The expected decline could cost the island more than $30 million per month in direct spending, based on state tourism data.
Tourism’s Tipping Point
With more than 10 million visitors a year, the skyrocketing expansion of Hawaii’s most lucrative industry is pushing the limits of the state’s beaches, hiking trails – and the state’s aloha spirit.
In an ongoing series, Civil Beat is exploring the future of tourism in Hawaii – and the critical question of how to balance the industry’s growth with sustainability.
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Air Travel’s Carbon Footprint Takes A Big Environmental Toll In Hawaii
Carbon emissions from planes are only now starting to get some of the attention as other troubling side effects caused by soaring numbers of tourists.
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How These Travel Hotspots Are Trying To Make Tourism Pay Its Own Way
From California to the Galapagos, overwhelmed tourist destinations are experimenting with ways to control the overflow and pay for repairing the damage.
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Measuring The Costs and Benefits of Windward Oahu Tourism
UH researchers are sending questionnaires to thousands of residents of Kailua, a once-sleepy beach town inundated by tourists in recent years
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Hawaii Struggles To Maintain Its Worn-Out Hiking Trails
“Honestly, we’re just trying to keep up with demand,” the state’s trails manager said.
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How Kailua Became A Tourist Town
Stunning beaches, Airbnbs and new developments transformed the town into a tourist hot spot — leaving some locals bemoaning a lost sense of community.
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9 Charts That Show How Hawaii Tourism Is Changing
From soaring numbers of visitors to declining rounds of golf, a by-the-numbers look at how the industry’s impacts have grown in Hawaii.
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10 Million Visitors: Can Hawaii Survive Its Own Popularity?
The impact of a growing army of tourists has government leaders and residents questioning how to better manage Hawaii’s largest industry.