63 thoughts on “$50 Hawaii Visitor Fee Returns To Legislature with 2025 Implementation Planned”
Allan
Today I received an email from Costco travel informing me that the Hawaii rental car surcharge tax has gone up 50 cents per day… this on top of the other rental car taxes, hotel taxes, occupancy fees, entrance fees…. now add the impact fee. After our next trip in April, it will be very difficult to return. Hawaii will become the home of the billionaire elites and locals wii be their serfs.
Judging from the high number of responses to this article generated in just the last 36 hours, I’d say you’ve definitely raised an issue of concern to many visitors! Unfortunately, we don’t vote for the politicians who vote these into place. I don’t know how the local tourism workers feel, but if visitors actually DID vote with their dollars and went somewhere else, it would surely effect their jobs. How do we get the local Hawaiian voters to tell the politicians this is a bad idea? Do the locals even feel the same way as the majority of the posters on ths topic? B of H, perhaps you could list the email contact info for some of the politicians pushing for this, and concerned visitors can tell them how we feel? If it even matters?
If Hawaii starts charging a fee just to visit Hawaii on top of the daily hotel resort fees, after spending thousands of dollars in order to enjoy your lovely state, where on the mainland U.S. no other state charges a fee to visit their state or the beaches.
I have stopped looking to buy any real-estate or a slip for my sailboat
“Hawaii has a history of struggling with the effective use of visitor (and resident) taxes and fees, with results often falling short of intended goals….”
I Couldn’t have said it better.
Now If I could only ever get to use the Men’s Room at Iao Valley State Park it would all be worth it.
We are loosing more and more tourists every year, getting gouged on everything from parking fees in kona to ridiculous hotel rates! Why not keep TAT tax on our big island to accommodate infostructures and stop sending every penny of it to fund the rail system on Oahu, small islands don’t have a rail system, let Oahu pay for it! They have 1.1 million people there. Sick of government gouging, soon no one will come here, Mexico and CostaRica will take it all, we need better government brains.
Yet another tax on Tourists? At the state parks already there is a parking fee, a need to get a permit which I assume is not free either, there is an admission fee and now Gov Green wants a license fee on top of what Tourists already have to pay.
Remember the good ole days when on the spur of the moment you could go for a Hike at Diamond Head and it would cost no more then your transportation and 50 cents entrance ?
In Maui, to go to what Was my favorite beach for just 2 hours in the early morning hours when you feel like you have the whole beach to yourself, it now costs $ 10.00 just to park the car and $ 5.00 to walk on the sand. On one hand Hawaii is crying for tourists and on the other hand Tax us till we don’t return.
Wow… I’ve been going to Hawaii for 40-years and have started to get the feeling that you are not wanted (30+ trips). Then the different islands and sites add additional fees/taxes. Now this… If it gets rid of all the others, then maybe it will work. But, it’s becoming clear – the Hawaiians no longer want visitors and that comes from the top of the State Government. I hope they don’t expect a bailout when people finally do stop coming. Unless things change, we may stop traveling to Hawaii-there are other nice places in the world! And we’ve gone over and volunteered to help…
Politicians here in Michigan learned long ago that the sheeple would not vote for general tax increases but they were happy to vote in tax increases for police and fire taxes. Seems like that is the PR tact that Hawaii is now taking. Nothing ever gets done with these additional taxes because they are used to fund the pensions of the former government workers. Someone has to pay for what they were promised. Great article. Thanks for keeping us updated on what is going on in Hawaii.
Will the airline flight crews have to pay the $50 each time they land and layover in HI? or. will the airline pick up the tab? In the end. the passenger will most likely pay for it in addition to their own $50.
Maui County added a new tax: 3% MCTAT
This past month, GET was increased by .5%. Maui Visitors are now paying in excess of 17.5%. Where is this money going?
I don’t think the Hawaiian Judicial branch could handle all the cases. The Fed would have to get involved. Maybe they could use the new visitor fee for public defenders.
I travel to Hawaii to visit family and friends, but as a general travel destination, the cost vs quality of experience equation leads me to rank many other places as far preferable.
