Rental Automobile Scarcity In Hawaii Sends Vacation Vacationers Scrambling — What to Know

Vacationers destined for Hawaii’s Massive Island this vacation season are working right into a roadblock earlier than even boarding the aircraft because of a scarcity of rental vehicles on the island – and value gouging of what stays.

The problem made its solution to Reddit earlier this week when a subject moderator in a Hawaii discussion board created a pinned submit titled, “PSA: There are just about no automobile leases (together with Turo) on Massive Island for the subsequent 2 weeks. Learn this submit on your choices.”

“There are primarily no extra automobile leases for Massive Island through the Christmas vacation,” the submit reads. “All rental businesses present as offered out, and based on latest posts Turo leases are restricted and listed as excessive as $2500 for per week.”

It is value noting {that a} consultant from Hawaii Tourism Authority disputed this, telling Journey + Leisure that rental automobile costs are larger, “however vehicles can be found on the main automobile rental firms at each Hilo and Kona airports, as we count on throughout excessive demand intervals like the vacations.”

Nonetheless, searches finished by Journey + Leisure on Hertz, Enterprise, Sixt, and Avis yielded no availability for pick-up at Ellison Onizuka Kona Worldwide Airport at Keahole (KOA) in Kona — the island’s prime resort vacation spot for vacationers — and simply seven choices on Turo, with the most cost effective possibility being $274/day over the past two weeks of December.

“Journey specialists have all the time really helpful reserving vacation journey as early as potential to safe the perfect offers and stock,” a consultant from Turo advised T+L. “Turo experiences seasonality, similar to different main journey firms, and we regularly remind company to e book a automobile as quickly as potential, particularly in widespread trip locations.”

A consultant from Enterprise Mobility additionally confirmed that vacation demand is at an all-time excessive.

“With the busy vacation season upon us, the demand for automobile leases at Enterprise Mobility is robust throughout all three of our rental manufacturers — Enterprise, Nationwide, and Alamo — and we count on this to proceed by the top of the 12 months.  Hawaii is all the time a well-liked vacation spot for vacation vacationers – and our present reservations present this 12 months isn’t any completely different,” the consultant stated in an e-mailed assertion. “From a pricing standpoint, our charges are decided by a number of provide and demand components together with location, dates of journey, size of rental, availability in addition to when the reservation was made.”

On the Hilo aspect of the island, those self same automobile rental firms provided restricted availability. Hawaii Island native and filmmaker Kolby Akamu Moser advised T+L that renting from Hilo Worldwide (ITO), the island’s extra regional airport presents a unique logistical problem because it’s positioned about 77 miles from Kona.

“It is a two hour drive to Hilo [from Kona], after which more often than not they will not allow you to drop [the rental] off in Kona, so that you’d have to return by Hilo and by some means get to the opposite aspect,” she stated.

Vacationers planning forward are reaching panic factors, however the true ache will probably be for these ready to hire a automobile upon arrival.

“Do not forget, everybody flying in Christmas day is in the identical boat — and plenty of of them have NO concept they cannot get a rental,” a Hawaii-based Reddit moderator shared. “They’re simply going to show up on the rental counter to be taught there are no vehicles. So all of the vacationers are going to slam the Uber app at the very same time.”

Moser additionally spoke to the latest lack of rental automobile availability at KOA, noting, “typically it’s actually costly, however this time it’s not even an possibility.” She additionally famous that in distant areas on the Massive Island, resembling Hawai’i Volcanoes Nationwide Park, Uber and Lyft aren’t dependable types of transportation.

Savvy Reddit customers and locals have recommended guests put together to spend nearly all of their time in and round their resort vacation spot, turn into acquainted with Hele-On, the island’s public bus service, prepare for excursions that present transportation, and make use of the restricted locations rideshares like Uber and Lyft service in busier areas.

“Some resorts additionally provide automobile leases on-property, ought to guests solely want a automobile for a portion of their time,” a consultant from Hawaii Tourism Authority stated including that company selecting to not hire a automobile can think about public transit and airport shuttles along with rideshares.