The cost of visiting Hawaii is still going up, and it is not just about high hotel rates or increasing airfare anymore. New Hawaii visitor fees are on the way in 2026, and they are not small.
Some fees have already been signed into law, while others are advancing more quietly, and all of them carry significant weight. Visitors will soon be asked to help fund everything from wildfire prevention to beach preservation.
What travelers will pay starting in 2026.
These fees are applicable if you plan to stay in a hotel, vacation rental, or a cruise ship cabin. The most prominent change is the addition of a new and long-awaited green fee to Hawaii’s transient accommodations tax.
Signed into law earlier this year, the fee is a 0.75 percent increase on all transient lodging statewide. It raises the state’s TAT rate to 11 percent. When combined with county surcharges and the general excise tax, some visitors will face a tax load close to 19 percent just on their nightly rate.
That does not include any resort or destination fees that many properties already add on.
The increase goes into effect on January 1, 2026. Officials estimate that it will raise more than $ 100 million per year for a climate-resilience trust fund that supports wildfire protection, shoreline preservation, trail repairs, and invasive species control. The stated goal is to utilize visitor dollars to offset environmental impacts and fund long-term conservation efforts.
Although the green fee is officially dedicated to a special climate fund, it will not appear as a separate line item on hotel or cruise invoices. Visitors will only see a combined state lodging tax rate. That raises a transparency issue. There’s no way for travelers to verify how much of their payment reaches these efforts.
Cruise passengers will face a similar fee.
Starting in 2026, cruise ship visitors will no longer be off the hook when it comes to Hawaii’s lodging taxes. A new rule signed by the governor will apply a prorated version of the transient accommodations tax to overnight cruise passengers. Even if your accommodation is in the water in Hawaii, you’ll now be taxed the same way as someone in a hotel room on land.
The amount will be based on the time the ship spends in Hawaiian waters and the fees paid by passengers for onboard lodging and services. The idea is to level the field between cruise guests and land-based travelers while raising more funds for environmental issues. Until now, cruise passengers have mostly sailed past the layers of taxes that everyone else visiting Hawaii already pays.
Additional visitor surcharges may still be ahead.
Beyond the new lodging tax increase already signed into law, Hawaii lawmakers have proposed other visitor-related fees, but none have been enacted. Senate Bill 439, which would have expanded nonresident fees at state parks and trails, died in the 2025 legislative session. Another measure, Senate Bill 304, aimed to create a $50 annual visitor impact license for access to beaches, parks, and hiking areas.
It remains unclear what, if anything, will be reintroduced when the Legislature reconvenes for 2026. For now, the green fee on accommodations and the new cruise passenger fee are the only new charges that are officially in effect moving forward.
State park fees may quietly expand.
Ten state parks, including Diamond Head State Monument, already require nonresidents to pay an entry fee. Earlier this year, the state confirmed that more could be added.
Curt Cottrell, administrator of the Division of State Parks, told the legislature that five additional parks were under review for future fees. Those include Kua Bay, Rainbow Falls, and Kealakekua Bay on the Big Island; Wailua River on Kauai; and the state park atop Tantalus on Oahu.
No law is needed to expand the fee program. The authority already exists under state law, which means additional charges for nonresident visitors could be implemented without legislative action at any point.
What visitors should take from this.
The most crucial detail is not just the current dollar amount of the new fees, but the shift in how Hawaii is seeking to modulate and fund its tourism future. Instead of relying solely on higher nightly rates or airfares as deterrents to increased tourism, the state is embracing new purpose-driven surcharges that directly tie travel costs to environmental restoration and cultural preservation.
Whether this approach feels justified or excessive may depend on the visitor’s perspective. Some will appreciate the clarity and intention behind these fees. Others may see it as one more charge on a growing stack of already too-high expenses. Either way, starting in 2026, these added costs will be a guaranteed part of visiting the Hawaiian Islands.
What’s your reaction to the increased fees? Please add your comments on today’s post.
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Visitors are now perceived as cash cows by my friends and myself. Annual trips to Hawaii have been replaced by other vacation venues with lower prices and much lower taxes. You have killed the Golden Goose as far as we are concerned and are now enjoying other vacation spots where gouging the tourist is not perceived.
Hawaii like Las Vegas is over charging for everything. My wife and I have been frequent visitors for 20 years but now we will most likely look for a new more welcoming place to spend our vacation dollars.
👍🤔You earned it. The thing is where do you go today or tomorrow? Find your own hideaway for you and your family. Where ever it is….sometimes it’s at home and the quality of time you spend there with everyone
This makes my heart sad. We’ve been coming to Hawaii almost yearly since 1997, for at least 2 to 3 weeks every year. We’ve loved going to the Farmers markets, local arts and craft shows, eating at our favorite “hole in the wall” eatery, exploring and learning about the Hawaiian culture and history, the beautiful beaches and the wonderful people we’ve met in the passing years. We’ll miss all of this, but we won’t be coming back. We’ve finally been priced out of paradise with all the rising costs of hotels, airfare, parking fees, rental car fees, state and local fees and taxes. Mahalo for our memories.
Locals feel the same but we lose all the places we used to go to without rpaying any fees. In fact we lost our a lot of our personal space where ever we go or going.🤔
🤏 here now there…everywhere….🤔👍
Locals should realize without tourists funding Hawaii, your taxes will likely increase. Your businesses may not thrive. You may think most visitors are unlikely to visit Hawaii, however, there are visitors worldwide who don’t care about paying more and will Still invade your space. That’s sad that Locals would not want visitors to share in the islands beauty. Just like Disneyland, here in CA, we locals find it financially difficult to pay for a family to visit, yet tourists and the filthy rich will still be in attendance. Remember the next time a tropical storm decimates your island, how your American family on the mainland foolishly bails you out! Don’t be greedy, karma may soon follow.
If Hawaiians do not want tourists then just shut your doors instead of bankrupting a simple family vacation with surprize fees stacked on everything we do. I am starting to feel like these fees are a way to keep us away. We are not welcome anymore unless you have deep pockets. I am looking to spend about $10,000 in Hawaii to take my grand children to see the Volcano National Park. There are going to be additional fees as yet undetermined but it will happen. We have been paying tourist levies for years but that is just not enough to make us stay away. I think you are breaking the camels back and loosing tourism will be financially painful in the long run. Aloha is dead to tourist!
Fees are necessary to Maintain our natural and historical sites
For our future generations.
Well, glad you recognize that you’ll be paying higher taxes (fees) to support your natural historical sites. Poor leadership in HI.
Fees are not needed to support natural and historical sites. Education of people about the site is a start instead of charging them. If you don’t want people there, then close the sites down. So you want the tourists to see the historical site and charge them also.
There are other ways to pay those fees. Do it like AZ residents! They opted to pass the price to build their stadium to tourists who rent a vehicle. Taxes/fees were 28% in Phoenix. That’s insane.
Hawaiians could put a huge tax on any type of independent rental items, that includes vehicles, bikes, 3 wheelers, go carts, surfboards, booger boards, etc. (not the public bus).
No need to slam the Cruisers! 🚢 We’ve already been gouged by your port fees!!!
Cancel my trip this year. Uncertain policy and prices do not follow the services.
We are sad not to be able to come to Hawaii anymore. The common man cannot finance a Hawaiian vacation as of Jan. 1 -2026. The tourists are the ones who ruined the lives of the Hawaiian people according to what I read, because we rent a car. We rented 2x a car in the last 39 years, we walked or took the bus. We ate from foodtrucks and small eatingplaces. We are always polite, after all we are almost 90 years young; our generation learned to have respect for people and property. We used to buy genuine Hawaiian quilted pillowcases and woodwork. We don’t waste water! We have been harassed several times, the last time by a young Hawaiian male, just because we were watching and listening to the waves. What a hero! Good bye Hawaii. It has been nice while it lasted. I hope you get the rich visitors to visit you. I don’t understand why you keep advertising to come to Hawaii. In the meantime we watch the webcams.
Thank you.
Yvonne A.
Tourists are not destroying Hawaii. You think tourist are starting all the fires? You think tourists are contributing to the theft and violence? Shortages of water?
The less people that visit the Islands, less ecological maintenance will be required to keep the Islands free from degradation. There has to be a better way to generate revenue, perhaps fishing exports or other ideas. Me personally I’am trying to see if my girlfriend would rather visit Ritz Carlton, Dana Point, down the road in O.C. and be treated like a Queen. Even at $1250 per night it may be substantially cheaper and the quality of service would far exceed anything in Hawaii. Everything is done impeccably in Newport, Laguna Beach & Dana Point area.
She may not go for it though. I think I’am stuck with going back to Hawaii unfortunately. I need a “fee timeout”.
the way you feel about Hawaii might not make your girl-friend very happy. Hope she doesn’t like Hawaii as much as I do …I left my husband many years ago after he tried to convince me (unsuccessfully) that there are other places like Hawaii. I now live on Maui and have to plans to leave (except for visiting other Hawaiian islands again and visiting friends wherever they are until they can affrod living in Hawaii.
I think it is a great idea. I have never been able to visit the beautiful islands, but hope to some day. People should show respect for the land and the culture. This tax will show who cares, and who doesn’t.
I think it’s sad that they are putting tourist fines at State Parks. Nature should be open to everyone and parks should protect the land from developers and greedy corporations, not people just trying to enjoy beauty. A small fee to cover actual costs would be ok, but I was Maui in June and the fees prevented us from taking our kids to see those parks. So, if that the intent, they won. We just wanted to stop, take a few photos and move on. It did not seem worth the fee so we didn’t even try. Instead we found lovely, free hiking trails near the ocean. We used to come to Maui so often, people thought we had a timeshare! But now, with the “we hate tourists but love their money” attitude , I doubt we will go back soon. There are so many amazing places to visit in the world, and if they want to be left alone on their island, they can have it.
Many states charge entry fees for State parks. Whether it’s worth the price is entirely up to the visitors. You can always do your research ahead of your visit and decide accordingly.
I agree, as long as they are free for residents in that state.
A discounted annual pass but no reason for Free
According to this post only 8 states have free state parks: roadtrippers.com/magazine/these-states-have-free-entry-to-state-parks/
But of course the quality of the sites and services offered by park surely varies – regardless of admission fees or not.
The key imperative: any fees paid or taxes levied for parks should be used to maintain and/or improve park facilities and services. If not, you have a mismatch of priorities to needs and many would say a betrayal of trust.
Or how the locals will be able to afford the taxes that the Governor and the Legislators poised on the tourists for their problems. Remember the best type of a tax is one that someone else has to pay! Remember that when there is no someone else to pay it left.
I agree with you 100%.
I agree with you 100%.
Have been coming to the islands almost every year since 1977!
Sadly, this will be my last for quite some time! Booked just 5 nights in a small 2 bedroom condo in Kauai, Princeville and the Fees alone for 5 nights were $703.36!
We both could have gone to Europe for a week on less!
Sorry, Hawaii’s Aloha Spirit is now a worn out bumper sticker of days long past. After the floods in Kauai, fires in Maui, we poured out our hearts and our wallets and a slap in the face with ” that’s not good enough” will be the last of my support.
Do you mean $700 on top of the normal 5-day cost for the room?
Yes! The room was only $1500.
As a former Island Resident I knew something like this was going to happen sooner or later. Aloha
Hmm. I understand the desire to protect the park environments, but these new fees will make visiting Hawaii’s best areas more and more cumbersome for visitors. However, depending on the fee rates, it won’t be any worse than visiting Lake Tahoe’s best beaches. Of course, the question is whether or not those funds will actually be used for what the government says they’re for.
This isn’t just the park fees, it’s the additional condo fees, additional car fees and visitor fees that are being added on to the already absorbent fees. Visitors and travelers are done being feed out and will go to other places more welcoming.
Even a $350. cleaning fees on a 2 bedroom 950 sqft condo is ridiculous and the cleaning people aren’t receiving that!
Our bill is 1500. with over 1K in fees and taxes. Will be here the 15th – 18th, after that, who knows…
Hmm. I understand the desire to protect the park environments, but these new fees will make visiting Hawaii’s best areas more and more cumbersome for visitors. However, depending on the fee rates, it won’t be any worse than visiting Lake Tahoe’s best beaches.
At least 50% of all fees collected should go (tax free) to the relatives of the people who lived in Hawaii before US Annexation, and who provided their labor to make missionaries in the sugar industry multi-billionaires in today’s money..
Living in the past. No way to prove who’s related to who now. And how much money has been made by Japanese businesses in Hawaii in the past 60+ years? I read yrs ago, btw, that there may not be one true Hawaiian left in those islands from the period you reference. Just another “redistribution of the wealth” scheme designed to keep the “haves vs the have nots” going.
As a former resident, I visited Oahu 2 years ago; I said then that it would probably be my last trip there. After just reading about these latest new fees, I am just about positive that it was my last trip – too bad cause Hawaii Formerly was a great place to visit – thank legislators and greedy landlords for ruining it !
Soon no one will visit your island and see how lack of tourism will feel.
I think Hawaii knew how lack of tourism felt during the pandemic, and quickly begged for people to return, only to now hinder the resurgence. It’s knee jerk reaction, and as I said before, narrow minded lack of leadership.
Living here I can tell you that the resorts like Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, Sheraton etc. probably complained about the lack of tourists during Covid, but many locals loved it! In fact, there were comments from locals on this site saying how they showed their grandkids how Hawaii was before mass tourism arrived. You need to stop thinking that you can buy love with money.
Agree 100%! Hawaii needs to stop thinking they can buy love with tourists money!