We have 3 weeks of timeshare ownership in Hawaii. We pay over $400 in GE and property taxes. whether we visit or not. when we visit, we pay $17 per night occupancy tax to stay in a room we have deeded ownership of. we typically stay over 20 days per visit which is an additional $340. We loved going to Hapuna, but now it costs $20 for my wife and I per visit and we probably go at least 5 times during a 20 day stay. adding an additional $100 for my wife and I is an insult.
More fees, more taxes, more, more, more…where does it stop? Have been coming to the islands for many years. This year to Maui and it will be our last trip. Prices have just spiraled out of control in addition to the unfriendly attitudes of the folks who live here. There are a lot of places that are much cheaper and where tourists are welcome.
Fire Marshal Bill here. Oh righty then Now that I live on Hawaii I’ll need that extra 50.00 for my public service announcement videos informing visitors about the dangers of exotic Hawaiian flaming cocktails. Like this Flaming Eruption looks delicious, but danger lurks with this baby. Let me add a little 151 Rum and whip out the old bic lighter…Ahhhh Ahhhh That I would pay 50 to see
The legislature talking about a new visitor fee is really an additional tax. As noted Hawaii already has the highest visitor tax in the nation.
Paying for firefighters not visitors responsibility.
Perhaps fees to rescue people who don’t obey signage would be good though
That’s great but where does it end? Most large cities in the U.S. are short on firefighters. When they decide they have to have more, they raise taxes on the residents or float a bond. The bottom line is they are responsible to provide whatever level of firefighting they determine and they pay for it. Now Hawaii wants visitors to pay for it, not the residents? Aren’t visitors already paying increased hotel, rental car, service fees to help Hawaii recover?
It’s not totally about the money but more about the attitude. What are the people that benefit from these “extra” fees to visitors doing to help themselves?
Remember that for us Californians, Mexico and the Caribbean are closer than Hawaii, and a heck of a lot cheaper.
….and what about all the other built in fees, hidden or not, already from the rentals(hotels, condo’s & residential rentals) being charged? You can only charge so much and people will reach a point where they say “enough is enough”. You’re wanting people to return to the island to financially support the system but the additional fee, I believe, defeats the very purpose.
Honestly, I don’t think any additional fire support would have stopped that fire storm…
The proposed fee/tax is $50 per year. How many visitors actually stay a whole year, 365 days? On a per day basis, that’s 13.7 cents a day. Would I pay $1.37 for a 10 day stay, maybe?
Maybe, a provision should be attached to this bill that an annual public accounting of where all visitor fees and taxes are being spent should be implemented. Failure to do so would mean the forfeiture by all elected officials of all pay, per diem, and benefits for that year. Just a thought.
Visitors have budgets they have to live within. A family of 4 faced with a $200 tab will look for ways to cut other outlays. Fewer meals out, fewer gifts to bring home to friends/family, etc. And businesses and the people who work for those companies will feel the pain.
This govt and every govt should always examine ways to cut costs, not ways to stick it to the people.
Been sick for over 2 months, my activity here will probably remain limited.
Believe me, they won’t stop at $50. Inflation you know… I think I know how the folks who staged the Boston Tea Party felt… At least it’s for 2025, I’m going home next week, so no foul!
Just another money grab from Gov. Green and the rest of his cronies. Should the $50.00 fee passes and a timeshare owner in Maui, I will ask Marriott Vacation Club to sell my two weeks, or transfer to somewhere else other than Hawaii. Between the increase in HOA fees, taxes, local and state fees, rental car and groceries getting too expensive to visit.
Sorry, but the buck can stop here with me and the family.
Rob/Jeff, are you catching the drift of all these comments? Hawaii is pricing itself out of its lifeblood. What can be done about this, other than visitors opting for other places?
I can tell you that we personally know of two families who have stopped visiting the state due to high costs, not just in travel and food but various taxes. Since our grandkids live there, we will continue to visit. I would simply say to governor Green, higher taxes may very well mean lower revenue as more people choose not to visit.
Yet another bogus theft attempt by the Hawaii legislators to stick it to the tourists! Funny thing, I jumped thru hoops and paid plenty to revisit Kauai in Feb 2021 during the Covid fiasco… Specifically to support the many friends I’ve made in the past 25 years in the service industry, who were losing their jobs due to no visitors. I spent plenty supporting them!
Polihale was closed, due to locals damaging the beach and dunes. If the environment truly needs extra money, then Everyone who uses it please, local and visitor, should be paying the proposed fee.
