What readers are saying about the proposed new visitor fees in Hawaii.
76 thoughts on “Kauai Joins Maui On Visitor Fees: Backlash + Where’s The Money Going?”
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Home » Blog » Hawaii Travel Tips » Kauai Joins Maui On Visitor Fees: Backlash + Where’s The Money Going?
I think it’s important to require deep water and energy conservation from hotels,golf courses, and other tiuriism related facilities. Yes, it will cost the hotels and such more to initiate, but they will save valuable resources AND money in the long run. More electric transportation requirements for tourism would help both pollution and congestion. E-bikes, e-scooters, e- trikes, and SMALL EV requirements for rental fleets, powered by abundant Hawaiian SUNSHINE!!
The real way to slow the tourism down is to either ban or perhaps place hefty fees on AIRBNB and VRBO rentals. The County never anticipated that so many people would be renting out a room in their home for tourists and extra income. That is a tremendous strain on the island. Hopefully come Labor day things will calm down around here. The people who are coming here and staying in hotels are supporting the workers who live here. Those who come to stay in an AirBNB are just cooking at home and not caring about the local worker.
And, those staying in a Private Residence were not mandated to Quarantine for 10 days and could come and go as they wished! It’s also ironic that a couple with child traveling from the PNW connected in San Francisco, were test, they tested Positive and boarded United anyway without being challenged. From what I read, they were residence of Kauai, not sure what happened when they eventually got there!
Hawaii has for the past 30 years been my favorite vacation spot. With all the additional entry and parking fees, along with propr reservations necessary, I’m done going to hawaii.
We have come to Maui for over 20 years every January. We volunteer at the golf tournament. We’ve visited the other islands as well, Maui always being our favorite. We stay at condos, not the massive ones, but the smaller ones. We are very respectful people, we’ve never littered, left everything as pristine as we found it, in other words, we’re good tourists. We’ve eaten at your restaurants, purchased items at your stores, basically done our part to keep your economy going. The fees we pay at the condos have gone up considerably over the years, as has everything else. I understand the need for the tourist to help pay, but there are high taxes built into everything we pay for. The car rental prices are outrageous. I’m sure there are some rude visitors, every state has that, but you need to address your homeless issue. That isn’t the tourists fault. And the growing mounds of garbage they produce is getting disgusting. That is a local issue. After Covid, it’s become obvious that you depend upon the tourism. Don’t run them off, clean up your own backyard!
I am so glad that I visited the islands in 2016. I have no desire to visit now since it appears Hawaii wants me to fund the fall out from a disastrous Covid 19 policy.
Oahu just implemented a $25 fee for Hanauma Bay. I have been in the hospitality industry here in Hawaii for 35 years. I disagree with price gouging the tourists to balance the budget. I always put myself in the other person’s shoes. A family of 4 needs to fork over another $100 to go to Hanauma? Forget it! HTA, your tactics to limit visitors are working!
Its all they know unfortunately. Hawaii could be so much more especially with their location, time zone, and english speaking residents and US rules and regulations. Where are the incentives to lure the tech folks? Who wouldn’t want to work from Hawaii? All I heard on youtube chat’s between the innovation people in Hawaii who btw were all retirement age, like me, was tax tourists at 40%. That was the only solution they ever have.