Hawaii Plans Conservation/Use Fees, Reservations Required, Capacity Limits, Education

There are upcoming challenges associated with over-tourism and what is quickly evolving as the new Hawaii tourism paradigm. Hawaii visitors are ready, poised to return to the islands in record numbers now that Covid is abating. But is that what Hawaii wants? Clearly, how Hawaii manages its burgeoning tourism sector is critical in every way, both for visitors and for residents. The very nature of Hawaii tourism is changing, and here’s what’s going on. Tourism is unquestionably the state’s most important industry and the standalone financial driver for Hawaii.

“The primary source of income for Hawaii is the visitor sector which spreads itself over several industries, such as service, transportation, and retail trade.” — State of Hawaii

What will Hawaii’s “New Tourism Paradigm” look like?

The state’s Hawaii Tourism Authority has said that it wants to encourage visitors who “understand Hawaii to be something unique, special and memorable, and worth investing in terms of a vacation.”

Not only that. Last week, State Representative Sean Quinlan stated that “we don’t want to go back to 11 million visitors a year, we don’t want to do high volume, low spending tourism.”

At every level, and on all the islands, the intent is becoming clear. Fewer visitors, higher spending ones, a wide range of new fees, together with conservation, education, and giving back.

BOH: Changes already proposed and those forthcoming will not be like an on/off switch but instead be progressive. Airlines still have seats to fill, and, with fierce competition, cheap flights to Hawaii remain plentiful.  Hotels and other accommodations too have beds to fill. But in time, as more fees and limits are imposed, Hawaii tourism will evolve, and it may happen more quickly than any of us anticipated. 

Hawaii tourism: how everything changed with Covid.

Hawaii’s tourism arm is now headed by Hawaii native John De Fries who reminisces about growing up in Waikiki in the 60s. He said of the area, that today it is “a playground surrounded by hotels.” De Fries took over as head of the state’s HTA last fall.

Looking back to the last boom year in Hawaii travel, 2019, we had a record, 10.4 M visitors, who brought in $2.1 B in tax revenue alone that year. At the same time, residents suffered from traffic, crowding in public places, and an extremely high cost of living. For many, the lull of 2020 Covid was, as De Fries well stated, “somewhat euphoric. It felt like we got our islands back.”

The HTA head analogized what has happened since tourism resumed to “putting 220 volts of electricity through a 110-volt circuit.” That given the higher than ever cost of accommodations, exorbitant or unavailable Hawaii rental cars, accommodation taxes at new national records, and more.

Forthcoming plans will transform Hawaii tourism in big and demonstrable ways.

That comes as each of the islands has now developed a strategic plan through 2025 focused not on destination marketing, but rather on sustainable travel management.

From entrance and parking fees to the possibility of regenerative tourism fees, the state is looking at changes that would apply to all arriving tourists in order to support conservation and environmental programs.

“Malama” (giving back) is another concept being woven into Hawaii tourism.

DeFries said that while “everyone relates to aloha, malama is emerging as its sister value.” That might look like helping hawaii to reforest land or cleaning up beaches in exchange for a free hotel night.

Hawaii state parks:  visitor fees + reservations required.

Visitor fees, in some cases, pared with educational programs, and tourism capacity limits are ultimately likely to be imposed at all of Hawaii’s state parks. That in an attempt to reduce the number of visitors, improve the sustainability of Hawaii’s natural resources, and help fund the parks.

Some of the changes that have already occurred include multiple fees and reservation requirements at some of the most significant Hawaii visitor destinations.

1. North Shore Kauai’s Haena State Park, gateway to the famed Kalalau Trail.

2. Maui’s Wainapanapa State Park, home of an exquisite black sand beach.

3. Oahu’s renowned Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve.

Vacation rental “Green Fees?”

The state research arm at the University of Hawaii recently wrote about a proposed “green fee surcharge of $20 for each guest, either a visitor or resident, of a transient accommodation.” While that proposal died in committee, the concept is destined to return in some form.

Big Island and Kauai consider new visitor fees.

Last week, the Big Island’s mayor said he is considering new fees for county beaches in order to help defray costs. The discussion will continue. User fees for Big Island county parks were first brought forward in 2019 but have thus far not been implemented. Will the fees only be applied to visitors?

On Kauai, visitor fees for county parks are currently being considered. When we wrote Should Visitors Pay New $10 Kauai Beach Parking Surcharge last month, you were outspoken in nearly 300 fascinating comments.

Information and education are other new aspects of Hawaii tourism.

This is just in its infancy. We recall the first time we had to watch a mandatory video prior to visiting the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. Hawaiian Airlines too offers an educational video focused on sustainability and safety. It is associated with ocean precautions, where visitors are ten times more likely to drown than residents, as well as on Hawaiian monk seals and other endangered species, and on sunscreens that are reef-sale.

Broader Hawaii conservation/green fees could be the next big change.

The concept of some form of regenerative tourism fee is being widely discussed, both on Oahu, and statewide. Such fees could be imposed on all visitors in order to support environmental management and conservation.

Hawaii will attempt to implement something similar to what other tourist destinations have done previously. One such place is the Galapagos Islands.

There, all arriving visitors are required to pay an entry tax in order to visit. The amount of this entrance fee is currently $100 for visitors and $6 for Ecuadoreans, but a doubling of that fee is being planned.

Hawaii’s research arm also said, “the small Pacific island nation of Palau has one of the most effective green fee programs in the world, a US$100 visitor fee embedded into airline tickets.” Hawaii’s first failed attempt sought to assess a $40 fee to provide funding that supports Hawaii’s natural resources and ecosystems.