Just another excuse to tax visitors to the islands. They are the easy target. As with all other tax collections the misuse of the tax funds will continue to be the problem.
Even though I lived in Hawaii for many years, and I have wanted to visit again, this makes removes all desire to visit the place where I spent a good portion of my youth and young adulthood.
We come to Maui every August and have been looking at VRBO condos. It is incredible how high the rates have gotten plus all the fees and taxes that go along with it. Now, another fee is in the works! If the purpose is to slow down tourism it’s heading in the right direction. The condo we stayed in 2023 is now $75 a night higher, adding over $525 plus additional taxes and fees for a week’s stay. Yes, I could pay it but it comes down to value. Since we are from NC, the Caribbean is looking better and better. We love Maui and its people and pray for recovery from the Lahaina fire but you can only do so much as far as affording a tropical vacation in paradise.
I totally agree with you Gregg. As an owner of a condo in a resort on The Big Island I have seen my property tax double in 2 years. The cost to own a vacation home in HI ( we live in NJ )has become crazy high. That increase has to filter down to VRBO rentals.
Aloha,
A note on VRBO, lately I’ve seen some Hawaii, and specifically Maui VRBO fees as high as one thousand dollars, in addition to owners fees. When you click on the fee cost it says “To ensure you have a better rental experience”. Uh-huh…I will have a better rental experience all right, but it will won’t be because i paid VRBO $1000.00, that’s for sure.
Mahalo
Why do keep wanting to hurt the visitor. The hotels charge extra fees that we do not see anything for this. But, I believe you keep chasing tourist away with this kind of attitude. The state is should pay for the fire marshall thru their taxes like other states do. The tourist shouldn’t pay for something that is clearly for use of the residents.
Aloha,
The “fire marshal” angle is just another lame excuse for government theft; just a different shade of lipstick on the boar. Has anybody noticed that the government is never the problem? Spending is never controlled or reigned in; taxation never abates?
Mahalo
DLNR cannot do the jobs they currently have. The are the most bureaucratic, unresponsive organization I have ever worked with. This program is ripe for abuse if managed by them!
So once again a democratically controlled legislature has decided to try to raise people in such a way that it will fix the problems that they themselves gave not even tried to fix in decades. Apparently they never learned or they refuse to accept that you cannot tax a state or the people coming to it into prosperity! They net result will be the life blood of the Hawaiian Islands will just flow someplace else.
Visitor Fee , just more money to get soaked by your beauracy and government agencies.
You’re just not worth it.
Costa Rica, Caribbean, Mexico here we come.
Unfortunately Jim, that is what is already starting to happen. About 30 years ago, tourists found that there were many other wonderful, warm destinations in the world to visit. I remember the “Come back to Hawaii” cry as Hawaii struggled with the reduced tourism dollars. I suspect history will repeat itself unless the current and future state leadership stops shooting themselves in the foot.
If this fee is implemented, we will not be returning to Maui. Been there 7 of the past 8 years, always spend a lot, always respect the island and people, but this is beyond ridiculous.
I love Hawaii and actually wouldn’t mind paying a yearly fee if it went for shoring up the infrastructure for visitors. I have little faith that would happen though based on how they’ve squandered all the additional taxes/fees already collected with little to show for them. Also, providing adequate fire protection is a basic responsibility of local/state governments, not tourists.
I cringed when I read “ to offset visitor impacts and ensure a healthy environment for future generations”….. as if visitors are the only ones harming Hawaii’s environment. Remember the Rave at Polihale a few years ago, where locals trashed the place and the mayor had to shut the place down? And the drug-fueled parties of locals on the beach in Maui, with similar results? A new fee on visitors, on top of ridiculously high lodging and restaurant prices, will only cause more people to forego Hawaii and seek cheaper alternatives, even if it is only an emotional reaction. Hawaii’s mismanagement of government funds is legendary, but unfortunately will continue as long as the residents keep voting these incompetents into office.
Vistor fee is ridiculous. The cost here is already to high. Anyone who lives here should have to pay if you fly off island because you’re impacting some place else.
Doesn’t make sense!
As far as fires, you can learn alot from California! Have a strict weed/brush abatement law.
The large land Trust and schools let everything grow and don’t care. Hammer them! Everywhere in Kailua-Kona.
