The desire to travel is undeniably exciting, especially to tropical places like Hawaii. However, the impact of tourism is a double-edged sword. The tourism industry comes with both economic benefits and challenges that impact the residents’ quality of life.
A major positive aspect of tourism is its economic benefit for local vendors. In many tourist attractions there are stands lined up in hopes of revenue to come. Vicky Villauz, a jewelry and photography vendor in the Macadamia nut farm outlet, states that “tourism is an amazing thing, it brings in money and money supports the O’ahu Residents.”
Mrs. Villauz also explains, “Covid-19 set back Hawaii tourism and sent many local vendors to shut down.” Many shops where their sole target is catered to tourists, like the ABC shops or cafes near hotels earned little to no income. The ABC shops, which are tiny convenience stores for tourists, were impacted the most during the pandemic, resulting in many shops in Honolulu closing to ease the financial burden. The decreased numbers of tourists due to the pandemic made it hard for locals in popular places like Honolulu to work and provide for their families.
Yet the very powerful forces driving economic growth and demand becomes the source for the negative impacts on residents. Places like Honolulu increase their costs due to the tourist population. The rising cost makes locals move out of town because of the struggle to afford the necessities in their life, like paying rent and buying groceries. The demands are generated by tourists which can lead to overconsumption of natural resources. Since tourists feed these companies, they do anything to bring people back. Companies build strip malls and souvenir shops, which diminish the beautiful charm of the island that residents absolutely love.
Ultimately, this dynamic reveals a harsh social divide, where the economic benefit of tourism caters to the wealthy, while the less fortunate endure the consequences. The desire of paradise for visitors comes at the expense of the long-term economic stability of many families residing in Hawaii.