Yes the islands were unusually beautiful and different during that short COVID/Post-COVID period. Sometimes we tend to lament the “good old times”, but when facing realities of life it is not a healthy approach, especially when teaching the youngsters. The reality is that the state heavily depends on tourism as the main driver of the economy. There is nothing else out there that can bring that magnitude of revenue for both the residents and the tax revenue for the state. No amount of coffee, pineapple and goat cheese combined can do that. Loving and respecting our past is essential for who we are, but dealing maturely with not so pleasant facts of reality is essential for what we can do now and in the future.
The purpose of the new fee increases is to decrease tourism. That will happen. Lahaina needs tourism to succeed with rebuilding. Poor management of the area cant be hidden by money taken from visitors as fees. Bring in more tourism and local economy recover.
They are going to eventually price Hawaii out of the pocketbook of a lot of people. Between the airlines cutting back on cheap seats and increased fees only rich people will be coming. As a local I certainly won’t mind the decrease in tourist but feel sorry for those whose income depends on them.
You mean everyone that’s not retired and moved there …poor ol’ food service, hospitality service, rental services, basically the entire economy of Hawaii that depends on tourism. I’ve been there for years . Sad.
Killing the one thing that drives your economy….tourism. Sad, narrow minded leadership.
I used to hit at least one island every other year. Now so expensive and for almost the same amount of money, Last fall, I went to Japan instead. I miss the islands truly but it’s becoming out of reach for many of us already and it’s getting worse with this. So these new fees are not helping.
As much as I appreciate the people there are wanting to have affordable housing and less tourists if you push all the tourists out you will accomplish exactly the opposite of what you want because the only people that will be able to afford to live there will be the wealthy.
If you could take some of the 30 thousand acres that were planted with sugarcane and grow something that you could export it would help you to become more self-sufficient along with illuminating importing so much food, I don’t know who owns the land and how possible that is but that’s my suggestion.
My sister bought 50 acres of cane land at auction after the sugar cane industry went bust. It wasn’t the best land because a lot of poisonous weed killers were used during the cane era. Slowly my sister’s family has restored the land. I think they bought it for $150,000 way back then. So lots of the cane land has already been purchased and developed in some way. Cane land doesn’t grow much except with a great deal of restoration and labor.
It is a great suggestion, but for many it is much easier to watch tourists spend money, than it is to roll up their sleeves and spend a day in a field working hard to produce something of value to everyone.
Haha, that sounds like work.
When the last operating sugar mill in Hawaii closed in 2016 (Puunene, Maui) I was afraid all the HC&S lands would immediately be developed. Luckily Mahi Pono has been slowly turning these lands to diversified agriculture. Mahalo to them!
What will the impact be on owners of a condo in Kihei? Our families stay different lengths of time.
I am glad i exited Hawaii with my Hilton timeshare. Hawaii will price themselves out, there are many other beautiful places to go. If they are trying to kill tourism, this is a great start.
Vacation costs have risen so much over the years that low and middle income earners can’t afford Hawaii. Residents need more than one job to survive the highest cost of living state. A reduction of visitors will be achieved.
PR has already been severely damaged.
Just another reason to go elsewhere and there are plenty of places to go many, if not most, much better and welcoming, even the rich will soon get tired of all the fees and unwelcoming attitudes and as tax paying American I’m against using my tax dollars to bail Hawaii out of the hole they’re digging for themselves, Hawaii is quickly becoming a welfare state.
I love Hawaii. I would never say I won’t come back because of fees, but I may not be able to afford to come back as much as I would like. I just hope the extra money is actually helping preserve nature/culture and not just continuing to feed the beast that is overtaking our most beautiful destinations.
If you have seen any money being spent on preserving nature or beauty in Hawaii in the last 10 years I would like to know where. Maui is really bad and they have received so much money. It will not change.
After being housebound for over a year due to COVID 19, everybody wanted to go somewhere. Overpopulated campgrounds, cruises, trips to warm beaches…everywhere was crowded beyond comfort. This trend is slowing down due to finances and getting the travel bug out of our systems. What’s going to happen when things slow down so much that Hawaii can no longer recover?
There used to be the sugar cane and pineapple industries, but no more. Tourism is a fickle thing. It’s very unreliable.
All of these funds go into a Black Hole called Honolulu. Never to be seen again. Oh, yes, Kauai will get 1/2 of 1 percent (yes 1/2 of 1 percent) of the total Billion dollar plus biennial budget. I guess we’re supposed to say Mahalo
Sounds right. They have to pull every underhanded scheme possible to fund the never-ending money pit called the HRT Rail system.