Maui Considering Parking Fees for Visitors

[Tamaradarann]

$30 to park (on the street, presumably) in Lahaina? Are they trying to discourage people from going there?

Most of the parking in Lahaina is in private lots that already charge quite a bit, but (up to) $30 to park on the street under this new program? That’s just crazy. I will avoid going to Lahaina for dinner if I’m going to have $30 of parking added to the already-high cost of dining there.

On the flip side, I have no problem at all with the parking restrictions on visitors at the beach parks.

We stayed in Kahana in September and had dinner in Lahaina on 2 nights and never had to pay for parking. The Maui bus service is suprisingly good and picked us up right in front of our resort and dropped us off within a few hundred feet of both restaurants. Senior is over 55 on Maui (it is over 65 on Oahu), and we are so the cost was $1/ride, otherwise it is $2/ride. Other benefits were that we didn't have to use gas and didn't have to be concerned about drinking and driving. The last bus from Lahaina is at 7:30 so you can't party too late. (The buses on Oahu do run much later in Waikki and Downtown Honolulu) Now that we are in our 70's partying too late is usually not an issue.

 

[slip]

They're trying to throttle it down. Maui has too many visitors. So does Big Island, if you ask me.

Sheer numbers is a horrible way to do tourism. We need a better signal to noise ratio. I'm 100% in favor of this.

When I was a kid, snowbirds came to my home town and stayed for weeks/months at a time. We got to know them -- many of them were missed when they left. Then Key West went mass-market, four cruise ships a day, and it ruined the island. The reef died from too many tourists standing on it, breaking off coral as souvenirs, and from the bleaching caused by heat and chemicals.

Now the place is a caricature of its former self. My last trip home was likely my last trip ever. Breaks my heart to see what "home" has become. I don't want to see it happen here.

Not only do I want to see parking fees, I'd like to see "disembarkation fees" for all cruise ship passengers. I'd like to see higher taxes for scooter rentals. And mandatory minimum tip amounts. (I don't live off tips -- but my neighbors do. And they deserve relief.) As expensive as Hawaii is, it should be even more expensive. And 100% of the added expense should go to: 1) Cleaning up the damage already done; and 2) Raising wages for the workers.

The three biggest problems here are pollution, low wages and lack of housing. Tourism should subsidize the first two. The government should get with the program and encourage building more housing.

If they keep adding fees then Hawaii will only be a destination for the rich so that is not a good answer either.

Many tourist destinations around the world have the same issues and it doesn't look like there are any easy answers.

 

[ScoopKona]

If they keep adding fees then Hawaii will only be a destination for the rich so that is not a good answer either.

Many tourist destinations around the world have the same issues and it doesn't look like there are any easy answers.

Hawaii already is only a destination for the rich. The only question now is "how rich?"

After putting up with five weeks of Ironman, I can say with certainty that I hope I never see those people ever again -- they treated the island like a trash can/toilet, didn't tip anyone, and demanded that we love them because of "all the money they pump into the economy."

Nope.

Give me people who take a "build a ukulele" class, or cooking demonstrations, tip their servers and bartenders, and generally try to at least pay attention to their impact on the ecosystem.

We need a better class of visitors here. We're getting way too much riff-raff.

 

[slip]

Hawaii already is only a destination for the rich. The only question now is "how rich?"

After putting up with five weeks of Ironman, I can say with certainty that I hope I never see those people ever again -- they treated the island like a trash can/toilet, didn't tip anyone, and demanded that we love them because of "all the money they pump into the economy."

Nope.

Give me people who take a "build a ukulele" class, or cooking demonstrations, tip their servers and bartenders, and generally try to at least pay attention to their impact on the ecosystem.

We need a better class of visitors here. We're getting way too much riff-raff.

Many people come to Hawaii that aren't rich and I was one of them for many years. Here in the Hawaii Forum, common advise given was that there are plenty of things to do for free in Hawaii. That may be going away.

Your better class of visitors isn't necessarily wealthy people. They can have issues just like anyone else. Again, not any easy solutions.

 

[ScoopKona]

Many people come to Hawaii that aren't rich and I was one of them for many years. Here in the Hawaii Forum, common advise given was that there are plenty of things to do for free in Hawaii. That may be going away.

Your better class of visitors isn't necessarily wealthy people. They can have issues just like anyone else. Again, not any easy solutions.

Oh, you're rich. You're very likely a 1-percenter compared to the rest of the planet.

Rich doesn't just mean "nesting-doll yacht." Having seen poor -- in places like Uganda and Haiti -- I can say with certainty that Hawaii is a playground for rich tourists. Most of the planet will never be able to visit. They don't have the means.

Again, the question becomes "how rich?" And we're setting the bar too low. Kudos to Maui for trying to raise the bar. I hope every island follows suit. We'd get a better class of visitor that way -- more nerds; less "I don't tip because it's optional" people.

 

[slip]

Oh, you're rich. You're very likely a 1-percenter compared to the rest of the planet.

Rich doesn't just mean "nesting-doll yacht." Having seen poor -- in places like Uganda and Haiti -- I can say with certainty that Hawaii is a playground for rich tourists. Most of the planet will never be able to visit. They don't have the means.

Again, the question becomes "how rich?" And we're setting the bar too low. Kudos to Maui for trying to raise the bar. I hope every island follows suit. We'd get a better class of visitor that way -- more nerds; less "I don't tip because it's optional" people.

I'm comparing to other travelers and no I'm not rich compared to them. Again, just having rich travels will not solve the problem.

How can you decide who the better class of visitor is? Does the better class of visitor have a badge to tell them apart.

 

[ScoopKona]

I'm comparing to other travelers and no I'm not rich compared to them. Again, just having rich travels will not solve the problem.

How can you decide who the better class of visitor is? Does the better class of visitor have a badge to tell them apart.

They aren't throwing plastic bottles from their bicycle, defecating on the side of the road, or using reef-bleaching sunscreen. They tip their servers and try to minimize their impact on the ecosystem. The truly low-bar visitors toss cigarette butts everywhere. (I can't accuse Ironman of that. Even they don't stoop that low.)

And yes, you have to look at your place compared to everyone else. The problem most people have is they utterly lack perspective. This is why "Karen" and "first-world-problems" are things. Most people are trying to eke out a living. They don't have 20+ weeks of timeshare to play around with.

 

[slip]

They aren't throwing plastic bottles from their bicycle, defecating on the side of the road, or using reef-bleaching sunscreen. They tip their servers and try to minimize their impact on the ecosystem. The truly low-bar visitors toss cigarette butts everywhere. (I can't accuse Ironman of that. Even they don't stoop that low.)

And yes, you have to look at your place compared to everyone else. The problem most people have is they utterly lack perspective. This is why "Karen" and "first-world-problems" are things. Most people are trying to eke out a living. They don't have 20+ weeks of timeshare to play around with.

That's correct most people are trying to eke out a living and they are not traveling. That's why I said travelers. Since some of the travelers that come are part of the problem here. I don't think the poor in Uganda or Haiti are a part of some of the problems here in Hawaii.

Making things more expensive so only people with 40 timeshare weeks can afford to come does not solve the problem.

I'll just end with, there are no easy answers.

 

[ScoopKona]

I'll just end with, there are no easy answers.

There is one easy answer -- just keep going with the status quo. If you want a dead reef, and only billionaires able to afford to live here, keep with the status quo. Because that's the end game.

Unless we invest in the people who live and work here (not the retirees and the wealthy); unless we do more to clean up the pollution (and stop new sources of pollution); we will end up like Key West -- a has-been caricature of its former self, gone in the teeth.

 

[slip]

There is one easy answer -- just keep going with the status quo. If you want a dead reef, and only billionaires able to afford to live here, keep with the status quo. Because that's the end game.

