Travelography #109: Hawaii - Tourism Troubles in Paradise

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Three news stories from Hawaii this week, all oif which are related. First, Hawaii's travel arrivals dropped last year (2007) about 1.2% from the previous year (2006), mostly due to the economic crisis in the US mainland. This year is likely to be flat, as well.

Residents across the islands are complaining about the impacts of illegal vacation rentals on their communities. The second story talks about this issue on Kauai, which is trying to keep its rural character in the face of growing tourism pressures. The third story covers the same issue on Oahu, which banned vacation rentals many years ago.

Photo of rural northern Kauai (by Alan A. Lew).

All of today's stories come from eTurboNews.com.

Travelography #99: T-Day Travel, HI Superferry, and Japan Whales and Fingers

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Today's Stories:

- Weather, among other factors, help make for smooth traveling during the Thanksgiving weekend in the US.
- Hawaii's Superferry to re-start on December 1st between Honolulu and Maui.
- Travel boycott called against Japan as it dramatically increases its whale catch.
- Japan starts fingerprinting all foreign visitors to prevent terrorist attacks.

Story Links:

Fearing worst, U.S. air travelers find smooth going

Hawaii Superferry Employees Heading Back to Work

Boycott Japan - Save the Whales

Tourists given the finger

Geography for Travelers

Travelography News on Ning

Travelography News on Twitter

Travelography 2.0 on Utterz.com

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Travelography #95: Global Warming Challenges for Travel and Tourism

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Stories in Today's Podcast:
- Global warming to alter when and where we travel.
- Honolulu's Waikiki will be under water within 100 years.
- UN and travel industry executives look for ways to reduce tourism's carbon footprint.
- Environmentalists protest the enlargement of London's Heathrow Airport.

UN: Climate will alter travel patterns

The Drowning of Hawaii

Tourism industry leaders pledge to 'rapidly respond to climate change'

Environmentalists protest bigger Heathrow

Geography for Travelers (this website)

Travelography News on Twitter

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Travelography #88: Tourism Challenges for Hawaii, the Caribbean and Europe

This is a PCN Travelography Podcast related post. Use the players on this page, or click the title above to listen to this podcast.

Hawaii's June tourist arrivals are slightly down from last year, while the Caribbean has seen a 5 to 10% drop for a variety of reasons. US travel to Europe remains strong, through the high costs for Americans is forcing them to live more on the cheap.

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LINKS:

Hawaii Visitor arrivals declined in June

Caribbean frets over drop in American tourists

10 ways to keep Europe within reach

Tour operators are banking against the euro

US tourists flock to Paris despite prices

Geography for Travelers (THIS SITE)

Travelography News on Ning

Travelography News on Twitter

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Travelography #56: NW Hawaii Makes 7 Wonders List, and a New Abba Museum

(click on the title above to go to the PCN TRAVELOGRAPHY web page)

The relatively new Northwest Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument was named to a New Seven Wonders of the World list created by USA Today and ABC News. (Not to be confused with the Other New Seven Wonders list that is currently being voted on.) And visitors may soon again be welcome at Monument's Midway Island. Meanwhile, a new museum devoted to the pop group, Abba, will be opening in Stockholm next year. And, first there were smoke free hotels rooms -- now we are getting smoke free states and countries!

Underwater Wonder: Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument

Hawaii's Outer Kingdom

The New Seven Wonders (ABC News)

New 7 Wonders (election)

Visits to Midway Atoll could resume

Plans for ABBA museum unveiled in Sweden

Smoking gets snuffed out

Travelography #48: Hawaii Quake Impacts and Cruises Return to New Orleans

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While scary, the immediate tourism impacts of last week's earthquake in Hawaii were minor compared to the potential longer term impacts that it my have. Regularly scheduled cruises from New Orleans will start up again this Sunday, marking the return of one of the fastest growing segments of the travel and tourism industry.

Here are links to these stories:

Quake could scare tourists away from Hawaii
Earthquake in Hawaii causes only limited tourist disruption
Earthquake leaves Hawaii unscathed
First post-Hurricane Katrina cruise scheduled for New Orleans