Not all Aussies are on board with tourist taxes as Hawaii imposes new 'Green Fee' for tourists
Last week, Hawaii became the latest holiday hotspot to introduce a fee for tourists visiting the islands.
The "Green Fee" will be added on to hotel room stays and other short-term visits across the state, with the proceeds going toward environmental protection and addressing the impacts of climate change.
However, when we polled the Nine.com.au audience about tourist taxes, the results were very mixed.
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Hawaii has introduced a new fee to combat the effects of climate change. Getty
In an exclusive Nine poll* we asked readers: "In popular tourist destinations, should there be a mandatory tax for all international visitors to help manage the impact of tourism, and to fund local infrastructure?"
Only 24 per cent of respondents agreed that yes, there should be a mandatory tax.
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Schemes like this have been implemented recently in Wales, Venice, and Thailand, in an attempt to protect locals from the impacts of overtourism.
Last year, New Zealand tripled its entry fee from $NZ35 to $NZ100 ($32 to $92) - though it's not applicable to Australian citizens and permanent residents.
The majority of respondents to our poll (40 per cent) answered no, that tourist taxes would discourage tourism.
Most people aren't in favour of a tourist tax. Nine
One person wrote that it could only work if charged to international visitors.
"If it was charged to Australians travelling interstate, then this would be a disaster for so many reasons," they said.
Another worried about what a tax could do to businesses: "Don't tax the travellers as we want them to come here and spend their money. Put a levy on those businesses that profit from tourism."
A further 36 per cent in the poll said they'd only like to see taxes implemented in specific, overcrowded destinations.
New Zealand upped their entrance fee. Getty
Hawaii's new Green Fee
In Hawaii's case, the Green Fee is designed to help protect the island state from future natural disasters as a result of climate change.
"As an island chain, Hawaii cannot wait for the next disaster to hit before taking action," