When is enough enough?

A few months back, the state forecast a record year for tourism, topping the magic 7 million mark.

In May, that estimate was upped to 7.3 million visitors for 2005.

The latest estimate is now 7.4 million.

Where are all those people going to go?

They will go to Waikiki, of course. And that's fine. Most of us wrote off Waikiki a long time ago. Let them have it. Maybe they'll leave the rest of the place alone.

But that didn't work. Tourists don't want to be cooped up in their hotel rooms or corralled onto a crowded beach. They want to explore. Everywhere.

They will rent cars, one car for each two or three people, and will plow down choked Kalaniana'ole to converge on Hanauma Bay and Sandy Beach. Or they'll rent spindly mopeds for the ride. Or growling motorcycles. Or two-seater pedal carts to wobble precariously near the lane markers.

They will fill up the parking spaces at Ala Moana beach park and the dirt shoulders along Hale'iwa.

They will snorkel in dangerous currents, tromp through fragile trails, get stranded in the mountains, get cranked in the surf, get jacked in the parking lot — and blame us.

They will queue up along Kaumuali'i Highway to get to Lihu'e Airport; careen down Haleakala on caravans of bicycles; buy snacks from snack wagons at Akaka Falls.

They will buy things, things local people can't afford, like beachside houses and lobster dinners.

They will make messes and legions of locals will scrape tip money cleaning up after them.

Not that tourists are bad individually. It is unfair to malign any one because of the effects of the masses.

As an industry, though, tourism has become the hungry giant. Mr. Giant was cool when he was the gracious guest of and gentle provider for the community; but then he got bigger and demanding and unruly. Now everything and everyone belongs to him.

The thing is, though, Hawai'i is not being lost to outside forces. It is an inside job. The salesmen and moneymakers promise and entice and sell the very things that are in short supply now: tranquility, solitude, an easy, gentle lifestyle.

The Hawai'i these people think they are visiting isn't at all the Hawai'i they find. The Hawai'i we now live in is crowded, crazy, overburdened and urban.

The current projection is for 8 million visitors a year by 2007. Where will all those people go? We'll all be falling off the island.

Bigger hotels isn't the answer. More hotels isn't the answer. More rental cars isn't the answer. More doesn't work. Could we possibly hope for less?

Is it possible that our government and business leaders might ever consider that?

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.