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Olivia Rodrigo criticized for vacationing in Hawaii and promoting it on social media amid push to reduce over-tourism on islands

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Olivia Rodrigo criticized for vacationing in Hawaii and promoting it on social media amid push to reduce over-tourism on islands


Olivia Rodrigo finds herself caught in the middle of the anti-tourism movement in Hawaii.

Following her ‘vacay dumpppp’ of photos and a video on her Instagram on Wednesday, some people have criticized the singer-songwriter for promoting her stay in Hawaii at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea.

While most people took to the comments section and shared their love and support for Rodrigo and her music, there were some who reiterated the calls of some locals in recent years to get people to stop visiting the islands.

‘Stop vacationing in Hawaii’ and ‘how do people not know not to travel to Hawaii?’ summed up what many in the anti-tourism movement were thinking when they confronted Rodrigo on social media.

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Native Hawaiians and other residents have had valid concerns about the impact of over-tourism, especially in recent years, being that the islands are a popular destination for vacationers.

Backlash: Olivia Rodrigo, 20, is facing criticism for taking a vacation in Hawaii and promoting it on social media, amid the effort to reduce over-tourism on the islands

Situated about 2,000 miles from the U.S. mainland in the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii, and its eight main islands, is the only U.S. state outside of North America. 

Since statehood in 1959, tourism has exploded on the islands. As a result, the cost of real estate has soared, leaving many properties affordable to developers and the rich and wealthy, which includes celebrities, who buy second homes that largely sit empty for much of the year.

All of this has also pushed Hawaii’s cost of living to among the highest in the U.S.

Over the years, many native Hawaiians have been pushed out of their homeland, where their ancestors lived for some 3,000 years, all while being significantly overrepresented in the homeless population, according to Buzz Feed.

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Those who support the anti-tourism movement can point to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic as evidence to their claims about the impact of over-tourism on Hawaii’s environment.

The reduction of visitors in 2020, amid the coronavirus crisis, allowed the state’s natural resources, such as beaches and coral reefs, to recover from the impacts of the steady influx of people on the islands, according to Tai Swim.

Plus, its believed that most Native Hawaiians and residents living on the islands don’t benefit from all the tourism. 

One person who criticized Rodrigo maintained it was ‘very unethical’ to promote tourism to Hawaii.

Fun in the sun: The singer-songwriter heard it from naysayers after making a 'vacay dumpppp' on her Instagram on Wednesday, where she promoted her stay at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea

Fun in the sun: The singer-songwriter heard it from naysayers after making a ‘vacay dumpppp’ on her Instagram on Wednesday, where she promoted her stay at the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea

The California native can be seen posing for photos all around the islands

The California native can be seen posing for photos all around the islands

Rallying calls: 'Stop vacationing in Hawaii 'and 'how do people not know not to travel to Hawaii?' are some of the comments she's faced from the anti-tourism movement

Rallying calls: ‘Stop vacationing in Hawaii ‘and ‘how do people not know not to travel to Hawaii?’ are some of the comments she’s faced from the anti-tourism movement

‘I mean no disrespect to her but can celebrities please stop going and promoting going to Hawaii?’ the user wrote, adding, ‘The people living there don’t benefit from the tourism and it is very unethical considering the damage tourist do to the environment and just not respecting the culture and Island.’

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Another naysayer wondered how travelers could continue visiting the islands after Native Hawaiians have repeatedly asked them to stop coming.

‘How are people still going there after the people that lived there begged y’all to stop,’ the tweet read.

Some people wondered if most visitors and promoters of Hawaiian tourism aren’t aware of the issue, while also citing the struggles of island locals.

‘I guess celebrities don’t read the local’s requests, that people should NOT travel there. they are already struggling, pls don’t travel to Hawaii,’ someone else shared on Twitter.

Native Hawaiians and other residents have had valid concerns about the impact of over-tourism, especially in recent years, being that the islands are a popular destination for vacationers

Native Hawaiians and other residents have had valid concerns about the impact of over-tourism, especially in recent years, being that the islands are a popular destination for vacationers

Those who support the anti-tourism movement can point to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic as evidence to their claims

Those who support the anti-tourism movement can point to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic as evidence to their claims

New music: Rodrigo is poised to drop her second studio album on September 23

New music: Rodrigo is poised to drop her second studio album on September 23

So far, Rodrigo has not directly responded to the criticism over her promotion of tourism in 

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The Murrieta, California native first gained recognition in the late 2010s with her lead roles on the Disney television series Bizaardvark and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.

After signing a record deal in 2020, she saw her debut single Drivers License become one of the best-selling songs of 2021.

She has since earned critical and commercial success with her debut studio album Sour (2021) and the single Vampire, which shot to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, ahead of the release of her follow-up album Guts (2023), which is set to drop on September 23.



