Are Tourists Welcome in Hawaii? What 5 Native Hawaiians Say
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If you spend much time reading about Hawaii travel, you can come away with two very different messages.
One says Hawaii needs visitors. Tourism supports jobs, businesses, and families across the islands.
The other says tourism has created real problems. Crowding. Pressure on the land. Higher costs. Frustration from residents who sometimes feel like their home is being treated like a product.
In this episode, we cover:
- Why your vacation day is someone else’s everyday life
- Why Native Hawaiian voices should tell the story of Hawaii
- What ʻāina means beyond simply “land”
- Why respect is more than a list of things not to do
- The tension between Hawaii’s reliance on tourism and the pressures residents face
- What James Kiko says about whether visitors should still come
- Why an open mind may matter more than trying to be the “perfect” visitor
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So if you’re planning a trip, it’s fair to wonder:
Are tourists welcome in Hawaii?
I’m not Hawaiian, and I don’t think I’m the person who gets to answer that question for Hawaii.
But over nearly nine years of hosting the Hawaii’s Best podcast, I’ve had the privilege of having conversations with Native Hawaiians about visitors, culture, the land, tourism, and what they wish people understood before coming.
For this episode, I went back and listened to five of those conversations again.
I didn’t hear one universal answer.
But I did hear a few themes that have changed how I think about my own role as a visitor.
Hawaii Is Someone’s Home Before It’s Your Vacation
Kamaka Pili said something in one of our conversations that has stayed with me for years.
“Your vacation day is our work day.”
His point was simple.
You may be in Hawaii to relax. You’re going to the beach, trying a new restaurant, driving around looking for a place to park, or taking your time because you have nowhere you need to be.
The person behind you may be trying to get to work.
Someone else is picking up their kids.
Another person is buying groceries, paying bills, and trying to make ends meet.
That sounds obvious, but I know I’ve forgotten it before.
Then Kamaka said something that, for me, gets to the heart of this whole conversation:
“We’re the storytellers of our home, not the commercials.”
That line is one of the main reasons I wanted to put this episode together.
If we want to understand Hawaii better, maybe we need to spend a little less time learning about it only through what gets marketed to us and a little more time listening to people whose home it is.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy your vacation.
You should.
It just means remembering that Hawaii does not stop being somebody’s home because you’re on vacation.
The Land Is More Than the View
Kahanuola Solatorio, also known as Kahanui, helped me understand another part of this.
In our conversation, he talked about the meaning of aina, or land.
“Land means so much to our people because that’s where we get our food, our resources.”
Then he said:
“We are a part of the land.”
I can travel to Hawaii, look at a mountain, valley, or beach, and think, “Wow, this is beautiful.”
And there’s nothing wrong with that.
But what Kahanui is talking about goes much deeper than scenery.
He’s talking about food. Resources. Family. Identity. Where you come from.
I don’t pretend to fully understand that connection because I didn’t grow up with it.
But I can listen to it.
And I think understanding that there’s more happening than what we see as visitors can change the way we move through these places.
Suddenly, respecting an area isn’t only about obeying a sign because somebody told you to.
There’s a reason behind it.
That idea also lines up with Hawaii’s official responsible travel guidance, which describes the land and ocean as part of Hawaii’s home and asks visitors to treat them with respect.
Respect Is Bigger Than a List of Rules
Ekolu Lindsey of Maui Cultural Lands gave me another way to think about this.
He said:
“Share the aloha. Share the love and compassion for each other, for the land, the space you exist in.”
And then he added something important:
“Take that home and share it with your families.”
I like that because he doesn’t stop at taking care of Hawaii while you’re there.
He talks about taking something home with you.
We talk a lot about respectful Hawaii travel, and it can quickly turn into a checklist.
- Don’t trespass.
- Don’t park where you shouldn’t.
- Don’t get too close to wildlife.
- Don’t ignore posted signs.
Those things matter, and I’ve covered them in my 7 Things Not to Do in Hawaii article.
But I think Ekolu is describing something bigger.
It’s more about how you carry yourself.
How you treat people.
How you treat the land.
And whether your time in Hawaii changes anything about how you see the place after you leave.
But Do People Actually Want Tourists in Hawaii?
This is where we get back to the question that brought me here in the first place.
