the largest part of our workforce and bringing in billions of dollars each year, it has by no means been a panacea for all.

For many residents, tourism provides essential income and job opportunities, making it indispensable for their livelihoods. But, the vast majority of the jobs that travel creates and supports are lower-paying ones that do not keep pace with the cost of living in Hawaii. That is true across Hawaii travel, and includes most people employed by airlines, hotels, restaurants, activities, entertainment, and more.

Rich and Famous Kauai

Not only has Hawaii become accessible to regular visitors, but it has evolved as an affordable place for the rich and famous to buy up land. As Hawaii became a most sought-after destination for travelers seeking a paradisaical vacation, the islands also called to those with great wealth, power, and fame. Celebrities and business moguls have been drawn here and have acquired large and prime real estate for lavish estates and private walled and guarded retreats.

Some of those most associated with Hawaii land acquisition include Oprah Winfrey’s on Maui, and Mark Zuckerberg’s expansive real estate holdings and mega-estate on Kauai. These and other high-profile land grabs have transformed Hawaii’s high-end luxury real estate market, and contributed to Hawaii’s reputation as the playground of the rich and famous.

They have also added to the great disparity between the have’s and the have-nots in Hawaii and may have negatively impacted the view of visitors towards Hawaii. Despite the challenges, the allure of Hawaii continues to attract the rich and famous. This presents yet another complexity in the Hawaii tourism story that reveals some of the challenges we face in Hawaii today.

Outrigger's Rundown New Hawaii Hotel Has 60% "Unreliable Reviews"

The visitor influx has challenged Hawaii’s environment and its woefully inadequate infrastructure.

These small remote islands have fragile ecosystems under constant pressure from overtourism, pollution, and the strain of accommodating ten million visitors annually. The result is overcrowding, traffic, and damage to coral reefs and Hawaii’s marine life. Popular destinations throughout the state grapple with these issues.

Commercialization of the Hawaiian culture has also long raised often unspoken issues related to cultural appropriation and sheer exploitation. The essence of Hawaiian culture has largely been turned into commodities of profit, but not for those whose culture it is.

Enters Hawaii housing crisis.

Hawaii’s housing crisis has now placed even renting out of the range of many residents and resulted in homeless camps that visitors then complain about seeing. Those who live here sincerely struggle to find and keep affordable housing, leading to further resentment towards tourism and visitors.

Hawaii needs to find some balance between economic growth, environmental and cultural preservation, visitors and residents. There is a growing recognition in Hawaii of the importance of preserving culture and natural resources for future generations. In how Hawaii tries to navigate this, visitors sometimes find their animosity. You see it across thoughts and comments on Beat of Hawaii.

Hawaii tourism dates back to ocean travel in the early 20th century.

Then, wealthy travelers from the mainland started visiting Hawaii. It was new, and it was serious adventure travel. Few people could afford the time and expense associated with steamship travel here.

Steamship travel had a pivotal role in Hawaii travel for over a century.

Matson, the familiar name we know for the transportation of materials essential to Hawaii today, was once instead known for steaming affluent visitors here in luxurious accommodations with fine dining and entertainment. The company was essential in the early years, promoting Hawaii as an exotic adventure destination, and it helped set Hawaii’s role in global travel thereafter.

Starting in 1908, Matson sailed a 51 passenger ship here from the West Coast. And by 1910, a 146-passenger ship joined, which made Hawaii travel as enviable as Europe.

Even earlier, sugar company Spreckel’s began steamship services in 1881. Spreckel’s captain was none other than William Matson, who went on to be a huge force in Hawaii travel in 1882, when tourism began from San Francisco and in 1914, from Los Angeles.

Did you know that Matson was one of the developers of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and had ownership in other Hawaii hotels?

Hawaii’s role as a “premium” global destination isn’t new.

More than 20,000 visitors traveled to Hawaii in the early 1900’s. That grew to 1 million annual visitors by the 1960s, when jet travel kicked in, skyrocketing to today’s ten million.

After WWII, Hawaii travel was off to the races.

In 1941, Pearl Harbor inserted Hawaii into the global travel spotlight forever. A surge in tourism followed as visitors sought to see Hawaii for the first time or to return following service. Iconic attractions like Waikiki Beach became bucket-list destinations for visitors worldwide. The post-WWII boom would soon be met with yet another extravaganza that would lay the groundwork for Hawaii travel of today.

Pan Am 707 Honolulu

Even before jets arrived, there was Pan Am, United Airlines, Northwest, and others. Commercial flights to Hawaii started in 1936. They resumed with a vengeance following WWII.

Hawaii travel expanded exponentially as jets greatly reduced the time and expense of getting to Hawaii. The islands became easily accessible to far more people. With that came new marketing initiatives to drive even more visitors by the travel industry, including the airlines. They successfully promoted that which needed little help: Hawaii’s spectacular beauty and attractions. Luxury resorts seemingly everywhere came to support that influx of tourists. All of this changed the literal face of Hawaii, and in many ways, not for the better.

However, alongside the economic benefits of tourism came a host of challenges.

Those included environmental degradation, cultural exploitation, and increasing social inequality. Concerns about over development, pollution, and the erosion of Hawaiian culture and community started to prompt outcries for tourism regulation as the state has sought to balance economic benefit with self-preservation.

Understanding Hawaii’s complex ambivalence with tourism.

Grasping this conundrum in Hawaii travel takes patience and willingness on everyone’s part. Tourism in the islands has both benefits and pitfalls. And answers on how to go forward from here aren’t coming easily. Understanding Hawaii’s understandable uncertainty about tourism involves recognizing the industry’s vital economic contributions and legitimate concerns about travel’s multi-faceted negative impact. Balancing these competing interests will require a new level of sophistication and nuance.

We welcome your input!