76 thoughts on “Kauai Joins Maui On Visitor Fees: Backlash + Where’s The Money Going?”

  1. >Michael: Yes, tourists are rude and disrespectful.

    We travel to the islands (primarily Kauai) twice a year for two weeks at a time and are anything but rude & disrespectful. We rent a house (yes, it’s a legal rental) in a residential neighborhood and have become friends with some of our neighbors over the years. We donate to a number of local charities, including but not limited to KKCR, The Kauai Humane Society, The Lanai Cat Sanctuary, The Kauai Community Cat Project, The Kilauea Lighthouse and Bird Refuge, and others. We patronize local businesses and restaurants and not chains. We leave no footprints. We understand that some tourists are rude and disrespectful, but resent being stereotyped.

    1. I agree whole heartedly. Some of us who visit regularly actually love the islands and cherish and care for them as we do our own “home”. Yes, there are tourists that are rude and disrespectful. But, please, do not place that label on all of us.

    2. Thanks me too! Kauai community cat project does great work. I got involved when I was last there 2016

  2. “many of you said that you want to see any fees reinvested directly into the islands’ infrastructure.”

    Not if the oahu rail debacle is any indicaion of how money is wasted by the county and state governments

  3. I have lived and worked on Big Island of Hawaii for 19 years. We employed a local independent home builder who employed local residents to construct our home. We employee local folks for home yard & home maintenance & garbage pick up.
    I agree with Suzanne that roadway garbage & abandoned vehicles need to be addressed in a more timely manner. It would be great if our local government would include some of the the “tourist fees” for roadside cleanup.
    Thank you for providing this forum. But, most of all, thank you for the daily updates concerning our beautiful state of Hawaii.

    1. Hi Mike.

      Thank you! Happy to read your first-time comment. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

      Aloha

  4. I live in Arizona I think we should enact a snowbird tax and since we are being invaded by California and the west coast how about an extra tax on those people. Last I checked Hawaii is part of the U.S. what’s the difference?

    As someone who called Hawaii home for 20 years let’s not act like the locals are great caretakers and do no wrong.

  5. I did not read all the comments, but travel fees? For most of us, it’s already very expensive for us to travel there by plane, we spend money on accommodations, car rental, parking, food, etc..I think most of us probably buy a ton of souvenirs, in my opinion, if you are trying to out price most people, charging extra fees would do it. Maybe the richest of the rich could afford, but the blue collar workers who just need a beautiful place to vacation and relax? We may be to poor to help out the economy. I know I spent a lot when I just traveled, giving extra tips, buying local, and local companies for tours/activities, etc…I love Hawaii, but not sure I work at a high enough paying job to continue to travel if there were more extra fees.
    In all respect,
    Mahalo for listening!

  6. I’m not sure that fees are the answer. Tourists (and locals too) need to be better educated on the fragile nature of the environment, especially the reefs. Could the state government make a video on how to take care of the land and the water that could be shown on the flights prior to landing? Or possibly give visitors pamphlets on the care of environment. Hotels should also make sure their guests are educated. It could also cover the dangers of the environment, especially the ocean. I don’t think most tourists deliberately mistreat the islands, they are just ignorant as to how fragile the islands are.

    Thanks for providing this comment area.

  7. As someone who has been to the Islands 85+ times since 1986, where even into the early millennia these were 4-5X’s a year a week at a time, Business and Pleasure, and over the last 10 years more like an annual trip, normally in the Spring, until we postponed February ’20, given China’s impact locally and their travel worldwide. Initially, we were scheduled for September ’20, but despite having reservations, the Moana had not re-opened, thus pushing back to May ’21, when again, the reports of having to wear Masks on the beach and a 6 Hour Flight, plus 2 Hours each way in Terminal or transit to Hotel Room seem too much! Now, January ’22, is firm, 10 days. With many friends that are “Locals”, it appears it was Hawaii that was not ready for the re-open, and in a State 99% dependent on Military and Tourism, it’s hard to fathom some of these folks going back to the 1980’s and “Local’s Only” as was Makaha. Certainly even in Oahu, it can be seen as the once bucolic North Shore from Kahuku to Haliewa is not stop n go, with no Beach Parking available, or even Matsumoto’s newer enlarged location. Fares are already higher to Maui and Kauai, Kaanapali, Wailea and Kapalua (DT Fleming) are pretty much self-contained, so too Poipu or Princeville. The Governor wanted to grab all the Counties $ from Hotel Tax for a General Fund, to what end, higher Rates, re-initiated locally? Do not forget the impact of the AirBNB game, not registered in Hotels, paying Room Taxes etc., but actually being the ones bypassing most of the regulations. Our last 10 trips have been to Waikiki, International City, all the amenities, great Hotels and Dining and consistant weather. Governor Ige had turned the Unemployment Compensation into a negative $500M+ hole, don’t kill the goose that laid the golden egg! Hotels are still not fully open, ditto Dining, it can only get better.

  8. This is a tough problem and one that isn’t unique to Hawai’i. There are many places where the number of tourists is having a negative impact on exactly the reason there are so many tourists. In the case of Hawai’i, it’s pretty simple. There’s a push/pull between the economy, which is very dependant on tourism, and keeping the islands as pristine and beautiful as they were in the past. Crowds, lack of parking, and heavy traffic aren’t what people come to Hawai’i to see or experience. As someone who’s planning his retirement in Hawai’i I’m really concerned that when I do get there, it won’t be what I experienced, but rather just another crowded place full of rude tourists. BTW, the “Ugly American” is real, and he/she travels to Hawai’i. In the end, the only way to really fix the problem is to reduce the number of tourists. As someone else mentioned, that’s hard to do when your economy depends on getting ever more people to come to Hawai’i and the government continues to approve big resorts, bigger airplanes, etc. BTW, widening the roads, building more “infrastructure” in general, isn’t the answer either because those projects often destroy the very natural beauty that the tourists are there to see. So, in the end, the right answer is the most difficult one. It’s to limit the number of visitors that are allowed to come to Hawai’i. I know that won’t be a popular choice, but it’s the right choice in my opinion. The question is, how do you do that in a fair and equitable way? I don’t think that use fees or fees, in general, are the right answer because what that means is that only the people who are rich will be able to visit. I think that perhaps it’s a simple “visa” like system that’s done on a first come first served basis that might be the answer. Then everyone has an equal chance of getting to visit one of the most beautiful places on earth. The hard part will be coming up with a number of visitors per day/week/month/year that keep the Hawiian economy healthy.

  9. Hawaii-in particular the some of the outer islands – are doing a magnificent job of discouraging tourists. And, my guess is that they – and their leadership – read it politicians – will pay the price.

    Why not welcome tourists instead of milking Hawaii’s beauty in exchange for a cash cow? I own property
    In Hawaii as well as being – until now – a frequent tourist.

    Good luck!

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