We’ve all taken advantage of doing a bit of traveling these past few years. Working remotely allowed us to login from anywhere we wanted, and we made the most of it. But the opportunity for more travel also comes with the opportunity for us to be a bit of a pain at certain places.
In the gorgeous state of Hawaii, the wear and tear from tourism is reaching the tipping point at state parks, trails, and beaches. To bring those sought-after locations back to life, the state is trying to pass the Hawaii Green Fee. What does this mean for your wallet when planning your next Hawaiian travel vacation? Let’s break it down.
The background
We go to Hawaii for the impeccable views, beautiful parks, stunning coral reefs, and calming forests. But in the last decade or so, Hawaii has seen a sad decline in the condition of its natural resources due to tourists.
In 2022, it was suggested every tourist that entered Hawaii pay a $50 climate impact fee to reverse the impact the 9.2 million visitors made that year.
Well, Hawaii found it can’t charge a fee for everyone that lands there due to the whole free travel between all of the states in the United States deal, but it did find a workaround to the problem. The Hawaii Green Fee has entered the chat.
The basics
- A proposed $50 Green Fee to enter all parks, beaches, forests, and other natural beauties
- Anyone 15 years or older would pay the fee
- An annual pass would be available to purchase online
The good news is the Green Fee shouldn’t affect Hawaii travel as much as you think. Is Hawaii expensive? Yes. How much is a trip to Hawaii The total price of a trip was over $12,000 in 2022, with projected costs for a getaway this summer reaching $13,500 for a family of four. But the rising costs aren’t stopping people from visiting, so the Green Fee shouldn’t turn them away.
The details
- It hasn’t passed through yet.
The Hawaii Green Fee isn’t a sure thing, though. An amended version went through on March 7th, with May being the next deciding hurdle. Time will tell if it goes through to the next stage.
- It could lead to other states following suit.
If the Green Fee does pass, it would be the first in the U.S. to do so, paving the way for other states to try something similar.
- It’s still cheaper than COVID testing.
For those wanting to complain about the fee, it’s lower than the mandatory COVID testing needed to enter Hawaii during the start of the pandemic, which ran up to $60.
When you are already visiting one of the most expensive states, what’s another fee to be able to use all the gorgeous resources? Knowing the money will go directly into keeping the beauty of the land alive while repairing the damage we do is reason enough not to harp about it.
Think of it like getting a museum or zoo pass. It’s one small thing to do when visiting the stunning state of Hawaii to make sure it stays gorgeous for the next round of visitors.
