Pedestrians are getting a permanent break in Banff. Hawaii Tourism Boasts Strong Holiday Numbers. And indigenous tourism is poised for a Canadian boom. A few travel tidbits for today. BANFF PED ZONE NOW PERMANENT Banff’s popular downtown pedestrian zone is now a permanent feature in the wildly popular Alberta destination. Town officials have decided to keep the zone in place from the May long weekend to Thanksgiving weekend every year. Canadian Press reports the town decided to permanently fund the project, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of its annual operating budget. “It is, however, still unclear whether Read more
Hawaii Tourism
Canadians and other visitors continue to rate Hawaii as a top destination The Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism recently released the results of its Third Quarter Visitor Satisfaction and Activity Survey for 2023, which found that at least 95% of visitors from each geographic region surveyed rated the Hawaiian Islands as “excellent” or “above average” when it comes to offering a variety of experiences. Meanwhile, the majority of those surveyed ranked Hawai‘i as either “excellent” or “above average” in the number of different or unique experiences offered. Overall satisfaction levels among visitors from all markets surveyed remained Read more
As you drive along the bypass road outside Lahaina, you’ll see several hand-made signs. “Respect the locals.” “Let Lahaina grieve.” And more. The sentiments are important. It’s only been three months and a few days since wildfires ripped through this once tranquil and beautiful seaside town, and many people are still living in hotels. Many others are still grieving lost parents and cherished uncles and aunties. Far too many children died in the fires, an unimaginable horror that a parent can never recover from. When we were on Maui recently, my wife chatted briefly with a hotel worker who said Read more
Visitor arrivals to Maui were down sharply following the August 8 wildfires, new statistics show. Arrivals declined 57.1% in September 2023 compared to September 2022, with visitor spending also down significantly by 52.6% to $203.2 million. Statewide, total visitor spending declined by 9.6 percent to $1.37 billion, with 7.4% fewer visitors during September. So, it’s not Maui that’s taken a hit. I was on the island of Lana’i on the weekend and merchants told me that the drastic reduction in ferry passengers going to Lana’i is having a big impact on their bottom line. “I’d say one-half our business is Read more
“Pack your patience and grace.” “Do not enter the impacted area of Lahaina Town or take photos of the area, even from afar.” “Support local businesses.” These are some of the messages continually being shared by the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA), as one of the main questions being asked by visitors is how they can support the people of Maui in its recovery. This is SO critical. As readers of my blog know, I deeply love with Hawai’i and its people. And I dearly love Maui, an island I have visited 30-plus times in my life. I realize there are Read more
