Hawaii’s New Green Fee And Three Additional Hidden Charges That Could Impact Your 2026 Vacation

Friday, July 25, 2025

When travelers commencement readying their 2026 vacations, they mightiness beryllium amazed to spot that Hawaii, which has been synonymous pinch stunning beaches and tropical landscapes, is implementing a activity of caller fees. Visiting paradise has agelong had a price, coming astatine a important costs to nan environment, and for visitors of nan Aloha State, location will soon beryllium a literal value to salary successful summation to nan costs of a formation and luxury beachfront views. These transformations, effective from January 1, 2026, see nan preamble of a “green fee” taxation to broad a scope of tourists, from edifice guests, vacation rentals dwellers and moreover those arriving by cruise ship.

Hawaii’s Green Fee Tax: A New Environmental Commitment

At nan bosom of nan caller recreation fees is Senate Bill 1936, which was signed into rule by Governor Josh Green. This authorities introduces a “green fee,” aimed astatine addressing ambiance alteration challenges and generating captious backing for nan state’s biology protection initiatives. Hawaii is now nan first authorities successful nan U.S. to instrumentality specified a fee. The money raised from nan taxation will beryllium dedicated to combating ambiance change, improving sustainability, and backing efforts to guarantee nan island’s ecological and taste wellness for early generations.

According to Governor Green, nan greenish interest is basal to safeguard Hawaii’s earthy resources successful nan look of ambiance risks. In a property release, he stated, “Hawaii cannot hold for nan adjacent disaster to deed earlier taking action; we must build resiliency now, and nan Green Fee will supply nan basal financing to guarantee resources are disposable for our future.” This inaugural is expected to raise astir $1 cardinal annually to money sustainability projects and fortify nan island’s resilience against biology threats.

While biology advocates, Native Hawaiian groups, and authorities officials support nan greenish fee, immoderate reason that it is agelong overdue. With Hawaii drafting much than 10 cardinal visitors annually, section communities person agelong felt nan strain of supporting tourism without capable compensation. For years, residents person shouldered nan financial load of biology conservation, and now, nan greenish interest intends to redistribute immoderate of nan work to visitors.

A Steep Tax Increase for Hotels, Resorts, and Vacation Rentals

Visitors to Hawaii already salary a important room taxation connected hotels, resorts, and picnic rentals. Under nan caller law, this taxation will summation by 0.75%, from 10.25% to 11%, effective January 1, 2026. Combined pinch different authorities and region taxes, this alteration will push nan full taxation connected stays to astir 19%, 1 of nan highest rates successful nan country.

For tourists, this taxation summation could importantly raise nan costs of their stay. A study by ABC 7 noted that nan taxation hike places Hawaii among nan apical U.S. states pinch nan highest lodging taxation rates. Whether you’re booking a luxury edifice connected Waikiki Beach aliases a picnic rental successful a quiet neighborhood, nan caller taxation rates will effect a assortment of accommodation options crossed nan islands.

The government’s volition down nan summation is to proceed supporting Hawaii’s tourism infrastructure and biology sustainability, but immoderate visitors whitethorn find nan caller charges a dense financial load connected apical of an already costly trip.

Cruise Ships Face New 11% Tax Starting July 2026

Cruise passengers are besides group to consciousness nan sting of Hawaii’s caller taxation structure. Beginning successful July 2026, cruise ships docking successful Hawaii ports will beryllium required to salary an 11% taxation connected their services, which is simply a important alteration from erstwhile years. This taxation will beryllium prorated based connected nan number of ships docking astatine Hawaii’s ports, aligning nan fees much intimately pinch nan room taxes imposed connected hotels and picnic rentals.

But things haven’t gone wholly soft pinch nan implementation of nan caller tax. Cruise lines, which are already grappling pinch escalating larboard fees and taxes, opportunity this caller taxation could discourage tourism to Hawaii. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and different recreation agents person expressed interest that nan per personification larboard taxes, which are projected to much than double from $200 a personification to $350), could beryllium a deterrent for passengers booking Hawaii cruises. Based connected nan study astatine Travel Weekly, analysts judge that nan caller fees are going to beryllium harmful to Hawaii’s cruise tourism.

Despite nan pushback from cruise lines, nan authorities argues that this taxation is basal to guarantee that cruise vessel tourism contributes its adjacent stock to nan biology preservation of nan islands. Cruise ships bring successful a important number of visitors, and authorities officials want to guarantee that this assemblage besides participates successful backing Hawaii’s sustainability efforts.

What This Means for Travelers

While these caller fees whitethorn beryllium basal for Hawaii’s semipermanent biology health, travelers should beryllium prepared for nan accrued costs associated pinch their trips. For visitors readying to sojourn Hawaii aft January 1, 2026, it’s important to facet successful nan accrued taxes erstwhile budgeting for their vacation. The caller greenish fee, lodging taxation increase, and cruise vessel taxation could adhd hundreds of dollars to a emblematic vacation, particularly for families and ample groups.

Travelers are advised to cheque pinch their hotel, picnic rental, aliases cruise supplier astir nan circumstantial fees that whitethorn use to their enactment aliases travel to Hawaii. Additionally, visitors tin sojourn authorities websites for nan latest updates connected nan greenish interest and different tax-related changes.

Conclusion: A Step Toward Sustainability astatine a Cost

The caller greenish interest Hawaii and different taxation responsibilities of hotels, resorts, picnic rentals and cruise ships put successful spot is intended arsenic portion of nan state’s committedness to support nan earthy beauty and taste practice of this place. But for illustration immoderate caller tax, nan measures could beryllium unwelcome news for visitors readying connected exploring nan islands. And, for illustration nan costs of each things travel, arsenic soon arsenic nan value of state started jumping, you could cogwheel up for nan sticker daze Hawai’i has successful shop for group paying for beautiful overmuch thing here.

For others nan added disbursal is astir apt worthy it erstwhile you person entree to nan incomparable beauty and civilization of Hawaii. But nan penning is connected nan wall: A getaway to nan islands will nary longer beryllium nan inexpensive replacement it erstwhile was. And arsenic nan Aloha State looks to safeguard its future, travelers tin expect to salary conscionable a spot much erstwhile they go.