Hawai‘i – Losing the Future? The Future is What We Make It.

By: Oceanit

At the end of last year, Oceanit’s CEO, Dr. Patrick Sullivan, co-authored a paper with prominent Hawai‘i economist, Paul Brewbaker, urging legislators not to overlook the need to address Hawaii’s economic diversification.

The paper, titled “Hawai‘i – Losing the Future?”, warns of the potential risk to Hawaii’s unique attributes — people, culture, environment, and a way of life — unless proactive measures are taken.

Sullivan and Brewbaker highlight that, accounting for inflation, tourism hasn’t shown real growth in the past 30 years. Legislative decisions over decades have contributed to a decline in Hawaii’s GDP per capital, falling over 10% below the U.S. average. The pandemic has exacerbated this disparity, leading to increased inequality, homelessness, resident exodus, and a declining population.

Both authors have been active and vocal on the importance of undoing a current overreliance on tourism over the past several decades.