Investment in environmental protection
Hawaii plans new $50 fee for travelers
Hawaii plans to introduce a fee for using beaches, parks and hiking trails
© Quelle: IMAGO/ingimage
A vacation to the Hawaiian Islands is already not a cheap treat. In addition to travel and accommodation, tourists have to pay a tax of over 10 percent, the “Transient Accommodations Tax”. In the city of Honolulu there is an additional 3 percent additional fee. In total, this can add up to more than 50 US dollars per night. The financial portal reportsMoney“.
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In the near future, trips to Hawaii might become even more expensive. Because the US state is planning another fee for vacationers. This so-called green fee should amount to 50 US dollars according to the plans. The bill is currently being reviewed in the US House of Representatives.
Who has to pay the green fee?
All visitors 15 and older would have to pay the $50 fee for one-year access to all parks, beaches, and hiking trails on the Hawaiian Islands. This is reported by the US travel magazine “Condé Nast Traveler“.
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However, the additional fee is not intended to replace the normal entrance fees for popular attractions or parks on the islands, these costs come on top of that.
What should the money be used for?
Like many holiday regions in the world, Hawaii is struggling with the effects of mass tourism on nature. However, only regarding one percent of the state budget is invested in the preservation of ecosystems and thus also in the natural wonders that attract so many tourists to the islands. That writes the initiative to introduce the green fee on their Website.
The funds raised by the new fee should therefore be invested in climate protection projects – among other things to preserve the coral reefs, the native flora and fauna, but also to take action once morest the pollution of beaches.
Why no general entry fee?
The original plan was to charge a fee for all travelers, reports the local portal “Maui now“. However, this idea was rejected because it might be unconstitutional. According to the constitution, citizens of different US states cannot be treated differently. The detour via the fee for the use of all parks, beaches and hiking trails should now solve this problem.
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RND/fred