Unless we invest in the people who live and work here (not the retirees and the wealthy); unless we do more to clean up the pollution (and stop new sources of pollution); we will end up like Key West -- a has-been caricature of its former self, gone in the teeth.

Well if that's the only answer it looks like you'll be moving. Where's your next destination to live?

 

[ScoopKona]

Where's your next destination to live?

Taiwan or New Zealand.

 

[slip]

Taiwan or New Zealand.

I was figuring you might say somewhere in Asia.

 

[vacationtime1]

. . . . I'd like to see "disembarkation fees" for all cruise ship passengers. . . .

An awesome idea, and the fee should be significant. Cruise ports provide the entertainment -- and the raison d'etre of cruising -- for free. Cruise ship passengers put little or nothing into the local economies in return, except for supporting T-shirt, trinket, and ice cream shops. Cruise passengers don't eat in restaurants (food is free on the boat). They obviously don't stay in the hotels. Most excursions are run by the cruise ship companies, not by locals. The system degrades the areas surrounding the cruise ports (think Front Street in Lahaina) while the cruise ship companies cream off the profits.

 

[pedro47]

What would happen if all tourists would boycott Maui for one (1) year and no upper class families would build new homes on Maui?

Food for Thought.

 

[ScoopKona]

What would happen if all tourists would boycott Maui for one (1) year and no upper class families would build new homes on Maui?

Food for Thought.

Basically already happened with the pandemic.

But a boycott isn't going to work -- Maui is beautiful year around. Can't say that about most places. Maui is better than where most people live, and that's why it's popular. Why should they "give it away," just because tourists want them to?

 

[Tucsonadventurer]

For me the larger issue is the 7 to 10 parking restrictions proposed at many of the south shore beaches , when only residents can park. That is prime snorkling hrs.

 

[Ken555]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better example of NIMBYism in action than this.

I don’t mind paying a reasonable amount for parking or use private lots with validation (such as Whaler’s Village). But, $10-30 for street parking? That’s just crazy and not the way to solve the “too many tourists” issue. Maui could more easily just increase the tax on rental cars (though perhaps they recognize it’s already too high, and this is a way to distribute the tourist tax).


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[ScoopKona]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better example of NIMBYism in action than this.

I don’t mind paying a reasonable amount for parking or use private lots with validation (such as Whaler’s Village). But, $10-30 for street parking? That’s just crazy and not the way to solve the “too many tourists” issue. Maui could more easily just increase the tax on rental cars (though perhaps they recognize it’s already too high, and this is a way to distribute the tourist tax).

If it were up to me, it would cost $100 per day just for the privilege of visiting the island. All that money would be rolled into mitigation of damage already done and building more housing to mitigate our massive homeless problem (and push average rent down.) The average resident doesn't get to vacation because they can't afford to. (Boggles my mind that when they do go, they go to Las Vegas. But, different strokes and all.)

The experience for most of the people who live here is that they get to watch visitors do the things they can't afford to do. Tourism should be doing more than just enriching the same five families which own everything.

 

[Ken555]

If it were up to me, it would cost $100 per day just for the privilege of visiting the island. All that money would be rolled into mitigation of damage already done and building more housing to mitigate our massive homeless problem (and push average rent down.) The average resident doesn't get to vacation because they can't afford to. (Boggles my mind that when they do go, they go to Las Vegas. But, different strokes and all.)

The experience for most of the people who live here is that they get to watch visitors do the things they can't afford to do. Tourism should be doing more than just enriching the same five families which own everything.

We already pay thru the nose in tourist taxes, and timeshare owners pay much more than residents in property taxes. Simply increasing the tourist tax (in whatever form it takes) is, in my opinion, not the right solution.

 

[ScoopKona]

We already pay thru the nose in tourist taxes, and timeshare owners pay much more than residents in property taxes. Simply increasing the tourist tax (in whatever form it takes) is, in my opinion, not the right solution.

Hawaii has three major problems: lack of housing, low wages and pollution. The housing problem is a double-edged sword because that's also pushing average rent up. Too many non-residents snapping up property as investments and "to retire to someday."