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Hawaii

Hawaii police arrest two men with loaded gun and rifle on Oprah Winfrey's property – Times of India

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Hawaii police arrest two men with loaded gun and rifle on Oprah Winfrey's property – Times of India


Two men, both 19 years old, were arrested last month by Hawaii police on a public road that passes through Oprah Winfrey‘s property in Kula and are the suspects of illegal hunting.
According to the statement released by the state department of land and natural resources, both men were arrested on June 21 just before midnight when the officers found them using a hunting spotlight on the road.
Although the men were not caught in the act of hunting, the state reported that officers found a loaded shotgun and a loaded rifle in their vehicle. The road where they were apprehended is surrounded by Winfrey’s ranch, according to AP.
The suspects were arrested on various charges, including hunting on private property without permission and lacking a hunting license. Additionally, one of the men was arrested for possessing an unregistered semi-automatic rifle.
Maui and other Hawaiian islands are currently grappling with an overwhelming population of invasive axis deer, reported AP.
County officials stated that the case will be reviewed by Maui County prosecutors to determine if charges will be filed. Records indicate that the men have been released pending the outcome of the investigation.





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HDOT to install 5 speed tables on Honoapiilani Highway

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HDOT to install 5 speed tables on Honoapiilani Highway


WAILUKU, Hawaii — Community concerns about speeding in Waikapu and Wailuku have led to a project to install five speed tables on Honoapiilani Highway (Route 30) in the area of Maui Tropical Plantation and Kolo Place starting July 8.


What You Need To Know

  • The Hawaii Department of Transportation announced work will be done from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. from July 8 to 12
  • One lane will be closed in either direction during the installation with closures approximately 1,000 feet within project limits. Crews will direct traffic in both directions, alternating traffic in the remaining lane
  • Honoapiilani Highway near Wailuku Elementary School is a school zone and will have a posted speed limit of 20 mph; other speed table locations will have a speed limit of 30 mph

The Hawaii Department of Transportation announced work will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 8 to July 12. One lane will be closed in either direction during the installation with closures approximately 1,000 feet within project limits, according to a news release. Crews will direct traffic in both directions, alternating traffic in the remaining lane.

Speed table locations:

  • Mile marker 0.45 near Wailuku Elementary School in the area of Keanu Street and Kolo Place
  • Mile marker 2.09 in the area of Waiolu Place and Pilikana Street
  • Mile marker 2.27 in the area of Wilikona Place and Waiko Road
  • Mile marker 2.38 in the area of Lehuapueo Place and Wilikona Place
  • Mile marker 2.55 near Maui Tropical Plantation in the area of Olo Place and Ololi Place

Honoapiilani Highway near Wailuku Elementary School is a school zone and will have a posted speed limit of 20 mph. The other speed table locations will have a speed limit of 30 mph.

Traffic-calming devices such as raised crosswalks, speed tables and speed humps are a physical reminder to motorists to reduce speed when entering residential and school areas.

HDOT has been gathering data on speed reduction and vehicle crashes in areas with traffic-calming devices. For areas with sufficient post-construction data, officials say the number of motorists exceeding the posted speed limit was reduced by an average of 47%.

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The data on major crashes (i.e. crashes resulting in an injury or property damage of $3,000 or more) is shown in the table:

(Graphic courtesy of Hawaii Department of Transportation)

The public can view past and planned installations of traffic-calming devices on the HDOT Safety Improvement Map.



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Over 300 earthquakes detected in Hawaii; Kilauea volcano not yet erupting

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Over 300 earthquakes detected in Hawaii; Kilauea volcano not yet erupting


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Hundreds of earthquakes took place over the weekend in Hawaii, the U.S. Geological Survey said, indicating a possible volcanic eruption in the state.

The heap of earthquakes, with rates reaching nearly 30 events each hour, were centralized to Kīlauea on Hawaii’s Big Island, the USGS reported. The volcano is along the southeastern shore of the island.

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“There were over 300 earthquakes detected beneath the summit over the past 24 hours, mostly below the south caldera region at depths of 1.5–3 km (1–1.8 mi),” a USGS public notice reads. “This earthquake count is more than triple the rate of several days ago, reflecting a seismic swarm that began with M2.9 and M3.4 earthquakes in the afternoon of June 27.”

So far, the largest one, a magnitude 3.2 temblor, took place Monday at 1:31 a.m. local time, less than 4 miles south of Volcano in Hawaii County.

Increasing seismic activity is a sign of pending volcano eruption, according to the USGS.

“Any substantial increases in seismicity and/or deformation could result in a new eruptive episode but there are no signs of an imminent eruption at this time,” the USGS issued in a report Saturday.

Is the Kilaueo volcano erupting?

As of Monday morning, the Kilauea volcano −one of the world’s most active volcanoes − was not erupting.

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The Kilaueo volcano last erupted June 3 about a mile south of Kilauea caldera within Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, a popular tourist destination.

It marked the first eruption in that region of the volcano in about 50 years. The last one took place in December 1974.

The current USGS Volcano Alert Level remains at “ADVISORY” and the federal agency reported the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory is closely monitoring the Kīlauea Volcano.

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Contributing: Christopher Cann.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.



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