Impact of Kona Airport On Hawaii Island
Prior to the 1970 airport expansion, tourism was centered on Hawaii's East side and more specifically the town of Hilo. Tourists wanting to go to the Kona side of the Island typically flew into Hilo's airport and drove across the island. As recently as 1968 Kona Village Resort didn't have road access let alone a large airport nearby. This lack of infrastructure was not tolerable, particularly after the completion of the Royal Kona Resort in 1968.
When the airport opened in 1970, it helped accelerate a shift of tourism from East Hawaii to West Hawaii. Tourism in Hilo had already taken a hit when a tsunami destroyed all seaside hotels in 1960.
The full extent of the airport's impact and shift in tourism can be seen in Hawaii Island Strategic Plan for 2006 to 2015. By 2005, the percentage of accommodations on the West side increased to 86% of the total. In 2005 just 4 modest hotels continued to serve the East side of Hawaii, with 3 of them dating back to the 1960s
The success of the Kona International Airport in drawing tourism to the West side of Hawaii has been a mixed blessing. Tourism has also helped fuel Hawaii County's overall population growth. Between 1990 and 2010 the population increased 48%.
Read more about this topic: Kona International Airport
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