State and Big Island residents still have a lukewarm opinion of tourism, according to a survey by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
In the survey, conducted during the fall of 2022, residents were asked to rate a series of statements about tourism by how much they agreed. For the most part, shifts in opinion between the previous sentiment survey conducted in spring 2022 were marginal.
For example, respondents rated the impact of tourism on the state at 6.7 on average, with 1 meaning “extremely negative” and 10 meaning “extremely positive.” This rating was not much different from the 6.6 rating from spring 2022, but a notable decrease from 2018, when respondents rated it 7.5.
Similarly, 56% of respondents agreed with the statement “tourism has brought more benefits than problems,” with 40% disagreeing.
In Hawaii County, that margin was slimmer, with 50% agreeing and 47% disagreeing.
Among the problems attributed to tourism, most respondents cited overcrowding, damage to the environment, and an increase to the cost of living as their primary concerns.
The majority of respondents disagreed with the statement “tourism is an industry that enhances residents’ quality of life.”
Statewide, 49% disagreed with that statement, while 48% agreed. On the Big Island, 53% disagreed, and only 43% agreed.
Also on the Big Island, 58% of respondents disagreed with the idea that “tourism contributes to the perpetuation of Native Hawaiian culture and language,” a sentiment matched by respondents statewide.
On the other hand, most respondents on the Big Island and statewide agreed that tourism provides job opportunities and improved entertainment and dining options.