You can hear all of this and still think:
Okay. I understand that Hawaii is somebody’s home. I understand that I need to respect the land and the people.
But do people actually want me there?
James Kiko talked about that tension more directly than almost anyone I’ve had on the podcast.
He first talked about the pressure Native Hawaiian families can feel trying to stay in Hawaii.
At one point he said:
“I grew up here, generations of my family. I am Hawaiian. Can I stay here?”
Then, in the same answer, he talked about visitors.
“We rely on people to come here and enjoy Hawaii… but we want them to come with respect.”
And his advice was straightforward:
“Respect the place and then leave places better than you find it.”
James isn’t speaking for every Native Hawaiian.
Neither are the other people in this article.
But I think his answer shows why this gets distorted when the conversation becomes either:
“Hawaiians don’t want tourists.”
Or:
“Hawaii needs tourism, so everything is fine.”
Both are too simple.
Tourism remains a major part of Hawaii’s economy. According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, visitors spent $21.75 billion in Hawaii in 2025, tourism generated $3.04 billion in state tax revenue, and the industry supported about 222,000 local jobs.
At the same time, residents continue to raise concerns about tourism.
In the statewide Spring 2025 Resident Sentiment Survey, 58% of residents agreed that tourism had brought more benefits than problems.
But residents who saw more problems than benefits pointed to environmental damage, overcrowding, lack of respect for culture and land, traffic, and higher costs among their biggest concerns.
That survey represents Hawaii residents generally, not Native Hawaiians specifically.
But it helps show why this conversation isn’t as simple as “tourism good” or “tourism bad.”
Maybe the Goal Isn’t Being the Perfect Hawaii Visitor
Anela Evans gave me one of my favorite ways to bring this down to something practical.
She said she would ask visitors to:
“Come to Hawaii with an open mind.”
She talked about being willing to learn new ideas, concepts, and values.
And then she said:
“If you did indeed learn from Hawaii, then to take it home with you and share with others what you’ve learned.”
I really like that.
Because I know there are visitors who are almost afraid of doing something wrong now.
They read enough comments online and start feeling like they have to become the perfect Hawaii visitor or somebody is going to call them out for making a mistake.
I don’t think that’s the point.
I know I’ve gotten things wrong over the years. I’m still learning.
Maybe the goal isn’t perfection. Maybe it’s being willing to listen.
Being willing to learn. Knowing that you’re entering somebody else’s home.
And being open enough to let Hawaii change you a little instead of spending the whole trip trying to get as much as possible out of it.
So, Are Tourists Welcome in Hawaii?
I don’t think five Native Hawaiians can answer that question for every Native Hawaiian, every Hawaii resident, or every island.
And I certainly can’t.
But when I went back through these conversations, I kept coming back to the same thought.
What I hear isn’t “don’t come.”
It’s:
Come differently.
Come knowing Hawaii is home.
Listen to people whose home you’re visiting.
Learn something beyond what you saw in an advertisement or on social media.
Respect the land and the people around you.
And hopefully leave Hawaii with more than photos, souvenirs, and a tan.
Maybe you leave with a better understanding of where you just were.
That, to me, is what being a better Hawaii visitor looks like.
Hear These Native Hawaiian Voices for Yourself
I can quote Kamaka, Kahanui, Ekolu, James, and Anela here.
But this is one of those topics where I think hearing them say these things in their own voices matters.
That’s why I put this episode together.
Listen to Episode 262: Are Visitors Welcome in Hawaii? What 5 Native Hawaiians Have to Say
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Transcript
262_Are Visitors Welcome in Hawaii? What 5 Native Hawaiians Have to Say
[00:00:00] Tourism Tension Intro
[00:00:00] Bryan Murphy: If you have followed Hawaii travel over the past several years, you probably notice attention. Residents asking for more respect and less tourists, visitors wondering if they’re even wanted, and mixed messages about tourism in Hawaii. Now, I’m not Hawaiian and I’m not here to speak for Hawaii.
[00:00:18] Voices Lead The Question
[00:00:18] Bryan Murphy: So in this episode, I went back to several conversations I’ve had with native Hawaiians, and I want to let their voices lead this topic.