Oh brother my airline ticket for this year doubled from last year, $2,000 has been added to my rent for a condo. This $50 fee is the same as putting lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig.
Why does anyone even consider visiting Hawaii any more when they can go to Mexico? The beaches are as nice as Hawaii’s and lodging, food and other expenses are a fraction of the cost. And massages on some beaches are only $20 for an hour.
Let’s be honest, Hawaii does Not want visitors. I lived on Oahu and Kauai for 14 years and left 5 years ago because I couldn’t afford to stay. Since that time the Hawaii government shut down the state to tourism due to Covid and then when they reopened they (the counties) have placed additional taxes and fees on visitors. Wake up people, tourism is Hawaii’s bread and butter and Green and the island Mayors don’t seem to understand that. Hawaii is going to tax visitors to the point that visitors will choose less costly places to vacation and the burden will continue to be levied on the residents of Hawaii to pay for the maintenance of these services. Sadly the residents keep voting for the same failed leadership.
Would the $50 visitor fee wipe out the need to pay for beaches etc? I’m guessing not, while the fees to visit some beaches (Hapuna) have increased to a ridiculous amount. The fees was still the same while the beach/park had no running water. It’s one thing to charge per vehicle but then add a per person fee on top of the vehicle fee is just ridiculous.
Agreed. my wife and I love Hapuna. thought nothing of the $5 entrance fee per car. but now, $20 for my wife and I. we spent a total of 45 days on the BI in 2023..not once did we go to Hapuna. just couldn’t justify it.
I have been going to Maui since 2008 and have seen the visitor fees go up without any noticeable improvements. The politicians have done nothing but squander money, I for one wlll vote with my wallet and vacation elsewhere.
I bet they haven’t figured out how to actually collect this fee. you’d have to fence off every single trail / beach / natural area in order to make sure those using it paid the $50.
Or maybe they’d make it like a fishing license and have roving “rangers” checking to see if you have paid up.
Today I received an email from Costco travel informing me that the Hawaii rental car surcharge tax has gone up 50 cents per day… this on top of the other rental car taxes, hotel taxes, occupancy fees, entrance fees…. now add the impact fee. After our next trip in April, it will be very difficult to return. Hawaii will become the home of the billionaire elites and locals wii be their serfs.
Judging from the high number of responses to this article generated in just the last 36 hours, I’d say you’ve definitely raised an issue of concern to many visitors! Unfortunately, we don’t vote for the politicians who vote these into place. I don’t know how the local tourism workers feel, but if visitors actually DID vote with their dollars and went somewhere else, it would surely effect their jobs. How do we get the local Hawaiian voters to tell the politicians this is a bad idea? Do the locals even feel the same way as the majority of the posters on ths topic? B of H, perhaps you could list the email contact info for some of the politicians pushing for this, and concerned visitors can tell them how we feel? If it even matters?
If Hawaii starts charging a fee just to visit Hawaii on top of the daily hotel resort fees, after spending thousands of dollars in order to enjoy your lovely state, where on the mainland U.S. no other state charges a fee to visit their state or the beaches.
I have stopped looking to buy any real-estate or a slip for my sailboat
“Hawaii has a history of struggling with the effective use of visitor (and resident) taxes and fees, with results often falling short of intended goals….”
I Couldn’t have said it better.
Now If I could only ever get to use the Men’s Room at Iao Valley State Park it would all be worth it.
We are loosing more and more tourists every year, getting gouged on everything from parking fees in kona to ridiculous hotel rates! Why not keep TAT tax on our big island to accommodate infostructures and stop sending every penny of it to fund the rail system on Oahu, small islands don’t have a rail system, let Oahu pay for it! They have 1.1 million people there. Sick of government gouging, soon no one will come here, Mexico and CostaRica will take it all, we need better government brains.
Yet another tax on Tourists? At the state parks already there is a parking fee, a need to get a permit which I assume is not free either, there is an admission fee and now Gov Green wants a license fee on top of what Tourists already have to pay.
Remember the good ole days when on the spur of the moment you could go for a Hike at Diamond Head and it would cost no more then your transportation and 50 cents entrance ?
In Maui, to go to what Was my favorite beach for just 2 hours in the early morning hours when you feel like you have the whole beach to yourself, it now costs $ 10.00 just to park the car and $ 5.00 to walk on the sand. On one hand Hawaii is crying for tourists and on the other hand Tax us till we don’t return.
