Heaven And Hell: Hawaii’s Magnificent Volcano Hotspot

- by Sally Fensome

Ah Hawaii… (let’s cue the tranquil wave soundtrack for a moment) a place which has a place in all our hearts, which lives in our dreams and usually sits in the top 10 of places to see bucket list. Hawaii-- that great tropical paradise which seemingly bursts with wildlife from the lush forests that cascade down from rugged cliffs all the way to the turquoise shores, lined charmingly with picturesque huts, cafes, and fishing boats. Yes, Hawaii-- that captivating archipelago that was once under the reign of Kamehameha-- would be the next stunning destination where I’d take my kids and get in some down time as well as revel in cultural delights. But most of all, I would be watching fire meet sky, when the ashes of Hawaii’s luminescent volcanoes unleashed their fury into the night.

The Idyllic Choice

There are a myriad of reasons why I chose Hawaii for my next port of call. One, it’s warm. Two. It’s absolutely, mind-bogglingly beautiful. The other reasons gravitated around my kids. As an adventurer/travel writer/mother, I’ve always believed in getting my kids to see as much of the world as possible, opening up their minds and imaginations to the endless possibilities out there. Hawaii is a great choice because I could show them part of the United States that would be completely different to anything they experienced before, and I could also show them not only the distinct and eclectic cultural scene which makes Hawaii so remarkable, but help them to garner a true appreciation for one of the most fragile and important ecosystems in the world. I’m about fun, yet responsible travel – and we all delighted at the prospect of exploring its dreamlike shores in leisure, not to mention fit in some whale-watching (my youngest is a huge fan of marine life). The remaining reasons are probably most resonant in my mind: My love affair with volcanoes is the thing which brought me closer to this geological hotspot.

Hawaii’s Spectacular Volcanoes

Hawaii’s giants of fire and magma have a lot to reckon for; about 70 million years of tossing and churning from the angry earth have carved out a place in the Pacific like no other, giving life to more than 150 ecosystems and some of the rarest species and land formations on the planet. These breathing monsters, these omnipotent and sometimes unpredictable takers and givers of life, are truly stunning. The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was my ultimate stop for witnessing the spectacle of these seemingly impossible structures, responsible for sculpting out Hawaii’s intricate geological shapes; Kīlauea and Mauna Loa continue to carve out the land with their busy activity. As an avid fan of volcanoes (I had watched the National Geographic specials with the beloved Kraffts) I was interested not only in the shape of the land, but the environments given to flourish within them and even pay a visit to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

There is an incredible sense of anticipation in the region. I’ve lived in what I’d call vulnerable environments for a numbers of years-- the tornado-ridden Midwest, the flooding and hurricane-prone southern coasts and the heavy snowfalls of the Rockies which have shut down even the hardiest of places. But to be within the vicinity of such great bastions of power was something else altogether, and I felt myself in a kind of reverence to nature’s fire chambers. I could understand the sentiment behind the cultural followings of these beasts, once worshipped as gods – and I also felt almost a kind of gratitude and true appreciation for the beautiful wildlife which they created, or at least laid down the framework. My kids were particularly interested in the names of the gods like Pele, goddess of volcanic fire, and the festivals and celebrations associated with it (mythology has always been their passion). Like many natural wonders, the stories behind them would tell much more about the respective cultures which followed them, revealing a fascinating aspect of society, just as the incredible species which flourished within these environments have disclosed to us some of the earth’s deepest secrets and surprises.

I only had time for just a day’s worth in the national park, but it was more than fulfilling. It opened up my eyes to something which before only existed in my mind as a dream. But more than ever, my own pilgrimage of sorts to one of the most vital volcanic hotspots in the world has made it to the top of my bucket list-- not check marked, but underlined to do again.

Hawai'i's Tourism Industry Takes A Big Hit

Hawai'i's economy isn't totally based on tourism. Military spending is also a factor. But mostly it's tourism. The state, basically 19 volcanic islands, offers unparalleled natural beauty, great surfing, tropic rainforests, a choice between a slick, luxurious tourist industry or an opportunity for spiritual peace and quiet. And it isn't seasonal; the weather is always alluring. Hawai'i gets around 8 million visitors a year-- and they bring over $10 billion a year into the economy. A rule of thumb around the world is that American tourists spent five to ten times more than tourists from other countries. Hawai'i is the exception. The average Japanese tourist spends more than the average American tourist in Hawai'i-- and their presence-- even as more South Koreans and Chinese are starting to visit-- has declined. 2009's sharp increase in South Korean visitors (55,000, up 43% over 2008) came at a time when declines in Hawai'i's top five visitor markets contributed to an overall 4.5% drop in visitor arrivals. Arrivals from Japan, long the mainstay for tourism-- about $2 billion worth in 2010-- fell by 4.9% to 1.1 million visitors.

