The Pokémon Company recently announced Hawaii as the location for the 2024 Pokémon World Championship. Natives and concerned users immediately point out the recent wildfires that struck Maui. Read on to learn about the people's reactions.
Pokémon World Championships Announcement For A 2024 Event in Honolulu Under Figurative Fire
The 2024 Pokémon World Championships Donate For The Maui Wildfires
With the 2023 Pokémon World Championships closing at the end of August 13, a Pokémon Company spokesperson, donned in a Hawaiian shirt alongside a Pikachu on the beach, excitedly announced that the 2024 event will be set in the city of Honolulu.
Immediately following this announcement was The Pokémon Company's $200,000.00 donation to the Hawaii Wildfire Relief Fund, stating:
Their donation was partly due to the recent wildfires that swept across Maui and other parts of the state, leaving 99 dead and some still missing. The local wildlife and family pets are also still in peril, with the Maui Humane Society hoping to reunite as many of the latter with their families and sending the others to the mainland to make room for more. With estimates of the damages bordering $6 billion, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green stated that the fires were the largest natural disaster in the state's history.
Locals Plead The Pokémon Company To Support Local Efforts
Despite their donations, people have voiced their disapproval of the Pokemon Company’s announcement in their comments section. While there are common complaints about dissatisfaction concerning the amount donated, there are more substantial comments regarding the country and its natives' stance about excessive tourism.
Recently, even Jason Momoa, a Hawaiian native famed for his role as Aquaman, pleaded for tourists to stop visiting Hawaii for a while. He mentioned that the locals "needs time to heal, grieve and restore."
Part of the reason for the fires has been attributed to the environmental damage the islands have suffered due to excessive tourism. On top of that, an incident where tourists could be seen leisurely swimming at the beach while the locals were still mourning their dead had gone viral.
"The same waters that our people just died in three days ago are the same waters the very next day these visitors - tourists - were swimming in," one distraught local told the BBC.
The Pokémon Company has yet to issue a statement regarding the pushback for their location of choice.
Sources:
Play Pokémon @ #PokemonWorlds
Why the Pokémon World Championships Going to Hawaii Is Proving to be a Controversial Choice
Hawaii fires: Jason Momoa warns tourists not to visit Maui
Maui fires live updates: Death toll from wildfires rises to 99 as search for missing continues
