Does it seem like the tourists are back? (Honolulu, Hilo: rental car, foreclosed) - Hawaii (HI) - City-Data Forum

hotzcatz · 02-19-2011, 07:57 PM

Maybe it's ferocious winter weather on the mainland, maybe folks are just tired of not having any fun anymore and are just going on vacation, but does it seem to you that the tourists are coming back now? It seemed that half the cars we saw today were rentals. Anybody else notice more tourist activity lately?

My personal pet theory is all these folks who have been foreclosed on now over the past several years no longer have mortgage payments and are now able to afford better vacations. Not to mention the hotels have discounted rooms somewhat lately, too.

So have you seen more tourists and why do you think they are back?

nwcountrygal · 02-19-2011, 08:20 PM

100% I started wintering here in Hawaii in 08. So really other than my working days in Honolulu 10+ years ago, I have been here on Big Island since things went really downhill. Dang it is busy in my mind! Camping in where we go on Kona side used to have the entire place to ourself. Maybe some locals come... no water etc. Last week camping I counted over 27 cars in parking lot. Weekend am woke up to 14 tents! During the day rental car after another just kept coming.

When in Kona or even Hilo seems more people. The road I live on is really you got to come find it. Walking dogs rentals passing entire time. Used to be maybe couple a week. Went on a whale tour that my friend works on last week. Last couple of yers 15 -20 people maybe mid week in am. Two buses of people on the boat. They said it has been really steady this season. In Puna seeing at least two to four plus tour vans daily.

Why? uhmm is an interesting question and if you/I had the answer be rich! Just my opinion doesn't mean much. The resturaunt I work at in AK Upperscale for area. Last year almost broke all time record only second to in 28 years of business. Girlfriend that has charter boat up there also did great last summer. The other business was hurting that was on the lower end of price.

I think the baby boomeres are retireing (maybe by not choice but are) and have saved some. I think the rich are still comfortable and will go to places like Hawaii and Alaska for a experience. And the younger gen is saying hell with it.. I am going to go somewhere warm/alternative. Also prices last couple of years hasn't been too bad if you shop and don't want the resort world.

I also think people are tired of living in fear and if have the means to go be warm they are. Just my opinion however. Go Hawaii stimulas (please don't everyone camp by me! and talk to me all the time!

KonaKat · 02-19-2011, 08:44 PM

All our vacation rentals have been booked solid from Christmas thru end of March and some into April. Only a few days here and there available. We manage rather expensive large ocean front condos in Kona/Keauhou, and some smaller 1 BR ones. None that I know of are people who are in financial distress desiring to "escape" for awhile. They are well-off folks who were just a bit frugal and cautious the last couple of years and now are feeling a little more at ease with spending $4000 a month plus in Hawaii for the winter.

Actually last winter we were pretty well booked, too but this year is totally packed.

Balad1 · 02-19-2011, 10:35 PM

Tourism is on the up swing but most visitors are still not spending more than they have to.

nwcountrygal · 02-19-2011, 11:04 PM

rolling eyes my aunt is here - recent retire. Is really stimulating the budget in Puna.. Doesn't listen to me. And what is spending more than have too? Leilani $3000 a month... it is a nice house but...retirement prestant. This is my basis of baby boomers comeing over.

Mar0 · 02-20-2011, 11:07 AM

I work at a hotel and we actually had a really successful 2010 and are looking good for 2011. However, our average rate is still soft and out extra revenues are still down.

hotzcatz · 02-20-2011, 01:29 PM

Hmm, it seems most of the bookings are for the winter? How seasonally specific is our tourist season? Do we get most of them during the wintertime on the mainland? Generally, on the mainland, vacation time is when the kids are out of school, isn't it? However, most of the tourists who get to Hawaii are more of the high end type, I would think, so perhaps they aren't so tied into school schedules.

Hopefully, this means more folks will be employed again!

leilaniguy · 02-20-2011, 02:14 PM

There seems to be a steady stream of Roberts buses and Mustang convertibles coming and going on the road to Kalapana. Go volcano, go!

mdand3boys · 02-20-2011, 04:12 PM

The main increase on the Big Island has been from the cruise ships - but those cruises get scheduled at least a year in advance. Granted, the tourists might be booking that cruise only a couple months in advance, but those ship arrivals are way up. Each Thursday, the Tribune-Herald publishes the next week's arrivals with passenger counts, on the front page of the Business section, generally, page B1.
This week, Mon, Tues, and Thurs all have 2000+ passenger totals arriving.
The bad part is that these are "day people". They might buy one lunch, might rent a car, but many probably go on the bus tours. Other than that, they really don't spend much money that floats through the economy. A lot of them even walk from the ships to downtown Hilo - instead of getting a cab. That's a long walk...

hotzcatz · 02-21-2011, 12:00 AM

Yeah, the cruise ships are in port for mere hours each stop instead of a day and they feed the folks real well on those ships so the passengers aren't buying much food in port. However, that food that is going onto the ship to feed the passengers has to come from someplace! Hopefully it's Hawaii's farmers who are selling the food to the cruise ships.