Hawaii’s governor said his environmental impact fee will raise up to $600M per year and simultaneously reduce the quantity of Hawaii’s “low-end” visitors.
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199 thoughts on “Hawaii Visitor $50 “Green” Fees: How, When, Where?”
Hawaii’s governor said his environmental impact fee will raise up to $600M per year and simultaneously reduce the quantity of Hawaii’s “low-end” visitors.
I am curious as to what constitute a low -end tourist. Is it someone who saves for several years for a trip of a lifetime but doesn’t stay at a high end resort. If you are not careful the only people able to come will be the uber rich, oh wait they are buying up everything
This is Absurd!!!
Shame on the State for nickel and diming visitors! Its bad enough that accommodations, forced daily resort fees, car rental and food rates have increased up to 50%. How can they justify adding another ridiculous $50 entry fee??
This is in direct violation of our US Constitution of forcing people to pay entry to a state.
This high makamaka attitude will surely destroy the Aloha Spirit and tourism.
Stop biting off the hand that feeds you!
Aloha,
This is exactly what Hawaii tourism wants!!!
Phase out the common visitor for the high spenders they cherish!!! This has been in talks and known for a long while now, the states government is only concerned with money and lining their pockets… Those whom try to make a vacation cheaper will be sent packing to other locations and all the prices in state will rise and rise as the higher class visitors come in…
I’ve no problem paying a small fee that 100% would go back to preserving the environment… If that’s what it actually was for!!!
What about us whom visit multiple times a year and stay on multiple islands and hotels or vacation rentals every year???
What about locals??? Do they have to pay the same fee or not???
I see the inbound airlines and cruise ships being assessed the fees based on passenger count and having it passed along to the passengers. Given those are the main (or for now only) ways of getting to Hawaii, nobody will be spared. Exemptions may be granted to those passengers with Hawaii ID to satisfy the critics and maybe the kids will be spared.
This has eerie similarities to this “California Environmental Fee” levied against employers here in Calunicornia. For companies employing more than 999 employees in a calendar year, the fees went from $16,000 in 2022 to $54,000 in 2023, to $108,200 in 2024. Just as a comparison, the fee for those under 1,000 employees is less than 1/3 of these amounts. A tax for exhaling.
“Low end”.
So that’s what they think about economy travellers who save up 10 years for a trip?
I 100% agree with charging visitors a green fee, with the proceeds going toward required pro-active environmental education for the visitors. Perhaps something along the lines of a video accompanied by a questionnaire, which provides information on Hawaii’s ecosystems and wildlife, the dos and don’ts,, and the fines you would be awarded if you violated protective laws. Visitors would have to pass the questionnaire before they could check into their flight to Hawaii.
This would help eliminate the ignorant visitors, like the man I saw who came out of the water at Turtle Bay and said he was trying to touch the sea turtle “but it didn’t want to play”.
Kelly, your authoritarian attempt at fleecing visitors will not grant these folks common sense, no matter how much the government tries to pick their pockets.
So what is a “low end” visitor? I find that extremely insulting and elitist. So the poor everyday Joe that busts his butt for a low wage does not deserve to visit as much as the wealthy? Just another reason why I won’t be coming back after being respectful return visitors for 26 years. Maui fills my soul, but I will eagerly search for another fulfilling destination. I guess the governor is getting what he wants in less visitors, but I certainly don’t consider myself low-end. Maybe he does.
What kind of a comment is this for a Leader of the State to make: would reduce the quantity of Hawaii’s “low-end” visitors and “the total number of tourists.” So now the “Aloha State” has no Aloha, unless you have many many dollars to spend in Hawaii? Shameful absolutely shameful!
Our vacation dollars will be going somewhere else from now on. We’ve enjoyed many trips to the islands but no longer feel welcome and the ever growing price gouging that continues. Aloha!
My mom and I go to Hawaii every year. Sometimes twice a year. I love the islands so much. We pick up trash while we’re there, give the homeless food and really respect the culture. We’re not rich, but we make it work. It’s getting harder and harder to justify going there nowadays. Now we’re going to be slapped with a $50 dollar green fee for spending 10 days there when you have locals that are there destroying their own island on a regular basis. I was there last month and watched a local throw a lit cigarette butt from his car onto the road. But we’re the ones to blame??? Give me a break!!
Wow. Totally completely illegal plan. And “low end visitors?????”
Looks like Hawaii got a ” low end governor” who thinks he is better than others since he is a doctor