[00:00:27] Bryan Murphy: Our visitors welcome in Hawaii. Aloha and welcome to Hawaii’s Best. I’m Brian Murphy, Hawaii destination expert and your personal guide to planning an unforgettable trip to Hawaii. If you’ve listened to this podcast over the last, I don’t know, maybe since the beginning, like eight years ago, almost nine years ago, I’ve had the privilege of having some amazing guests on the podcast.
[00:00:50] Bryan Murphy: And it was fun going back through some of these conversations, specifically with these five Hawaiians I’ve had on the podcast. And I want to share their message with you, what they’ve actually said about visitors and how to show up in Hawaii that is still relevant to today. And by the end of this episode, you’ll have a better understanding of why there’s so much tension around tourism in Hawaii.
[00:01:12] Bryan Murphy: We’ll also discuss what respect actually looks like when you’re there on island and how to approach your trip without feeling like you’re walking on eggshells the whole time or doing something wrong and you, you don’t even know it. We’re also gonna come back to the big question of our visitors actually welcome in Hawaii?
[00:01:30] Bryan Murphy: Because one of these conversations I feel really directly answers this question.
[00:01:35] Kamaka On Real Hawaii
[00:01:35] Bryan Murphy: So to kick it off, we’re gonna start with Kamaka Pile. He’s a culture practitioner on the island of Oahu. And this came from a conversation we had a couple years ago about visiting Hawaii with Aloha. There’s really a lot to unpack in this clip.
[00:01:50] Kamaka Pili: As much as tourists come here and enjoy this as their vacation and their trip, native Hawaiians and people who call Hawaii home, your vacation day is our work day and a day for us to try to survive and pay the bills and go to check by check. You know, so when you come here, it’s not just a destination.
[00:02:07] Kamaka Pili: When you’re coming to Hawaii, it’s unlike any other place in the world. You know, there is a essence of those deeper layers and understandings if it’s not Waikiki, if it’s not O’ahu, if it’s not our culture. So by me sharing Aloha with the world is hopefully trying to capture if you’re gonna take home stories of Hawaii, take it from us as storytellers.
[00:02:27] Kamaka Pili: We’re the storytellers of our home, not the commercials.
[00:02:31] Vacation Vs Workday
[00:02:31] Bryan Murphy: And really for me, that last line is the whole reason why I wanted to do this episode. Kamaki says, “We’re the storytellers of our home, not the commercials.” And I think there are actually two things in what Kamaka just said that are worth sitting with.
[00:02:45] Bryan Murphy: One is that reminder that your vacation day is somebody else’s regular workday. They’re, they’re working, they’re paying bills, they’re trying to make ends meet, they’re just trying to live their life. And I know that sounds obvious, but when you’re on vacation, it’s really easy to forget that. And I’ve been there and I forget that from time to time as well.
[00:03:07] Bryan Murphy: And, and then there’s the other piece of, if we’re trying to understand Hawaii better, maybe we should spend a little bit more time listening to the people who call at home. And Kamaka is really a great person to do that. And the next person that I wanna share with you is another. They both of these have great platforms that I’m gonna link e- everybody in this episode.
[00:03:27] Bryan Murphy: I’m gonna link below where you can learn directly from them and follow them on their socials.
[00:03:32] Quick Podcast Support
[00:03:32] Bryan Murphy: But real quick, if this podcast has helped you in any way plan a better Hawaii trip or maybe just understand Hawaii a little bit better, would you just take like 30 seconds and leave a review on Apple Podcasts?
[00:03:44] Bryan Murphy: If you’re listening on Apple right now, just scroll down to ratings and reviews and tap write a review. It really means a lot to me and it’s one of the biggest ways you can help support this show and help other people who love Hawaii just as much as you be able to find it.
[00:03:58] Kahanui On Aina
[00:03:58] Bryan Murphy: Next person I want to introduce you to or maybe reintroduce you to is Kahanuela Solatorio or Kahanui, as he likes to be called.
[00:04:05] Bryan Murphy: We have had him on the podcast a few times. I wanna say maybe he’s been on the, on the show like three times. But this is from, I think one of his first times on the podcast because one of the things I’ve learned over the years is that I can look at Hawaii one way as a visitor and somebody who’s from Hawaii can be looking at the exact same thing through a completely different lens.
[00:04:28] Bryan Murphy: The land is a really good example of what I mean by that.
