Hawai’i slaps a “Green Fee” on touristsHawaii, USA

If you’ve ever snorkelled Hanauma Bay or stood on the edge of Waipi‘o Valley feeling like you’re in a Jurassic Park reboot, you’ll know Hawai‘i is outrageously good-looking. But paradise doesn’t come cheap, especially when it’s being trampled by nearly 10 million tourists a year and lit up by climate disasters like Maui’s catastrophic 2023 wildfires.

So, Hawai‘i is finally drawing a line in the volcanic sand.

As of January 1, 2026, the Aloha State will become the first in the U.S. to hit tourists with a statewide “Green Fee”, a tiny bump in the hotel tax (from 10.25% to 11%) that could generate a not-so-tiny $100 million annually. That cash? It’s earmarked for fixing the environmental mess: protecting fragile ecosystems, fighting off invasive grasses (yes, they helped torch Lahaina), and shoring up coastlines before they wash away.

Governor Josh Green summed it up with the kind of pragmatic aloha you’d expect from a man named Green: “We can’t sit around waiting for the next disaster.” Fair.

The fee applies to everyone, from hotel-dwelling honeymooners to short-term rental surfers to cruise ship buffet warriors (finally roped into paying their fair share). So, if you’re dropping AU$500 a night on a beachfront room, expect to cough up an extra AU$3.75. Hardly a bank-breaker, but when multiplied by millions, it stacks up like a volcano.

The tax hike isn’t without fine print. Total checkout taxes (including lodging and excise tax) will reach a spicy 18.712% in 2026, one of the steepest in the country. Will that deter sunburnt honeymooners and TikTok travel influencers? Unlikely. Especially when the trade-off is a cleaner, safer, more resilient Hawai‘i.

And let’s be honest: the islands need it. Lahaina’s ancient banyan tree might’ve survived the blaze, but hundreds didn’t. CAT (that’s the Climate Advisory Team, not a purring metaphor) recommended this very move after Maui’s fires. Think of the Green Fee as a climate insurance policy tourists chip into, rather than Hawai‘i’s locals footing the bill while serving you Mai Tais.

So, next time you’re sipping a piña colada under a coconut tree, remember that small Green Fee on your bill is helping keep Hawai‘i green, wild, and standing, long after your tan fades.

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