Should Hawaii visitors and residents both pay an environmental fee? More questions are back on the table.
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143 thoughts on “Controversial $50 Hawaii Visitor Fee Plan Returns”
Should Hawaii visitors and residents both pay an environmental fee? More questions are back on the table.
As a 13 time visitor to the state of Hawaii,I oppose a state entry visitor fee. Though after our recent trip to Maui in April, it is unlikely we would return anyway. Hotels are tacking on huge resort fees and not actually offering anything to justify paying it, it’s just a way to make up for low occupancy during the past 2 1/2 years. Yes, COVID hit Hawaii hard, but it hit the rest of us hard too. You want visitors, I assume tourism is your big employer, stop charging visitors for problems you caused. We also found few restaurants to eat in, what’s a tourist to do for food? Sorry, no more.
Very bad idea to “tax” hawaii visitors 👎👎👎
Just another money grab ….
Going down a government
rabbit hole to ” Nowhere ” !
B. R.
Hello Rita D, we are quite agreeable with what you have said and are similar in your situation each year when we come to Hawaii. There does need to be an Exception to the fee for full time Residents that Travel, If that is what the fee is Exclusively about. If the Fee is about “Ecological” Conservation or Climate Related expenses the Residents should pay the Fee, or at least half, to cover an entire year. That money needs a Trustee to ensure proper spending and competitive bidding processes. It wouldn’t be released to anyone else for any other reason.
So I remember it was a right more than a privilege to travel to any of the 50 states and the government cannot block one from doing so or adding taxes/charges.
It won’t help anyone but the corrupt politicians like Californians voting to have taxes on freeways (not free anymore) and now charges to use the fast lane on the highways.
It’s like parking meters. It starts at 1 penny and now a quarter gets you 4-5 minutes in SF.
This tax will keep going up so what you will be doing is stopping regular people from visiting and creating a sanctuary where rich and middle class people go. The poor and working class will suffer another defeat at the hands of “do-gooders”
I went from 3 trips/year to none and it’s staying that way for now
If Hawaii receives $50 fee per visitor, they forego any and all US Federal $. No, FEMA, no catastrophic funding, no infrastructure funding…. Nothing. Hawaii is one of 50 states. They need to remember that. They seem to want their cake and eat it too. They were very close to becoming Japan.
I would do everything I possibly could to refuse to pay. I would be willing to go to jail to fight for my right to travel in the USA. If I had no choice because it was tacked on to hotel rooms I would do it. Then file my lawsuit no matter the cost or how long it took.
Thanks, but no thanks if I could go to Hawaii by personal transport. I think I will just stay in Florida and visit the state I live in without a fee. But I will ask my state to tax everyone that flys into Florida.
Sadly, over the head of many!
There is a large percentage of Hawaii population that has relocated to the Mainland but come back “home” frequently. I happen to be from Salt Lake and my family lives in all parts of Honolulu. How dumb to come home and having to pay a fee just to see my ohana and Hawaii Nei..smh
Hi, I have been here for 3 months, I’m not sure $50 will help solve this problem. I feel that the Island is way over populated and is on the edge of destruction. Tourism can be good, but my thought is there is to much for this island (Oahu). It is just to crowded, and I won’t come back nor would I advise anyone to come. I hope the future brings good things for the people that have lived and grown up here. God Bless you.
Hi Mark, seeing Oahu through your eye’s and comparing that to my vision has brought about some Realism. The Island is extremely congested with people in certain areas. As Evidence one only needs to witness H1, H2 and H3 at certain times of the day. The Congestion hopefully will subside considerably once the Rail is finished and operational, only time will tell. The Need for Affordable, or non, Housing shouldn’t intrude Agricultural Viable Land! Expansion outside of the population centers can be achieved if the Rail is completed. Bottom line, Change needs to happen to meet the demand for Affordable Housing!
The rail? Are you being sarcastic that thing has 6 years to go and ends no where. No one’s going to ride that. Rail is just a scam to fill union and politicians coffers.
We love Hawaii, lived on Oahu for 8 years, but due to the high cost of living, had to move to the mainland. Now we enjoy returning once a year as tourist. We spend plenty of money while visiting. Airfare, hotel, food,car rental, recreation fees, etc. If a $50 per person fee begins, we will no longer travel to Hawaii. Pretty sad that I can not enjoy a state in my own country!!! How greedy, Aloha forever for me.
Not for Hawaiian residents, as they pay their taxes for the islands of which they reside.
I agree wholeheartedly agree that visitors/tourists should pay.
If you can afford a vacation in Hawaii, you can afford a visitor fee, as long as it goes to preserving the islands.
Plus the “disrespectful” visitors are made to pay for what they have done to the islands for past, present and future visits.
Thank you for the privilege of sharing your beautiful islands with us!
What about the disrespectful residents? Let’s not act like everyone’s an angel. I lived there 20 years. Loved the islands. Most people there are from somewhere else. Very few actual locals there. So if people believe so strongly in this fee residents won’t have an issue then paying it when they go to different island correct?
Hi Chris, seems that some people are so used to seeing this junk that they eventually overlook it, unless they can use it to blame Tourists for it being there. How convenient isn’t it? Was it in their carry on luggage or did it come over inside the checked bag? Well, I am off to spread my good will and cheer. Hope you have a wonderful day. Happy 4th!