It isn’t just about the money. Hawaii visitor fees reexamined and input needed.
189 thoughts on “Hawaii Visitor Fees: Perception, Value And An Egregious Example”
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It isn’t just about the money. Hawaii visitor fees reexamined and input needed.
Comments are closed.
There’s no other place quite like Detroit, either. That’s a silly thing to say, that other people are on their high horses.
I lived there too expensive. Charging extra fees makes me no longer want to go back to visitp
I understand a need to generate income for natural resources in Hawaii, but I am a Native Hawaiian,living in the mainland.
When we come home to visit my mom, she’s 90, I now have to pay to visit a place that brings back so many precious memories as a kid. We had to move because it just cost to much to live at home.
The government has wasted so much money, and miss manage the islands so much over the years because of greed.
With the cost of visiting home continuously rising, won’t be able to visit much longer.
I can not think of a state I have traveled to where it isn’t more if you from out of town. Maybe it’s not so blatant. Maybe it is. Florida, NY, MD, Cali, 39 states so far and it’s everywhere.
International is a whole other ball game.
Charge tourists, what are they gonna do, not come. Just stop telling them locals don’t pay.
Or ask them what discounts out-of-towner’s get when they visit where ever they came from.
California isn’t on the list for charging visitors. I live there and I’ve never seen beaches, mountains, desert place higher rates for visitors!
I live in California too. Everything here is expensive. When I visit Hawaii I do not feel the pain of the high prices like other states. To me, the prices seem pretty much the same as at home. When I visited March 2022, gas prices were lower in Honolulu and Haleiwa than the prices in California. Produce, beer, wine were higher in Hawaii but not a lot higher. I was visiting a friend who was born and raised in Hawaii. She received kama aina discount at Valley of the Temples and Diamond Head. Once, a Maui jeweler gave me a nice discount just because my friend is a local.
Just got back , visit family there every year. All the fees just make me feel like “ ok your gonna come and make our home crowded , we’re gonna make you pay “ don’t mind the fees but the Pali fee was kind of outrageous
Craig
My family had been visiting the Hawaiian islands at least every other year since I was stationed there 95 to 98. I’ve gotten pretty fed up with the overcharging of tourists when the areas we’re paying to visit have obviously been trashed by locals. The money is not being used for upkeep, just a revenue stream for the state coffers.
I don’t believe in the charge to some of these places. I can understand Diamond Head, or other parks where you stay for awhile but, you are normally in and out at the Pali.
DOE,
Any idea what percentage (in a pre-COVID year) of visitors to Hawaii come from California, other states as well as Japan, and other countries?
Mahalo,
Rod
Hi Rod.
“DOE” – did you mean us? Have a look here and you should be able to find any data points desired. https://dbedt.hawaii.gov/visitor/daily-passenger-counts/
Aloha.
Sorry about that, BOH.
Thank you, I’ll check that out!
Aloha, How about when you own a second home there? I pay Hawaii taxes.
Sell it.
If you don’t live here you are taking someone’s home.
Lucky your taxes aren’t higher.
What if I rent it out making just enough to cover damages?
I wish I could use the profanity your post deserves. Instead, I’ll just say you are about the most…. poster on BOH.
Love Hawaii. Visited many times.
I have noticed and been appalled by the lack of respect for the island by the local residence. Each and every visit I’m turned off by the trash spread thru yards. Cars dumped all over the island homeless incampments(local residence) that are allowed to trash and distroy the area and beaches.
U can blame the destruction of the island on tourists but any visitor can clearly see the locals are a large large part of the problem.
I watch it every visit. angry locals simple appear to have a lack of respect for their own paradise.
I could give examples but we can all see it.
One man’s Paradise is a local man’s trash.
I think Hawaii need a take accountability as much as action
Hey Tony,
We used to have a saying here,
Hookahi no la o ka malihini
“A stranger for only a day…”
Been cleaning up after tourists for a few centuries now.
Point fingers all you want, plenty came before you. Ever think about helping.
Agreed!
If u only want the mega rich to visit. Be careful. Those are the folks that took your island to begin with. U have priced out the common honeymooners so u will be left with the dole family, the Zuckerbergs, Oracle and meth to steal the rest of your islands.
They do it all over the world especially Southeast Asia so why not here just support the aina
The $7.50 fee is a cost that is not very affordable for many. This means that those who could readily afford this parking fee would be wealthy enough to not have it be a struggle. This means that the people parking there are wealthy, which means they have a greater likelihood of having items in their parked cars worth stealing. I can see this parking area being a mecca for vehicle break ins. And a lack of security will ensure a lawsuits.
Ed,
With hesitation, I take exception to your post.
As a longtime tourist and timeshare owner, I don’t think there’s a single tourist to Hawaii who can’t afford a $7.50 parking fee. That’s not the issue. All of us, no matter which state or country we live in, can’t continue to roll over whenever a govt raises taxes, and simply tell us they need the money for xy and z. And, once they get the $$$$, xy and z are nowhere to be found. Hold the bastards accountable.