Hawaii tourism officials are worried fewer Japanese tourists are visiting the state and are trying to figure out how to reverse the trend.

Figures show 1.37 million Japanese visitors came to Hawaii last year, down 9.4% from the year before. That's 36% lower than the peak of 2.15 million hit in 1997.

Japanese visitors spend more on average in the islands than travelers from the U.S. mainland and other countries, making them valued customers for the state's tourism industry.

"We're all concerned because Japan is still a much-sought-after and important market for the state," said Marsha Wienert, the state tourism liaison.

Industry experts say fewer flights from Japan, fuel surcharges on those flights, and a rise in Hawaii hotel room rates are encouraging Japanese tourists to go elsewhere for their vacations.

Hawaii remains popular for U.S. mainland and Canadian tourists, however. Data shows 2.6% more travelers from the U.S. mainland visited Hawaii last year and travelers from Canada grew 9.9%.

And that was before the earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima. The average Japanese tourist in Hawai'i spends $261.90/day (compared to $231 for a Korean and $322.70 for a Chinese tourist). The NY Times reported this week that the catastrophic in Japan is making an already bad trend for Hawai'i even worse.

The tour and hotel cancellations began within hours, and they have been continuing-- a reminder of how dependent Hawaii is on tourists who make the nine-hour trip here from Tokyo. State officials, well aware of the history of Japanese tourism fallout after other calamities-- including the Kobe earthquake in 1995 and the swine flu epidemic in 2009-- are now bracing for a sharp drop in tourism and the revenue it produces.

“We are heavily dependent on Japanese visitors,” said State Representative Marcus R. Oshiro, a Democrat from Honolulu and the chairman of the House Finance Committee. “There is no doubt in my mind that at least in the short term, we are going to be severely impacted by the earthquake and tsunami. It may be anywhere from $15 to $20 million in state revenues lost just from that tourist market.”

Japanese tourism is not what it once was: Last year, 1.2 million Japanese visited Hawaii, down from a peak of about 2.2 million visitors in 1996. The downturn reflects the effects of the worldwide recession but also changing travel tastes of Japanese tourists. But by any measure, Japanese citizens are a critical part of the tourism industry, which is a critical part of the state’s economy.

Japan ranks third in the number of visitors it sends to Hawaii, following the Western and Eastern United States mainland, but Japanese tourists are much more aggressive spenders and thus contribute disproportionately to the economy. They spend far more money per day on food, hotels and shopping, particularly luxury goods. A typical visitor from the Western United States spent $146 a day last year, while a Japanese tourist spent $274, state officials said.

Hawai'i itself didn't suffer too much physical damage from the tsunami. The Big Island’s Kona Village Resort and the Four Seasons at Hualalai took some major damage and both are closed. So far there hasn't been any radiation from Japan detected.
Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie estimates the loss in revenues from Japanese tourists will be in the tens of millions of dollars.

According to Abercrombie, “The economic consequences will be severe for us… it’s going to be terrible. It’s something we have to come to grips with.” David Uchiyama, the Marketing Director of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, told USA Today that “this is just the first shock wave… a cultural sense of obligation and responsibility ” holds Japanese from international travel during domestic crises.

This sentiment is also shared by Jürgen Thomas Steinmetz, president of the privately-held Hawaii Tourism Association (HiTA). Steinmetz has made some waves in Hawaii in recent years, criticizing the government-run Hawaii Tourism Authority for not diversifying enough beyond traditional markets such as the U.S. West Coast and Japan… a shortcoming that is now coming to roost as the state will have to scramble to make up for the expected drop in arrivals from Japan.

According to Steinmetz, the Japan tsunami and its aftermath are a wake-up call for Hawaii to reach out to new markets. At the top of his list: wealthy countries whose citizens don’t require a visa to enter the US, such as most of Europe, Singapore and Brunei. Steinmetz, who hails from Germany, believes that Europe is a particularly promising opportunity: “Europeans not only love to travel but get a lot of vacation time. Where Americans might stay for days, European tourists can afford to think in terms of weeks.” The Aloha State might not exactly be around the corner from Frankfurt or Rome, but Europeans don’t hesitate to travel to New Zealand, or Fiji. So why not Hawaii? China and India are also promising markets in Steinmetz’s view.

For starters, Hawaii Tourism will need to learn that showing up is half the battle. At ITB Berlin, the world’s largest tourism trade show, Libya and Afghanistan were represented. Even the Seychelles, which has a small fraction of the population and per capita income of Hawaii, had dozens of exhibitors. According to Steinmetz, Hawaii had no comparable presence.

It might be too early to tell if Hawaii’s 2011 and 2012 tourism prospects will be a case of “too little too late” or “saved by the bell.” But one thing is clear: it’s high time to diversify.