Position Statement Essay On Tourist Safety: Who Is To Blame?

           Tourists from all over the world come to our land for our gorgeous beaches, scenery, and Aloha spirit.  Some tourists have acted very dangerously and often die due to their mistakes.  I don’t understand the reasoning behind our government having to pay the families who’s loved one have pasted due to their own mistakes.  I feel this way because the government has already alerted the public with signs, commercials, newscasts, and etc.  Tourist must be responsible for their own safety by researching and being well informed when visiting.  Tourist should have enough common sense to know the possible consequences of their actions.  I feel that the government has done an adequate job on making sure the tourist are well aware of the risks at each site.

We hear stories about tourists getting killed by blowholes or other tourist attractions because they didn’t follow what the warning signs say or they didn’t ask anyone. In 2002, Daniel Dick was killed after he straddled the blowhole or waterspout at the Halona Blowhole and was lifted three to five feet and dropped head first into the waterspout.  If he didn’t already know what a blowhole is it’s his fault for not knowing about the risks of being anywhere near a blowhole he wouldn’t have straddled the blowhole.  Especially since the site is equipped with signs warning tourists about the dangers.

When you hear the stories of tourist dieing, locals think what is going through their minds and if they know what they are doing.  Tourist should be more responsible to research where they are and what is safe and not.  In 2006, Paula Ramirez and Elizabeth Brem, died when they walked off the steep cliff near Opaekaa Falls.  They followed the right side of a split trail and fell from an area of the cliff that was covered by vegetation. Online and Guidebooks say the side of the trail is not an official site so common sense should tell you that you should not risk it and stay on the trail.  You know the tourist didn’t research since they veered off the trail, which was close to a cliff.  In the end, when tourists act on their own and get killed when doing what they wish it is not our fault or the state government’s fault and the only one to blame is themselves.

I feel the government does a good job of already of making sure that tourists know where to go and where not to go.  The government puts up the proper signage for tourists to know safe areas from unsafe areas, makes commercials to properly educate tourists, and usually fence off areas enough for tourists not to act improperly.  As well as, Cindy Orlando (who is an superintendent of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park) and her team make sure the visitors are well aware of what dangers that could happen.  However many lives are still lost.  It is not the government’s fault tourists are not taking warnings seriously.

In the end actions, which result in a tourist’s death, are usually their own fault.  The families have no right sue our state for their loved one’s recklessness.  Our government does enough to make sure tourist’s know what is safe and what is not.  It is then the tourist responsibility to listen be cautious of their actions.