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Since August, when Honolulu initiated enforcement of its new ordinance that aims to weed out illegal vacation rentals, online advertising has been thinning. In December, Oahu’s overall count added up 237,306 unit nights — marking a drop of about 13.7% from unit nights available in August.
Meanwhile, figures released last week by the Hawaii Tourism Authority show that more vacation rentals are surfacing in Waikiki, where they’re allowed. It’s encouraging to see enforcement delivering intended impact. However, observers are right to note that the matter is still very fluid. Solid success will hinge on effective enforcement.
TMT partner sends grim message
What is the underlying message in India’s statement favoring the alternative Canary Islands site for the Thirty Meter Telescope?
Maybe it’s too soon for project supporters to hit the panic button — India’s Department of Science and Technology is one of the TMT’s smaller research partners.
But was India unsettled by our governor’s lack of a solution in his State of the State address? Perhaps so. This all adds to the drip, drip, drip of grim news, after months of protests against TMT on Mauna Kea’s slopes.
