Originally Posted by
travelinmanS
I doubt the number of people doing this is enough to make any sort of impact. The more likely explanation is that tourists are not coming in the same amount of numbers from the Mainland 48 states so airlines are cutting back. I wouldn't be surprised to see some airlines try to add nonstops from the other "mainland" to help make up the slack. The fact that I can't get from Shanghai to Hawaii on a nonstop more than twice a week (and it's on MU to boot!) is a real bummer for me and for Hawaii tourism.
That being said, the cutbacks will hopefully lead to lower hotel pricings as the cost to stay at hotels, especially in Waikiki, is now outrageous.
Again... these cutbacks are not because of lack of demand. These cutbacks are purely because there are TOO MANY seats to the islands. Thus, airlines have to reduce their fares to artificially low levels to fill the flights and have trashed yields as a result. Appropriately providing supply that is warranted by demand will allow fares to return to appropriate levels, benefitting the bottom-line. I doubt anyone is going to backfill these cutbacks as you suggest. Anyhow... we're talking minimal reduction in flights as there are still plenty of ways to get to the Islands.
As for China... the visa situation has made nonstop service to Hawaii unviable. As things are streamlined a bit, you'll see nonstop service open up to the Islands. Evidence of this is Hawaiian Airlines recently announced service from Beijing to HNL in 2014. Once can only see Shanghai and other cities following shortly after.
As for hotel rooms... rates are high because supply is low, with demand high. That's why the HVCB ought to focus on helping the hotel industry to provide more rooms. This will stabilize room rates, while providing rooms to meet demand.