Developers don't build affordable housing because there's more profit building McMansions. And try to get a permit from the county to build anything at all -- it can take years.

The fact of the matter is that Hawaii doesn't have the infrastructure for the amount of people who are visiting. So who is going to pay for that? Locals? Most of 'em are holding on by their fingernails already. Everyone who visits knows how expensive this place is. Now try it on $12/hr wages. (Which is what most people who work in the tourist areas make.) That minimum wage just went into effect this month. It took years to implement -- by the time workers here get a higher minimum, it's already too little to live on.

 

[Ken555]

Hawaii has three major problems: lack of housing, low wages and pollution. The housing problem is a double-edged sword because that's also pushing average rent up. Too many non-residents snapping up property as investments and "to retire to someday."

Developers don't build affordable housing because there's more profit building McMansions. And try to get a permit from the county to build anything at all -- it can take years.

The fact of the matter is that Hawaii doesn't have the infrastructure for the amount of people who are visiting. So who is going to pay for that? Locals? Most of 'em are holding on by their fingernails already. Everyone who visits knows how expensive this place is. Now try it on $12/hr wages. (Which is what most people who work in the tourist areas make.) That minimum wage just went into effect this month. It took years to implement -- by the time workers here get a higher minimum, it's already too little to live on.

Taxing tourists more and more isn’t the answer to these problems.


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[easyrider]

There is one easy answer -- just keep going with the status quo. If you want a dead reef, and only billionaires able to afford to live here, keep with the status quo. Because that's the end game.

Unless we invest in the people who live and work here (not the retirees and the wealthy); unless we do more to clean up the pollution (and stop new sources of pollution); we will end up like Key West -- a has-been caricature of its former self, gone in the teeth.

Geezz Scoop. It's mainly the billionaires that have destroyed Hawaii with all of the shore line developments. Second in line would be farming within 6 miles of a shoreline. Just so you know, the reefs are dying because of heat and sediment and not so much sun tan lotion.

Bill

 

[krj9999]

Do you know many other public beaches elsewhere in the US that charge visitors for parking, but not locals? Normally, if there's paid parking, it's paid for everyone.

Many state beaches/parks have different rates for resident/non-resident. How much they differ/vary depends on the state.

 

[ScoopKona]

Taxing tourists more and more isn’t the answer to these problems.

Really depends on what is then done with the tax revenue. Instead of the current "top down" economic model, we really need to switch to "middle-out." As it stands, tourism is good for a handful of people at the top. For the average resident, tourism provides more headache than economic gain.

And telling people, "So? Don't be average" isn't going to work.

There's plenty of things locals could do, too. But let's get real about the numbers. The local population is less than 150K. That island gets 250K visitors per month. It fluctuates between 200-300K per month. So 250K is a fair number. These visitors are not paying nearly as much as they could to support the community. (Especially the cruise ship passengers.)

Now let's take Big Island -- roughly 150K visitors per month on a population of 200K. But the tourism is concentrated in one small part of the island. And the population of that part of the island appx. 70K. So again, way more tourists than locals.

I'm all for any ideas that keep locals from dumping rubbish in the out-of-the-way places, higher minimum wage laws and building more housing. But since tourists often outnumber locals, they should be expected to pay their fair share when they visit. Simply paying the same prices everyone else pays for food and gasoline for a week isn't "paying their fair share."

 

[easyrider]

Taxing tourists more and more isn’t the answer to these problems.


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I'm not for taxes but what else can Hawaii do to limit so many tourists ? The Maui Island plan was to limit tourist to no more than one third of the islands population yet they exceed that every month. There was a green fee plan for all of Hawaii that would cost each tourist $100 to to enter Hawaii but it hasn't happened yet. They should add a car rental fee of $200 a week, imo. Adding costs is an inequitable approach but likely the only thing that might limit tourism. This approach could be mitigated by an application or permit process.

The easiest fix might be to do nothing and deal with problems as they arise like they are doing now.

Bill