MAUI, Hawaii — Hawaii is a popular destination right now, but maybe it is a little too popular.
As Americans hit the road again this summer, after the long pandemic, many are making plans to visit Hawaii, but Hawaiian One Island is now asking airlines to slow down because they cannot handle the tourist boom.
Normally, Hawaii welcomes tourists, a major source of the island’s state income, but the mayor of Maui County is asking airlines to pause their return to full flights.
The mayor says the island is being overrun by tourists this summer and says there aren’t enough hospitality workers to support the surge.
More than 170,000 people flew into the state over the 4th of July, according to state officials, which has left vacationers complaining of pricey hotel rooms, sold-out rental cars and long waits at airports and restaurants because the hospitality industry is not back up to full steam.
Plus, the continued rental car crisis can be placed in the “doesn’t that stink file.”
A weekly rental can now run well over a thousand dollars, if you can find one, because agencies don’t have enough cars. Some savvy tourists have been renting U-Haul trucks for $25 a day, now resulting in a U-Haul shortage.
If you are thinking of Hawaii, check the hotel and rental car prices before you hunt for airfares. That way, you’ll know if it’s affordable so you don’t waste your money.
