People often overlook the significance of airfare in relation to Hawaii’s economy. When stopping to think about it, however, the concept is simple: if the cost of a flight to Hawaii is too expensive, less tourists will fly over to visit. Similarly, the higher the cost of transportation over seas, the higher the cost of living becomes, also affecting the number of tourists who visit the state each year. And with the recent pikes in air prices, transportation to Hawaii is a hot topic to those who evaluate the local economy.
Jeff and Rob (and Muley the Mule, the blog’s mascot), authors of the blog “Beat of Hawaii and Beyond: Travel Deals, Tips, Culture, and Analysis”, discuss the topic of airfare for the benefit of local readers and tourists who plan to visit the islands. While there is no economic analysis involved, the two Hawaii residents include very detailed updates on local and national airlines, as well as weather forecasts, food recommendations, and even one intriguing post about a fleet of planes whose lavatories broke with 6 hours left in the flight (drink services were halted immediately).
Both authors have traveled around the world and were not born in Hawaii, though Rob has been living in the islands for six years, and Jeff for ten. (Muley was born and raised in Hawaii–a true expert.) This creates more of a “traveler’s” point of view, as opposed to a “local’s” point of view, but since they mostly report on findings and do not apply (for example) airfare to the possible outcomes of the economy, there is no significant difference. Jeff and Rob make posts 5-7 times a week on the latest airline trends, culinary suggestions, and raves about the one and only Hawaiian culture.
One post that I found both interesting and relatable to my future blog was called “Our Hawaii Fall Airfare Predictions” posted on the 17th of August. Here, Jeff gave his opinion on how air prices would affect tourism from different regions of mainland America. Some of Jeff’s predictions included that the Pacific Northwest (Seattle and Portland) would contribute a large amount of tourists, followed by the Bay Area in Northern California. While it is still too early to measure his accuracy, what I find most interesting is the emphasis he placed on American tourists. While over 50% of Hawaii’s tourists are from other states, Japanese tourists (who contribute to 20% of tourists) spend 60% more per person than American tourists. Specifically speaking about Hawaii’s economy, the Japanese are much more important.
Another interesting post was called “When TravelZoo Calls It A Deal, Should You Listen?” about “hot Hawaii airfares” on a travel website. Here, Jeff researched the advertised air prices and compared them to ones offered by other airlines. His results found cheaper flights (with less layovers) from the other carriers, and he concluded that consumers should research before buying tickets. This caused me to think about the extent online ticket sellers affect travel to Hawaii by not advertising the cheapest prices.
These blog posts relate fairly well to my own blog topic about Hawaii’s economy and culture. Jeff and Rob write in a report style as opposed to an analytical style, and I hope to take my blog one step further by using similar details but predicting how the economy will be affected through my point of view (similar to the first post I mentioned). The content is accurate, though not particularly scholarly or academic, which is fine for the audience of the blog that consists of potential tourists and curious locals. The airfare trends will benefit my blog because that information is vital in regards to Hawaii’s economy.
From mules to flight costs, “Beat Of Hawaii” provides another insight to Hawaii. Hopefully my blog will as well. Shoots cuz, we go.
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