Hawaii Imposes Tourist Climate Fee
Hawaii Governor Josh Green has signed a bill into law that will impose a climate fee on tourists, starting January 1, 2026. The fee, dubbed the "Green Fee," is intended to generate approximately $100 million annually for climate resilience and nature conservation projects.
The existing visitor tax will be increased from 0.75% to 1%, encompassing overnight stays on cruise ships as well. According to an analysis by USA Today, a hotel room costing $300 per night would incur an additional $3 daily. The overall tax burden for visitors could reach about 19%, making Hawaii one of the U.S. states with the highest tourism taxes.
The measure is a response to the catastrophic wildfires that ravaged Maui in late 2023, resulting in over 100 deaths. Experts argue that climate change exacerbates extreme weather events such as storms, floods, and wildfires.
The hotel industry expresses concern over the potential impact on their business, with Hawaii Hotel Alliance President Jerry Gibson stating that the fee might discourage tourists due to increased costs. Conversely, Carl Bonham of the University of Hawaii contends that the fee increase might not deter visitors from choosing Hawaii as a destination, but could instead lead them to spend less on restaurant and excursion costs.
The new climate fee makes Hawaii the first U.S. state to implement such a strategy for environmental protection. Revenue from the fee will primarily support initiatives such as beach restoration, infrastructure hardening, and wildfire risk reduction. Hawaii's initiative is seen as a sign of shared responsibility with tourists, encouraging them to contribute to the preservation of the state's natural resources.
The long-term effects of the fee on tourism and climate resilience remain uncertain, though the initiative represents a significant step towards balancing economic activity with environmental protection.
- The community policy now incorporates a climate fee on tourists, as signed into law by Hawaii Governor Josh Green, aligning it with the state's employment policy, which emphasizes environmental science and nature conservation.
- Amidst concerns over the potential impact on businesses, the new employment policy in Hawaii includes a raised visitor tax, with revenues from the Green Fee expected to be allocated to climate resilience projects and initiatives focused on addressing climate-change and its effects, such as beach restoration and wildfire risk reduction.
- The новелlegelaims that the increased tax burden on visitors could lead them to adjust their spending habits, potentially transferring their focus away from finance and business sectors like restaurants and excursions towards more environmentally-focused activities, thereby supporting the state's overall environmental-science and climate-change mitigation efforts.
