Hawaii Tourism Authority monitoring ‘extreme growth’ of visitors to the islands

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    HONOLULU, Hawaii (KITV) — A recent survey found nearly 80% of Americans are ready to travel again.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) has been monitoring what it calls “extreme growth” of visitors locally. In January, about 74,000 people flew into the state.

That number rose to more than 484,000 arrivals last month, and it’s expected to continue rising into the summer months.

“When you come to the islands, our islands, you need to be respectful, you need to be mindful. We’re not gonna get there overnight,” said HTA President John De Fries. “This summer is gonna produce all kinds of activity. People who maybe lack the etiquette of respect and being mindful — they’re in someone else’s place — well, we’re going to learn to deal with that and deescalate those situations.”

De Fries also said HTA is trying to create a new experience for visitors revolving around the term “Malama Hawaii,” or take care of Hawaii.

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