Wow… I’ve been going to Hawaii for 40-years and have started to get the feeling that you are not wanted (30+ trips). Then the different islands and sites add additional fees/taxes. Now this… If it gets rid of all the others, then maybe it will work. But, it’s becoming clear – the Hawaiians no longer want visitors and that comes from the top of the State Government. I hope they don’t expect a bailout when people finally do stop coming. Unless things change, we may stop traveling to Hawaii-there are other nice places in the world! And we’ve gone over and volunteered to help…
Politicians here in Michigan learned long ago that the sheeple would not vote for general tax increases but they were happy to vote in tax increases for police and fire taxes. Seems like that is the PR tact that Hawaii is now taking. Nothing ever gets done with these additional taxes because they are used to fund the pensions of the former government workers. Someone has to pay for what they were promised. Great article. Thanks for keeping us updated on what is going on in Hawaii.
Will the airline flight crews have to pay the $50 each time they land and layover in HI? or. will the airline pick up the tab? In the end. the passenger will most likely pay for it in addition to their own $50.
Maui County added a new tax: 3% MCTAT
This past month, GET was increased by .5%. Maui Visitors are now paying in excess of 17.5%. Where is this money going?
Maybe time for a comprehensive audit.
Pete
I don’t think the Hawaiian Judicial branch could handle all the cases. The Fed would have to get involved. Maybe they could use the new visitor fee for public defenders.
I travel to Hawaii to visit family and friends, but as a general travel destination, the cost vs quality of experience equation leads me to rank many other places as far preferable.
We have 3 weeks of timeshare ownership in Hawaii. We pay over $400 in GE and property taxes. whether we visit or not. when we visit, we pay $17 per night occupancy tax to stay in a room we have deeded ownership of. we typically stay over 20 days per visit which is an additional $340. We loved going to Hapuna, but now it costs $20 for my wife and I per visit and we probably go at least 5 times during a 20 day stay. adding an additional $100 for my wife and I is an insult.
More fees, more taxes, more, more, more…where does it stop? Have been coming to the islands for many years. This year to Maui and it will be our last trip. Prices have just spiraled out of control in addition to the unfriendly attitudes of the folks who live here. There are a lot of places that are much cheaper and where tourists are welcome.
Fire Marshal Bill here. Oh righty then Now that I live on Hawaii I’ll need that extra 50.00 for my public service announcement videos informing visitors about the dangers of exotic Hawaiian flaming cocktails. Like this Flaming Eruption looks delicious, but danger lurks with this baby. Let me add a little 151 Rum and whip out the old bic lighter…Ahhhh Ahhhh That I would pay 50 to see
The legislature talking about a new visitor fee is really an additional tax. As noted Hawaii already has the highest visitor tax in the nation.
Paying for firefighters not visitors responsibility.
Perhaps fees to rescue people who don’t obey signage would be good though
That’s great but where does it end? Most large cities in the U.S. are short on firefighters. When they decide they have to have more, they raise taxes on the residents or float a bond. The bottom line is they are responsible to provide whatever level of firefighting they determine and they pay for it. Now Hawaii wants visitors to pay for it, not the residents? Aren’t visitors already paying increased hotel, rental car, service fees to help Hawaii recover?
It’s not totally about the money but more about the attitude. What are the people that benefit from these “extra” fees to visitors doing to help themselves?
Remember that for us Californians, Mexico and the Caribbean are closer than Hawaii, and a heck of a lot cheaper.
….and what about all the other built in fees, hidden or not, already from the rentals(hotels, condo’s & residential rentals) being charged? You can only charge so much and people will reach a point where they say “enough is enough”. You’re wanting people to return to the island to financially support the system but the additional fee, I believe, defeats the very purpose.
Honestly, I don’t think any additional fire support would have stopped that fire storm…
The proposed fee/tax is $50 per year. How many visitors actually stay a whole year, 365 days? On a per day basis, that’s 13.7 cents a day. Would I pay $1.37 for a 10 day stay, maybe?
Maybe, a provision should be attached to this bill that an annual public accounting of where all visitor fees and taxes are being spent should be implemented. Failure to do so would mean the forfeiture by all elected officials of all pay, per diem, and benefits for that year. Just a thought.
