Another leftist grift operation. They know Americans of all backgrounds love traveling to HI ... or, I should say LOVED trraveling there (past tense) ...
From your link...the rest of the article ...
Hawaii’s tourism industry pulled in over $19 billion last year. That’s the lifeblood of the state’s economy. Now, lawmakers are tapping that stream to bankroll environmental programs. The fee kicks in January 1, 2026.
The burden won’t fall on locals. That’s the pitch. Governor Josh Green made it clear. “We can’t just tax the local people anymore,” he said. So the tourists will pay. But make no mistake. When the cost of visiting rises, the ripple hits everyone.
Cruise ships, long exempt from the TAT, are now in the crosshairs. For the first time, they’ll be taxed under this new law. That’s not a tweak. That’s a structural shift.
The Climate Advisory Team, formed after the Maui wildfires, pushed this through. Their recommendation was simple. Use the tourism tax to fund climate defense. The legislature agreed. The bill passed. The governor signed.
Supporters say it’s a model for other states. A blueprint for climate funding without touching residents’ wallets. But the implications stretch further. Hawaii is setting a precedent. A state-level climate tax, aimed squarely at visitors, now exists.
This is not a drill. It’s a test case. If it works, others will follow. If it falters, the backlash will be swift.
The money will be distributed through grants. Local nonprofits and agencies will apply. The legislature will decide who gets what. That’s a lot of power. That’s a lot of money.
The timing is no accident. After the fires, after the floods, after the headlines, the political will was there. The Green Fee is the result.
Whether this becomes a national trend or a cautionary tale depends on what happens next. For now, Hawaii has drawn the line. Tourists will pay to protect paradise.
There are a lot of alternatives to Hawaii, especially in the Caribbean.
“Tourists will pay to protect paradise.”
Hawaii is anything but a paradise, esp. for tourists: the entire state is built from top to bottom to fleece tourists at every step, and the Polynesian natives live in poverty and are EXTREMELY unfriendly, downright hostile, actually ...
Hawaii is pretty on the surface, but scratch down about an inch, and in most places you’ll hit volcanic bedrock: for the most part, the flora is essentially just a thing covering ...
prices for everything are of course sky high because EVERYTHING (except seafood and tropical fruit) is imported by ship, including all energy fuel ... and then there are literal HOARDS of teaming Japanese tourists everywhere ... nothing particularly wrong with them, other than they’re very pushy and there are so many of them jammed in everywhere ...
I've been to Guam and the locals are genuinely friendly. They treat their tourists like guests to be pleased and welcomed back.
Hawaii? They treat their tourists like sheep to be shorn.
Never been to the Virgin Islands, but I've heard it is more like Guam.
Sunny beaches are nice. Sonzabitches? Not so much.
“ The money will be distributed through grants.”
Excellent. I plan to study the climate change effects on near shore billfish. Where do I send my grant request?
EC
Even if it fails, the Leftists in states like CA, IL, NY and other, hard-Left states will still do this.
Hawaii can collect from all the Japanese and Chinese visitors then.