Industry can support both STVRs and hotels
I’d like to respond to a recent rather worrying letter about unhosted vacation rentals by Vicky Halquist.
I host a vacation rental on Alii Drive. It’s a one bed, one bath self-contained condo, which I’ve had for nine years. Because I live here, I don’t need a manager, but if I lived off island I must, by law, have a local manager. I just want to clear up some of her comments. I don’t think most people who use vacation rentals necessarily “want to live like a local.” In my experience, my guests simply want a quiet place to themselves where they can make their own meals when they want, and have a different type of stay than a hotel offers. As I see it they eat out a lot, buy loads of things (you should see the many price tags I find on the floor and under the bed) spend a lot on adventures, rent a car, and shop at the local markets.
Obviously, I don’t know the hosts that live off island, but we have many, many dedicated hosts living here who, like myself, go out of their way to make sure our guests have a wonderful vacation here on Big Island. We promote the experiences, and, hopefully, leave guests feeling very positive about their stay. If they want to go out and spend money at our restaurants and bars, then surely this is good for our economy. Certainly, the GE and TA taxes I pay are very good for our economy.
I host in order to supplement my rather meager Social Security payments, so that I can live a happy life. Others have their own reasons, but it’s obvious that our tourist industry can support both short term vacation rentals and the hotel industry. Vicky must have had some bad experiences, which is unfortunate, but please don’t be hostile to this industry which is doing such a very good job of hospitality on this island.
Judith Orlopp
Kona
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Shuttle needs
Many middle and high school students who live in town, or in the Palisades area, are stuck at home because they don’t have rides and they live too far from the shoreline. I wonder if parents would let their teenage children get on an inexpensive shuttle that might run a circuit that would include the mauka Matsuyama’s, Kealakehe neighborhood (elementary school area), Magic Sands, the Kailua Pier, and the Pines, so that the kids could get out and enjoy the outdoors. Seems like an idea worth exploring.
Ben Macklin
Kailua-Kona
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