Hawaii has faced an unusual string of storms this year, forcing travel advisors to navigate questions about whether clients should continue with their trips, change islands or postpone them altogether.
For some advisors, that has meant closely monitoring storms, calming nervous clients, determining when an itinerary needs a change and, increasingly, having conversations about weather and travel insurance before a trip is even booked.
Travel Weekly spoke with four advisors who sell Hawaii about what they've learned this year and how they're addressing clients' concerns.
How are you handling clients whose trips are threatened by a storm?
Rebecca Schwinn, owner of Wanderland Escapes, had several clients scheduled to visit Kauai around Hurricane Lowell, and the outcome wasn't the same for everyone.
"I'm just not giving the same recommendation," Schwinn said. "It's kind of just depending on what kind of vacation they're expecting."
One honeymoon couple postponed because many of the things they wanted to experience had been affected.
"It wasn't going to be the honeymoon that they envisioned," she said.
Other clients continued with their trips but switched islands. After Hurricane Lala, Schwinn had clients headed to the Big Island of Hawaii and adjusted their itinerary to avoid affected areas.
"I kind of monitor it as we go," she said. "I talk to clients to find out how they're feeling about it. You know, because if they're really scared, then I'm not going to push it."
Heather Christopher, founder of HC Travel Firm, recently had clients scheduled to leave for Kauai on Sept. 22 for their 20th anniversary. She approached them after Hurricane Lowell passed and ultimately moved their trip to the Big Island.
"You go into the mode of like fact finding, right? How much is this actually going to cost? ... And then you can usually present it to them, and they can make an educated decision," she said.
In this case, the couple was able to switch islands without losing money. Their hotel was still within its cancellation period, their helicopter tour could be switched to the Big Island, their car rental could be canceled and rebooked and changing their United flight resulted in a small air credit.
When should advisors make the call about canceling or rescheduling?
Several advisors said the key is not reacting too quickly.
For clients with upcoming trips, Christopher said she doesn't rush to change plans while a storm is still developing. Instead, she waits to see what actually happens and what on-the-ground conditions are like afterward.
"My rule of thumb is, don't even panic until it happens," Christopher said. "There are people living [in Hawaii] that actually have damage to assess. We need to let that ride out for a second, and then we can talk about what we need to do."
Kristi Emo, owner of Your Dream Escapes, has been fielding questions from other advisors. After Lowell, she saw advisors discussing changing trips months in advance.
"I wouldn't be talking my October, November and December clients into switching away from Hawaii unless that's what they really wanted to do," Emo said.
For clients traveling sooner, she also advises patience.
"Unless you have clients going this week, right now, take a watch-and-wait approach and see what happens, let everything cool down over the next couple of days and then decide," she said.
And if a trip does need to change, she encourages advisors to consider another island.
"Please get them to another island," Emo said. "Don't just let them cancel their entire Hawaii trip."
What do you tell clients worried by what they see online?
Kayla Smith, owner of Kayla Smith Travel, had honeymoon clients traveling to Oahu as the remnants of Tropical Storm Norbert approached the Islands. Once the storm became a concern, she began checking official weather reports daily and sending updates to her clients.
"In the age of social media, I feel like that can be very anxiety-provoking, because you have influencers and content creators pushing out information about storms, because they know it's relevant and it's going to get clicks," she said.
"I think it's a lot of easing anxiety and sticking to facts and sticking to reliable sources when it comes to monitoring the weather and providing the information as it adjusts.
Schwinn of Wanderland Escapes also cautions advisors against relying on everything they see on social media. Instead, she follows local news and official sources and proactively contacts travelers.
"I don't let my clients wonder and wonder what's going on with the news, and I reach out to them before they start knowing what's going on," Schwinn said.
Christopher said the Hawaii Tourism Authority's official communications have also become an important resource for her.
"I'm so grateful the way [the HTA] handles it now. They're so communicative, and it's really helpful in us being able to tell clients how best to advise them. We want to do what the Islands need us to do," she said.
Is this changing how you plan Hawaii trips?
For advisors accustomed to selling Hawaii as a destination where hurricanes rarely disrupt vacations, this year has made weather a bigger part of the planning conversation.
"I'm going to have to start mentioning hurricane season after this year," Schwinn said.
The storms are also giving advisors another reason to emphasize travel insurance. Emo said she always encourages clients to purchase it, but weather is becoming a bigger part of that conversation.
"As a whole, we need to do more talking about the benefits and the need for travel insurance," Emo said. "And it is a chunk of money, but I tell people it's a peace-of-mind investment."
Smith said that insurance can also give travelers more options if a storm threatens a trip. Without it, what can be changed or refunded largely depends on individual suppliers and their policies.
"If they don't [buy insurance], and it gets up to the last minute, then you're really in the hands of the supplier and what they are willing to do to accommodate you in that situation," Smith said.