Hawaii Tourism Takes a Slight Hit, But Travel Concerns Are Misplaced

The distance from the Kilauea volcano to Honolulu is more than 200 miles, about the same distance as New York City to Boston, yet travelers are canceling their Hawaiian vacations due to the erupting volcano. The confusion and lack of geographical knowledge is disrupting what should be a busy summer season for the Aloha state. 

Since the volcano erupted nearly four weeks ago, only a 10-mile radius on the southeastern corner of the Big Island has been affected, where 82 homes have been affected.

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Tour Operators: Hawaii Is Still Open for Business

The remote part of the Big Island is a good distance from Hilo, Pahoa and the Kona and Kohala coasts on the island of Hawaii. Norwegian Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean, however, have canceled stops at Hilo, the port of Hawaii.

State officials said travelers’ concerns about emissions from Kilauea volcano are unwarranted. Hawaii Governor David Ige said air quality is being closely monitored, and with the exception of the affected areas, is safe. He also said laze is natural reaction that occurs whenever lava flows into the ocean as it is doing now and has, from time to time, over the past 35 years.

Despite this, the state’s tourism seems to be taking a hit. George Szigeti, president and chief executive of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, told the New York Times that airlines have reported Hawaii-bound seat cancellations, especially on flights that route to the resort hub of Kona. The Times also reported 11 percent of Airbnb short-term vacation rentals on the island of Hawaii have been canceled.

One of the island’s most popular attractions, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, will remain closed until further notice, the National Park Service said. It reported that the closure of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on May 11 could cost the local economy $166 million, the amount the agency contributed in 2017 to neighboring communities.

“We understand the concern some travelers may have about coming to Hawaii while Kilauea volcano is so much more active at this time,” Szigeti said in a statement. “But we encourage everyone to do their research and rely on trusted federal, state and county resources that are providing truthful, accurate information about what is taking place in Hawaii.”

For concerned clients, put it into perspective by asking them: “If there was a hurricane in New York, would you cancel your trip to Boston?”