Visitors have budgets they have to live within. A family of 4 faced with a $200 tab will look for ways to cut other outlays. Fewer meals out, fewer gifts to bring home to friends/family, etc. And businesses and the people who work for those companies will feel the pain.
This govt and every govt should always examine ways to cut costs, not ways to stick it to the people.
Been sick for over 2 months, my activity here will probably remain limited.
Believe me, they won’t stop at $50. Inflation you know… I think I know how the folks who staged the Boston Tea Party felt… At least it’s for 2025, I’m going home next week, so no foul!
Best Regards
Just another money grab from Gov. Green and the rest of his cronies. Should the $50.00 fee passes and a timeshare owner in Maui, I will ask Marriott Vacation Club to sell my two weeks, or transfer to somewhere else other than Hawaii. Between the increase in HOA fees, taxes, local and state fees, rental car and groceries getting too expensive to visit.
Sorry, but the buck can stop here with me and the family.
Rob/Jeff, are you catching the drift of all these comments? Hawaii is pricing itself out of its lifeblood. What can be done about this, other than visitors opting for other places?
Hi Rob.
We sure get it. And the message is getting through to state officials to be sure. But does that matter? We can’t say that it does.
Aloha.
I can tell you that we personally know of two families who have stopped visiting the state due to high costs, not just in travel and food but various taxes. Since our grandkids live there, we will continue to visit. I would simply say to governor Green, higher taxes may very well mean lower revenue as more people choose not to visit.
Yet another bogus theft attempt by the Hawaii legislators to stick it to the tourists! Funny thing, I jumped thru hoops and paid plenty to revisit Kauai in Feb 2021 during the Covid fiasco… Specifically to support the many friends I’ve made in the past 25 years in the service industry, who were losing their jobs due to no visitors. I spent plenty supporting them!
Polihale was closed, due to locals damaging the beach and dunes. If the environment truly needs extra money, then Everyone who uses it please, local and visitor, should be paying the proposed fee.
Just another excuse to tax visitors to the islands. They are the easy target. As with all other tax collections the misuse of the tax funds will continue to be the problem.
Even though I lived in Hawaii for many years, and I have wanted to visit again, this makes removes all desire to visit the place where I spent a good portion of my youth and young adulthood.
We come to Maui every August and have been looking at VRBO condos. It is incredible how high the rates have gotten plus all the fees and taxes that go along with it. Now, another fee is in the works! If the purpose is to slow down tourism it’s heading in the right direction. The condo we stayed in 2023 is now $75 a night higher, adding over $525 plus additional taxes and fees for a week’s stay. Yes, I could pay it but it comes down to value. Since we are from NC, the Caribbean is looking better and better. We love Maui and its people and pray for recovery from the Lahaina fire but you can only do so much as far as affording a tropical vacation in paradise.
I totally agree with you Gregg. As an owner of a condo in a resort on The Big Island I have seen my property tax double in 2 years. The cost to own a vacation home in HI ( we live in NJ )has become crazy high. That increase has to filter down to VRBO rentals.
Aloha,
A note on VRBO, lately I’ve seen some Hawaii, and specifically Maui VRBO fees as high as one thousand dollars, in addition to owners fees. When you click on the fee cost it says “To ensure you have a better rental experience”. Uh-huh…I will have a better rental experience all right, but it will won’t be because i paid VRBO $1000.00, that’s for sure.
Mahalo
Why do keep wanting to hurt the visitor. The hotels charge extra fees that we do not see anything for this. But, I believe you keep chasing tourist away with this kind of attitude. The state is should pay for the fire marshall thru their taxes like other states do. The tourist shouldn’t pay for something that is clearly for use of the residents.
Does any other state charge their tourists fees to maintain the state’s fire department?
Aloha,
The “fire marshal” angle is just another lame excuse for government theft; just a different shade of lipstick on the boar. Has anybody noticed that the government is never the problem? Spending is never controlled or reigned in; taxation never abates?
Mahalo
If the tax passes, very little, if any of the money will go to fire prevention…
DLNR cannot do the jobs they currently have. The are the most bureaucratic, unresponsive organization I have ever worked with. This program is ripe for abuse if managed by them!