[00:04:32] Kahanui: So Aina is very important to the Hawaiian people and Aina just simply means land. Land means so much to our people because that’s where we get, you know, our food, our resources. If you’re born here, you know you have a connection to the land that no one can ever take away because we are a part of the land.
[00:04:50] Kahanui: So we are definitely connected and binded to the land no matter who you are. If you’re born here and if you’re Hawaiian especially, then you have that connection to the land that is pa – it’s secure. It’s always gonna be there for you. So it’s a cool way to think about it.
[00:05:05] Respect Beyond Rules
[00:05:05] Bryan Murphy: That phrase, “We are part of the land,” I think that really stuck with me because I can go to Hawaii and look at mountains, valley, beach, and I think, “Wow, this is beautiful, the coal out range.
[00:05:15] Bryan Murphy: It’s, it’s amazing and it’s, and it’s all just picturesque. But what Kahanui is talking about is something much deeper than just scenery. He’s talking about connection, food, resources, family, where you come from. And I don’t pretend to fully understand that connection, but I can listen to it, learn, and understand.
[00:05:33] Bryan Murphy: And I think even just understanding that there’s more going on than what we see as visitors can really change the way we move through the islands because then respect starts becoming more than just following a rule because you’re not supposed to do that or staying behind a sign or not going to that place.
[00:05:52] Bryan Murphy: It starts to have more of a why behind it. It becomes more about how you carry yourself while you’re there.
[00:06:00] Ikolu Share Aloha
[00:06:00] Bryan Murphy: Ikolo Lindsay on the island of Maui, he runs Maui Cultural Lands. Highly recommend it if you are visiting Maui. He’s over on the west side, just out of Lahaina and it’s a great experience. My wife and I, we’ve done this volunteering in the Honuku Valley Valley through Maui culture lands.
[00:06:17] Bryan Murphy: And this is what Ikolu had to say a bit.
[00:06:20] Ekolu Lindsey: In the end, share the aloha. Share the love and compassion for each other, for the land, the space you exist in, but also like, you know, take that home and share it with your families.
[00:06:30] Bryan Murphy: I like that because he doesn’t just stop with take care of Hawaii while you’re here.
[00:06:34] Bryan Murphy: He talks about taking it with you, taking it home, the love, the compassion, the way you treat the land, the way you treat other people. I think that’s easy to miss sometimes, especially if you just view your visit to Hawaii as just another vacation. We talked a lot about visiting respectfully on this podcast and usually that turns into a list of things not to do.
[00:06:57] Bryan Murphy: Don’t park here, don’t cross the line, don’t go on that hike and, you know, don’t get too close to wildlife. And those things do matter, but what Ikolo is describing feels bigger than just a checklist.
[00:07:09] Are Visitors Welcome
[00:07:09] Bryan Murphy: It’s more of a mindset, and this is where I want to come back to the question we started with, because you can hear all of these things and still be thinking to yourself, “Okay, I understand that Hawaii is somebody’s home.
[00:07:19] Bryan Murphy: I understand that I need to respect the land and people, all that good stuff, but do people actually want visitors in Hawaii?” Well, James Kiko on the island of Oahu, he’s a local business owner, B-Side Kitchen, a great spot over just outside of, uh, Waikiki, great restaurant. He talked about that tension very directly, and I think it’s important to hear his whole though because he doesn’t just pretend the issue is simple.
[00:07:47] James On Economy Stress
[00:07:47] James Kiko: Just knowing the history of what the Hawaiian people went through, just know that they’re coming into somebody’s home, not just a vacation destination. This is where we work, we live, and just understanding living in Hawaii is not easy. The prices to live in your own home has skyrocketed. Like it tripled in the last 50 years, it’s insane.
[00:08:12] James Kiko: And just to stay, it’s a struggle. So there’s a little stress that people have too besides just living. You have that anxiety of, “Am I gonna be able to stay here? I grew up here, generations of my family. I am Hawaiian. Can I stay here?” It’s a worry. And we rely on people to come here and enjoy Hawaii and, you know, but we want them to come with respect and, you know, leave home with great memories and a really nice tan.
[00:08:38] James Kiko: Our economy relies on tourism and just know that when they come here, respect the place and then leave places better than you find it.
