Hawaii is set to revive its push for a visitor fee in 2025, tapping into a strong global movement that demands travelers contribute to protecting the destinations they explore.
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77 thoughts on “Hawaii Visitor Fee Faces 2025 Comeback: What’s Next?”
“What’s next” is the continued takeover of the islands by the ultra rich and more Hawaiians heading to Las Vegas.
But sure, keep taxing the average tourist as a bandaid.
Locals should ask why state and local government is a piggy bank for selected locals to work at (relative to service) high wages and low productivity.
Maybe the green fee is for Gov Green?!
Every state has environmental concerns. California, my state, had 11.5 million visitors internationally only, not total, in 2022. Hawaii had 10 million from everywhere. California needs to set up collection stations as you leave Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, etc. We need to man the airports, collect the $$, for our unique environment.
Sounds crazy doesn’t it?
It is.
You cannot charge a U.S. citizen to enter another state.
I love Hawaii, was stationed there, lived there, married a local girl and been back many times but this is getting ridiculous.
Amen. You are so right. Hawaii is not the only state impacted by guests. Not to mention the talk of the local environment that Hawaiians trash on a regular basis.
You are correct! The trash, mattresses, old cars, etc along the roads left by the locals make parts of Maui look like a 3rd world country. Quit blaming the tourists for everything!
Once a year I visit grandkids I hawaii. Environmental impact is a concern in Hawaii. Go out into the rural areas where tourists don’t go and see the trash, junk cars washing machines etc filling the ditches.
If I have to pay a green fee I will cut out one meal out to pay for it.
Charge the locals a fee to get rid of what They are dumping, not tourists.
My family and I have spent a great deal of time and money on Maui and have always tried to leave as small a footprint as possible. Seems to me that most “tourists” are more respectful than locals.
All tourists must buy a biodegradable trash bag from the state and walk around picking up trash before check in. Like when a judge sentences someone to community service.
Best I can tell, the US Constitution and SCOTUS will not allow any state to charge other US citizens a fee to simply show up. And I believe it has to be charged to all users and only on specific projects that have specific costs. Plus it stops once the project is paid for. Like a new bridge. Thats probably why the HI government is delaying. They want to disguise another tax and spend slush fund without raising the TATs.
The Hawaiin government acts as if they are not part of the US…these so called “green fees” as well as “STR bans” are simply unconstitutional. Hey, but whenever did the rule of law apply to these despots?
It wouldn’t surprise me if, a couple of years from now, Governor Green proposed a requirement for non-Hawaiians to acquire a visa before traveling to the islands. If something like this succeeds, what’s to stop other states like California, Florida, Utah, etc…that have large tourist industries to also impose similar fees?
If Hawaii wants to charge visitor fees or enact a visa to enter the islands, then the only way they can do it legally is to secede from the USA as its own independent nation. Nobody in the Hawaii State Government is proposing such a thing, so this is all political theater and nonsense. Hawaii should follow Nevada’s lead and slash income taxes to 0% and that will make Hawaii cheaper overnight for hardworking Kanaka and Kama’aina.
Yet another reason why I will not be returning to Hawaii. I’ve been there 13 times. However this ludicrous government is taxing tourists to death. Good bye Hawaii and good luck. Residents of the island will need luck because the State will soon go broke.
I read up on your news about the fee to tourists if you do my family will not be coming in February as we planned for 2 weeks vacation not only that especially nowadays I think it’s cruel to put that on tourists as Hawaii is the most expensive of all trips you will lose tourists. For a tourist fee. For a family of four for two weeks it’s costing us $15,000 so far .we are already giving you lots of money by using all your hotels restaurants shows etc, shame on you!! T
Only fools will go along with this Green Fee or what ever you want to call it.. it’s just another Scam by your government to control more. And, put more money in the pockets of Crooks. Pro me wrong. Scam
How will the State differentiate between visitors and Kamaaina checking into a hotel when the fee is collected based on hotel stays? Will a Hawaii resident need to keep receipts and request a refund?
Will the fee apply per trip or only once a year?
In essence, it probably will become another fee which will go into the General Fund and also disproportionately impact local people who travel between the islands frequently for business or to visit family
Hey you locals are the ones who vote these lawmakers into power. Maybe start voting for a different direction. Good luck.
It’s not the locals fault. It’s the bad tourist and colonizers everyone but the people living there.
If the locals continue to act this way they will see the Goose has laid its last eggs and is on its way to be cooked.
Good Luck Locals
If they start charging a fee to visit we will have to just find another place to visit. It’s expensive enough already
With the way our state is run, what guarantees do we have that this money is used for its intended purpose? If it goes into the general fund, then, that’s a hard no for me. If it goes into a special account, with a lock box, then, ok. There has to be audits of the account annually & monies divided up evenly to the neighbor islands, so everyone gets a piece of the pie. Having said this, I recently did a few “mock reservations” to see how all of the taxes & fees increase the room rates. I was pretty shocked at how much is tacked on daily. This might break some people into saying, “Mahalo, but no,” and take their tourist dollars elsewhere.
Instead of the last two times we would visit Hawaii we went to Europe. From the west coast and paid way less and a much more memorable time.