So once again a democratically controlled legislature has decided to try to raise people in such a way that it will fix the problems that they themselves gave not even tried to fix in decades. Apparently they never learned or they refuse to accept that you cannot tax a state or the people coming to it into prosperity! They net result will be the life blood of the Hawaiian Islands will just flow someplace else.
Bingo!!! I couldnt have said it better except: why do these sheeple keep voting them in? Same vote, expect change? Rofl
Visitor Fee , just more money to get soaked by your beauracy and government agencies.
You’re just not worth it.
Costa Rica, Caribbean, Mexico here we come.
I agree!
Unfortunately Jim, that is what is already starting to happen. About 30 years ago, tourists found that there were many other wonderful, warm destinations in the world to visit. I remember the “Come back to Hawaii” cry as Hawaii struggled with the reduced tourism dollars. I suspect history will repeat itself unless the current and future state leadership stops shooting themselves in the foot.
If this fee is implemented, we will not be returning to Maui. Been there 7 of the past 8 years, always spend a lot, always respect the island and people, but this is beyond ridiculous.
I love Hawaii and actually wouldn’t mind paying a yearly fee if it went for shoring up the infrastructure for visitors. I have little faith that would happen though based on how they’ve squandered all the additional taxes/fees already collected with little to show for them. Also, providing adequate fire protection is a basic responsibility of local/state governments, not tourists.
I cringed when I read “ to offset visitor impacts and ensure a healthy environment for future generations”….. as if visitors are the only ones harming Hawaii’s environment. Remember the Rave at Polihale a few years ago, where locals trashed the place and the mayor had to shut the place down? And the drug-fueled parties of locals on the beach in Maui, with similar results? A new fee on visitors, on top of ridiculously high lodging and restaurant prices, will only cause more people to forego Hawaii and seek cheaper alternatives, even if it is only an emotional reaction. Hawaii’s mismanagement of government funds is legendary, but unfortunately will continue as long as the residents keep voting these incompetents into office.
Vistor fee is ridiculous. The cost here is already to high. Anyone who lives here should have to pay if you fly off island because you’re impacting some place else.
Doesn’t make sense!
As far as fires, you can learn alot from California! Have a strict weed/brush abatement law.
The large land Trust and schools let everything grow and don’t care. Hammer them! Everywhere in Kailua-Kona.
Oh brother my airline ticket for this year doubled from last year, $2,000 has been added to my rent for a condo. This $50 fee is the same as putting lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig.
Why does anyone even consider visiting Hawaii any more when they can go to Mexico? The beaches are as nice as Hawaii’s and lodging, food and other expenses are a fraction of the cost. And massages on some beaches are only $20 for an hour.
Let’s be honest, Hawaii does Not want visitors. I lived on Oahu and Kauai for 14 years and left 5 years ago because I couldn’t afford to stay. Since that time the Hawaii government shut down the state to tourism due to Covid and then when they reopened they (the counties) have placed additional taxes and fees on visitors. Wake up people, tourism is Hawaii’s bread and butter and Green and the island Mayors don’t seem to understand that. Hawaii is going to tax visitors to the point that visitors will choose less costly places to vacation and the burden will continue to be levied on the residents of Hawaii to pay for the maintenance of these services. Sadly the residents keep voting for the same failed leadership.
They understand. They just don’t care. More taxes / fees = more $ out of fewer tourists. That is the stated goal.
Would the $50 visitor fee wipe out the need to pay for beaches etc? I’m guessing not, while the fees to visit some beaches (Hapuna) have increased to a ridiculous amount. The fees was still the same while the beach/park had no running water. It’s one thing to charge per vehicle but then add a per person fee on top of the vehicle fee is just ridiculous.
Agreed. my wife and I love Hapuna. thought nothing of the $5 entrance fee per car. but now, $20 for my wife and I. we spent a total of 45 days on the BI in 2023..not once did we go to Hapuna. just couldn’t justify it.
I have been going to Maui since 2008 and have seen the visitor fees go up without any noticeable improvements. The politicians have done nothing but squander money, I for one wlll vote with my wallet and vacation elsewhere.
I bet they haven’t figured out how to actually collect this fee. you’d have to fence off every single trail / beach / natural area in order to make sure those using it paid the $50.
Or maybe they’d make it like a fishing license and have roving “rangers” checking to see if you have paid up.
Yep. And then they would add another fee to pay for the rangers who make sure you paid the visitor fee.