The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1919-05-23
THE TOURIST IS HUMAN

Down in Ho they recognize the value of the tourist trade and are
anxious that Hawaii should not only have tourists but should givethe
tourist a square deal. Thornton Hardy, editor and publisher Of the
Ho Tribune writes the following pertinent editorial. o N the matter OF
promotion committee VS.. tourist that Maui might well remember when
She makes her bid for the tourist trade.
The Hawaii Promotion Committee Of Honolulu is struggling with
the tourist problem. AT a meeting of the committee last Friday one
member proposed a very unique advertising slogan, Don't Come to
Hawaii Now" This aroused a number of citizens to vtrioLc comment
and such epthets a alleged promotionlsts and other remarks unit Tor
publication.
Committee has been more or less a hzzIe up to-and mcludng--he
present time. The mental process of its members are at times difficult
to analyze; taking merely for instance the brilliant scheme of last sum
mel to spend $4,000 on advertising in mainland publications wtr a
months distant. War conditions then made travel anywhere next to
impossible and pleasure tnppin' was especially discouraged by the
Federal Government. The reasons for this were 5 obvious that the
veriest dunard could appreciate them, yet the Promotion Committee
seriously contemplated spending a STABLE sum of money in advertising
ASIDE from the fact that there were no boats available and that
other obstacles were being added day by day to further impede the
movements OF citizens to and fro, it might have occurred to the Com
mittee that three months in advance is hardly sufficient time in which
talked over preparatory to making a long journey: Few there are
whose affairs are in such shape a to permit of them skipping off on
pleasure jaunts at a moments notice. Furthermore, publicity muct
have tim" to sink in. Even the ephemeral circus plasters a town with
advertising than any other enterprise on earth-and uses more.
"Dipassonateiy viewed, the slogan Don't Come to Hawaii Now"
is not so foolish as its critics would make it. Almost any tourist now
in the Territory will tell you, with considerable asperity, that it is the
most sensible thing the Promotion Committee has ever done, which
brings us to consideration OF the tourist and his personal feelings. 10
judge by past performances this item has been entirely ignored or over
get the tourist here and let him shit for himself. If he finds no COM
Portable place in which to live and is informed that he will be lucky to
get a return passage within six months, and that very mediocre hotel
accommodations are rated at from 81 to $40 a day, and that he has to
mortgage his life to buy an automobile ride to the suburbs of Honolulu
or Hio, it is no concern of the promotionists.
IF, by happy chance, our promotion bureau ever gets down to
brass tacks and informs itself as to the science and psychology of pro-
noting, We may expect favorable results. The first essential is to realize
that the tourist is a human being, possessed of likes and disItes and a
desire to be dealt with squarey. His statues a a commodity is fgura-
tive at best. Where a thousand dollars is spent IN enticing him here an
equal amount should be spent on arranging for his comfort and hap
Pness when he arrives, else he neutralizes the advertising by going
home a knocked. If there are no ships to bring him or take him home
SO before he gets caught in the jam. We cannot reasonably expect a
regular first class boat service within a year, and in the interim it would
not be a bad idea to prepare for the rush that will then swamp all our
facilities. Advertise Hawaii, by all means, but do it a long time in ad-
vance of expectations and play fair with the visitor by delivering the
goods as advertised"