[00:08:47] Bryan Murphy: I mean, to me, that’s probably the clearest answer to this whole episode, and I want to be careful with how I say it. James is speaking for himself. He’s not speaking on behalf of every native Hawaiian or every person who lives in Hawaii, but just listen to what he held together in the same answer.
[00:09:04] Bryan Murphy: There’s real stress and tension around being able to afford to stay in the place where your family is from, and there’s an economy that relies heavily on tourism. And his answer isn’t, “Don’t come.” It’s basically come, but understand where you are. Come with respect, travel with aloha, leave with great memories, get a great tan, and leave the place better than you found it.
[00:09:29] Bryan Murphy: If not for your neighbor, but for your children or your children’s children to be able to enjoy this incredible place that is Hawaii for generations to come.
[00:09:38] Come Differently Mindset
[00:09:38] Bryan Murphy: And, and when I listen back to all of these conversations together, it’s probably the phrase I keep coming back to is what I hear is, is not don’t come, but it’s come differently.
[00:09:50] Annella Practical Guidance
[00:09:50] Bryan Murphy: And I think Annella Evans, she’s a cultural practitioner on the island of Lena’i, she gives a really good picture of what that could look like practically.
[00:10:00] Anela Evans: Well, I’d ask them to come to Hawaii with an open mind and with the mindset that is willing to learn new ideas, new concepts, new values, and really allowing oneself to be, I guess, receptive to, you know, what life here is all about.
[00:10:20] Anela Evans: And I definitely ask that, you know, people try to leave as little as a footprint as possible.
[00:10:28] Bryan Murphy: Mm-hmm.
[00:10:29] Anela Evans: If you did indeed learn from Hawaii, then to take it home with you and share with others what you’ve learned.
[00:10:37] Bryan Murphy: It’s pretty simple, open mind, willing to learn, being receptive to what life there is actually about in the islands and trying to leave as little footprint as possible and then taking what you learn back home with you.
[00:10:50] Bryan Murphy: I, I really love that super practical because that takes some of the pressure off this whole idea that you have to somehow become the perfect Hawaii visitor or else you’re gonna be, you know, banned for life. That’s not the point that anyone, at least that I’ve talked to, is trying to make. I know I’ve gotten things wrong over the years and I’m still learning and the goal isn’t perfection.
[00:11:11] Bryan Murphy: Maybe it’s just being willing to listen, to learn and, and to try to understand, being aware that you’re in somebody else’s home and being open enough to let the place change you a little bit instead of just trying to get everything you can out of your trip.
[00:11:26] Final Takeaways Next Steps
[00:11:26] Bryan Murphy: So our visitors welcome in Hawaii. What I’m hearing in all the conversations I have had beyond these five people that you’ve heard from today, it’s really the same message.
[00:11:38] Bryan Murphy: And I get there’s still gonna be people out there that don’t want tourism at all, ever. That’s just the way it is. But the vast majority of people who live in Hawaii, the message that I’ve been able to gather is please come, but come respectfully, come differently, come with understanding and just know the place that you’re traveling into.
[00:12:04] Bryan Murphy: And really, that’s the heartbeat of Hawaii’s best, what this podcast and what I’ve tried to build this platform around is just having a better understanding of traveling to Hawaii respectfully. So thanks so much for joining me on this special episode. And if you haven’t already, follow this podcast and whatever podcast app you’re listening to on right now, because in the next episode, I’m gonna be bringing you an update on Kauai’s tourism recovery status and what visitors need to know right now before visiting Kauai.
[00:12:34] Bryan Murphy: And if this episode has made you think of someone who’s planning a Hawaii trip soon, go ahead and send it to them. I think this is a conversation worth hearing before they visit the islands. All right, and until next time, as always, live with Aloha.
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Bryan Murphy is the creator of Hawaii's Best Travel and host of the Hawaii's Best podcast, a top-30 U.S. travel podcast with 700,000+ downloads and a 4.9-star rating from 280+ reviews on Apple Podcasts. A Certified Hawaii Destination Expert and member of the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau, he helps visitors plan more meaningful trips to Hawaii with practical, respectful guidance. His work has been featured in Travel + Leisure, National Geographic, Yahoo!, Simple Flying, USA Today, Parents, and Fox.
