Someone started a petition against resort fees
#61
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Delta Diamond, Marriott Ambassador & Lifetime Titanium, Hertz President's Circle, United Silver
Posts: 6,334
Hawaii experienced yet another record tourism year in 2018 - its 7th in a row I think.
https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/...d-in-2018.html
https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/...d-in-2018.html
Hawaii visitor spending, hotel occupancy down in January [March 2019]
Hawaii Tourism: Hawaii hotels’ occupancy, revenue down in February 2019 [March 2019]
A troubling slide for hotels [March 2019]
Hawaii Tourism Authority: Visitor spending down compared to a year ago [November 2018]
#62
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 17,455
Hmm:
Hawaii visitor spending, hotel occupancy down in January [March 2019]
Hawaii Tourism: Hawaii hotels’ occupancy, revenue down in February 2019 [March 2019]
A troubling slide for hotels [March 2019]
Hawaii Tourism Authority: Visitor spending down compared to a year ago [November 2018]
Hawaii visitor spending, hotel occupancy down in January [March 2019]
Hawaii Tourism: Hawaii hotels’ occupancy, revenue down in February 2019 [March 2019]
A troubling slide for hotels [March 2019]
Hawaii Tourism Authority: Visitor spending down compared to a year ago [November 2018]
Hawaii experienced yet another record tourism year in 2018 - its 7th in a row I think.
https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/...d-in-2018.html
https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/...d-in-2018.html
#63
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
#64
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
Hmm:
Hawaii visitor spending, hotel occupancy down in January [March 2019]
Hawaii Tourism: Hawaii hotels’ occupancy, revenue down in February 2019 [March 2019]
A troubling slide for hotels [March 2019]
Hawaii Tourism Authority: Visitor spending down compared to a year ago [November 2018]
Hawaii visitor spending, hotel occupancy down in January [March 2019]
Hawaii Tourism: Hawaii hotels’ occupancy, revenue down in February 2019 [March 2019]
A troubling slide for hotels [March 2019]
Hawaii Tourism Authority: Visitor spending down compared to a year ago [November 2018]
Anyway - resort fees have not made a dent in the Hawaii tourist industry. 2012 was the first year new records were set - 8,028,744 visitors - so, 2018 was the 7th straight year of record tourism. 9,827,132 visited in 2019. Probably 7,500,000 is a healthy number.
Regardless - more visitors came to Hawaii in Feb 2019 vs Feb 2018 - they are gravitating to Airbnb - a different issue which residents are not happy about. Feb 2019 visitors 766,293 vs Feb 2018 764,043 - tourism is not down.
#66
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
Maybe people are moving to AirBnB etc. partly as a result of resort fees.
#67
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
I urge ethical people to not do illegal airbnb rentals in Hawaii
Last edited by HNLbasedFlyer; Mar 31, 2019 at 10:27 pm
#68
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: DFW
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Titanium, HH Gold, AA Lifetime Gold, United Silver, BA Gold
Posts: 864
No. It is nearly 100% illegal outside of Waikiki to rent a Airbnb us residents are trying hard to stop this illegal practice. Where I live in Kailua which is rampant (all illegal) - you pay way more for a Airbnb than a hotel. People who get Airbnb for the most part, in my opinion, nearly 100% are not resort fee shoppers. It is illegal rentals from mainland investors.
I urge ethical people to not do illegal airbnb rentals in Hawaii
I urge ethical people to not do illegal airbnb rentals in Hawaii
It is beyond me as to why people poke their noses in other people's business.
Go Airbnb !!
#69
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,574
We may get way OT here, but if a government tried to completely ban Airbnb, I think I'd actually be *more* tempted to use it as active resistance to that kind of policy - even though I'm not a fan of Airbnb (the company itself) and believe that major homeshare platforms should have some degree of reasonable regulation.
It's unlikely that a resort fee by itself is going to turn a likely hotel user into an Airbnb user. But it does add to a list of anticonsumer practices that hotels are perpetuating - on top of other fees, much tighter cancellation rules, mergers of chains, deteriorating award programs, etc. I can see where over time that adds up and causes people to look at other options.
It's unlikely that a resort fee by itself is going to turn a likely hotel user into an Airbnb user. But it does add to a list of anticonsumer practices that hotels are perpetuating - on top of other fees, much tighter cancellation rules, mergers of chains, deteriorating award programs, etc. I can see where over time that adds up and causes people to look at other options.
#70
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DAY
Programs: Rapid Rewards, Skymiles, Hilton HHonors, SPG/Marriott Rewards
Posts: 4,947
#71
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
Most AirBnB aren't even owned by local Hawaii residents - hence, they drive up rent for local residents for an already expensive locality. It also hurts the economy as taxes are not collected.
#72
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: OGG
Programs: AA Plat, A List Pref, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 356
I always find it interesting to see how many people would prefer to use the power of government to change the free market just because they don't like something. If you don't like resort fee's spend your money at properties that don't charge them... The last thing we need is some law telling hotels, or airlines, or whatever how they must bundle all potential charges into one price. I agree it would make searching a little easier but I've never once booked a room without seeing the charge ahead of time. IME the fees are always disclosed. I've never booked a flight without seeing the "bag fee" pricing schedule either. Even a modicum of common sense and attention to detail would prevent a person from getting taken advantage of. I certainly don't like them, especially on vacation but I would prefer government be used sparingly and for issues that really matter.
#73
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,574
I always find it interesting to see how many people would prefer to use the power of government to change the free market just because they don't like something. If you don't like resort fee's spend your money at properties that don't charge them... The last thing we need is some law telling hotels, or airlines, or whatever how they must bundle all potential charges into one price. I agree it would make searching a little easier but I've never once booked a room without seeing the charge ahead of time. IME the fees are always disclosed. I've never booked a flight without seeing the "bag fee" pricing schedule either. Even a modicum of common sense and attention to detail would prevent a person from getting taken advantage of. I certainly don't like them, especially on vacation but I would prefer government be used sparingly and for issues that really matter.
If you showed up at the airport and the gate agent refused to let you board until you paid a $50 fee for a bag, when you have no bag, would you be okay with that?
Nobody's suggesting that hotels shouldn't add extra amenities and then charge the guests who use them. But preventing unethical corporations from ripping people off is among the more important services that governments should provide.
#74
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 17,455
Btw, I think choosing an ST rental vs a hotel has almost everything to do with how much how many hotel rooms cost for how many days vs. a house.
Resorr fees only factor into this if people are calculating these fees into their comparison. But are they?
#75
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: OGG
Programs: AA Plat, A List Pref, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 356
Your airline example is not comparative because the fees are disclosed. If the airlines charged a $50 bag fee whether you had a bag or not and the fee was disclosed... again, I wouldn't like it but I wouldn't think govt intervention was warranted.
The real power is in a consumer moving business toward or away from policies, companies, etc you like or dislike. Dummy proofing the planet will create more dummies...not less. Too many people already rely on others (government, consumer protection bureau's, Flyertalk, Yelp, etc...) to perform common sense checks of whether or not to use or buy a certain product or service. This lack of personal ownership is what opens the door to more sophisticated scams and frauds.
Last edited by davidsc111; Apr 1, 2019 at 2:25 pm