Overtourism seems to be one of the reasons why many do not want to come back to the islands. Additional taxes and high prices are other ones.
Despite the fact that 90% of respondents said they would recommend a vacation to Hawaii to friends and family, more travelers said they would not return ever or in 5 years compared to the 2021 results.
In a survey of nearly 4,000 tourists, a large percentage of Americans and Canadians, who make up the majority of visitors to Hawaii, said they just would not return.
The Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) recently released an official report detailing the results of a recent 2022 visitor satisfaction survey. The conclusions were contentious: visitors were overwhelmingly pleased with their travel experiences but did not want to return anytime soon, mainly because of high prices.
A few months ago, John De Fries, President, and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA), highlighted why Hawaii was rapidly growing in popularity: “An essential component of Hawai‘i’s sustained recovery, the increase in visitor satisfaction during the first quarter is attributable to the numerous, hardworking individuals in our community – from the flight attendants and front desk agents to the stewards of our natural and cultural resources to the musicians and entertainers, and the shop owners and restaurant servers.”
Reasons why visitors won’t be coming back:
Locals are tired of tourists: Local mayor recently asked airlines to cut the number of flights to the islands after locals and authorities protested openly about the excessive number of tourists.
Travelers can now visit foreign countries: Hawaii was the ideal vacation spot during the pandemic, not only because of its stunning beaches, pleasant climate and fantastic attractions but also because there were not as many other options. Travelers can now visit far-off places that are less expensive.
High cost: With an average hotel price of $371 per night, Hawaii is the most expensive place to stay in the United States. Maui is the most costly island and the average cost of a luxury hotel is $887.