Hawaii Gov outlines tourist ‘climate tax’

Tuesday, 20 Feb, 2024 0

Hawaii Governor Josh Green’s proposed ‘climate tax’ for tourists will cost $25.

Long been discussed, the proposed bill calls for a one-time fee to help fund conservation and restoration of natural resources across the Aloha state.

Calls for more funding to mitigate damage from overtourism has gotten louder following the Maui wildfires last year.

Lawmakers have called for action now to address damage to the environment with Hawaii attracting close to 10 million tourists annually.

A full restoration of Maui is expected to cost at least $6 billion and will take years.

Last year, lawmakers failed to pass a $50 ‘green fee’ for tourists to access to Hawaii’s state parks and coastal areas.

“I’ll renew our efforts to pass a climate fee to help us stare down the terrible impacts of climate change,” Green said.

“Last year, it stalled a little bit. We need to do a little better this year.”

The revenue generated by the climate tax would bring in about $68 million a year.

The bill states the funds it generates would be put toward wildfire and flood prevention measures as well as coral reef conservation.

“We already collect fees from travellers. This modest fee is far less than the resort fees or other taxes visitors have paid for years,” Green said

If it is passed, the climate fee would the first of its kind in the US.

TravelMole Editorial Team

Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.

IHG Hotels & Resorts: Redefining Hospitality Excellence IHG Hotels & Resorts is a globally renowned hospitality company that stands at...

Ensuring our guests have an unforgettable experience while sailing with us is paramount; however, your health and safety remains our...

SOUTH AUSTRALIA. FOR THOSE WHO WANT A LITTLE MORE. South Australia. It’s a beautiful place. A place for the restless,...

The Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon, works to enhance visitors’ experiences by providing information, resources and trip planning tools...

The Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau (DMCVB) is the only organization that promotes metro Detroit regionally, nationally and...

It’s easy to find perfection in Santa Barbara, but what if there was even more of your favorite finds, activities,...

Global Hotel Alliance brings together a unique collection of independent hospitality brands for GHA DISCOVERY, a multi-brand loyalty programme. GHA...

Via Croatia is a concierge-type, full-service luxury DMC working exclusively with travel agents and luxury tour operators. With 20 years...

We understand the importance of personal touch We do things a bit differently at Eventsquid. We know that we could...

WANDERERS WELCOME to MISSISSIPPI Mississippi is a state for all those who are wanderers at heart. From lush, forested Appalachian foothills to...

Nium was founded on the mission to build the global payments infrastructure of tomorrow, today. With the onset of the on-demand...

We work with reliable data providers with global coverage, that guarantee data representativeness as well as compliance with International Personal...