Expansion Plan For Lihue Airport Is Riling Residents Already Tired Of Over-Tourism … The governor said it’s unfortunate that the consultants hired by the state Department of Transportation may be “tone deaf” to the community’s concerns.
Kauai’s principal airport is in dire need of a facelift, but a new modernization plan by state officials would add three gates and expand rental car capacity, drawing ire from residents of an island trying to rein in staggering tourism growth.
Pressure for more runway space at Lihue Airport hinges on the fact that the airport’s three-decades-old master plan is the oldest in the state and does not take into consideration the tremendous growth in annual visitor arrivals over those years.
In April, Kauai visitor arrivals numbered 115,578, the highest number of April arrivals in at least the last 15 years, according to preliminary data from the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