Yes several other states have enacted entrance fee’s to Some of the State Parks, not for the reasons you give. Enacted to increase Revenues for the State and a lesser extent for upkeep of the park these Fees are levied upon out of State Visitors only, the Amounts are Unreasonable in Most States but in one State is extremely low compared to the others. Parking is Generally Free, unlike Hawaii. Drawing Examples should be of the same or similar, not totally different items. What State, other than Hawaii, is set to Implement an Entrance Fee per person just to visit? None! NYC, LA, San Fran, other Major Cities have High Prices but still have reasonable alternatives. Hawaii, not really! Your State, do as you please. I have reasonable alternatives
Since 99.9% of the 10.4 million annual tourists arrive by plane, have the airlines charge a $1 fee per ticket.
No, if the govt really needs the money and can justify it to the people, don’t let them hide behind the airlines.
You need a tax, vote it in.
I live in San Diego where visitor’s pay high fees in use taxes (car and hotel). But everything else is equal. Furthermore, we love our tourists even though they clog our freeways, take over our beaches and hike our trails. Yes there is damage, which we fix. Many Hawaiian readers also enjoy traveling to San Diego. My trip to Kauai (here now) feels unwelcome. There is a lack of Aloha, which we deeply miss. Parks are closed to visitors, keep out signs are everywhere and there are two price structures. Your governor tells visitors to stay out. Stories of damage are everywhere. Welcome to being a tourist economy, but Hawaii would not exist as you know it without tourism. Please bring back Aloha and you’re always welcome to San Diego.
I enjoy the beach and park at Waimanalo where the canoe clubs often compete. I do not enjoy the restrooms. The restrooms are always filthy and rundown. The parking lot needs to be repaved. The homeless encampments by the roadside would make any family with children fear letting their children run around the park freely. I have compassion for the homeless but as we have seen in the news some need mental health help. I would gladly pay a small fee to help the state clean up the Waimanalo park. Maybe the State of Hawaii can have a website where visitors can donate money to parks they use the most that they would like cleaned up. The website should have a bar graph showing parks that visitors contribute to keep state accountable
There’s the issue of ownership. A resident of Hawaii doesn’t own the sites here any more than a resident of Iowa does. Hawaii is just another state in the US.
If state taxes are used to maintain the parks, then out-of-state fees can be used to balance that responsibility. Other states’ parks are supported by their resident taxes.
If residents pay nothing and visitors maintain everything (and then some) then expect resentment from mainlanders.
Residents pay state and county taxes to maintain parks. Non-resident fees supplement those taxes.
When it is put that way, it seems more fair.
Of course, the value has to be there, too. Folks will decide that for themselves.
The parks in Hawaii should take online donations
I make monthly donations to Yosemite and to saving the dolphins. Hawaii should have online donations. If everyone chipped in $5 per month it greatly help. Even just a couple of dollars every month would be a big help
I love Hawaii. Visited yearly since going to UH many years ago. No where else like it. It’s beaches are wonderful but they aren’t the best. What made Hawaii the best tropical destination in the world was the spirit of Aloha. However what covid restrictions have proven is that many Hawaiians don’t care for tourists. They enjoyed the islands without tourists. Some continue to push for more tourist taxes and fees, increased tourism costs to only attract high value tourists, etc. If they don’t want our business there are countless other tropical destinations. Just don’t ask for a handout because you tanked your tourism industry.
That’s the push-pull of tourist areas.
Venice loved having few people, the canals rebounded. But the restaurants closed and there is no work to be had.
Interesting that nearly all the states listed that charge out of states are controlled by high tax loving governors or legislators. Hawaii should fit right in with the crowd. We are deeded time share owners on the big island and have been visiting for more than 20 years. I guess it’s time to think about selling so we can enjoy other equally beautiful places at a much lower cost.
Before you decry “high tax loving governors and legislators”, consider the mostly poor, rural states that charge zero income tax to their residents. Those are the same states that cannot afford basic services to its poorer residents and depend on the same high tax states to supplement their coffers. Those same states contribute far less in federal taxes than they receive in federal support payments. Say what you will, but those same states are ironically little different than socialist republics, dependent on wealthier states.
What is Hawaii’s excuse for having poor residents and 3rd world housing?
Lack of industry. Poor geographic location for trade and commerce. Lack of natural resources.
Since Hawaii it best suited for tourism (it has the ingredients for that), it would be in it’s best interests to pour it efforts into becoming the best, easiest place to visit. Strive for a 5-star experience every day.
Can Hawaii really say it’s doing the work to be the best?
Don’t know. Why not ask Zuckerberg, Ellison and a host of new transplants paying gazillions for a place to live? Skyrocketing housing costs have left locals with few options, since mainlanders come in and scoop up the housing stock to make a buck.
As for third world, take a drive through GA, MS, ALA, LA, or any of the poorer fly over states. There’s a reason for the phrase, “other side of the tracks”. And that reason is redlining and racism.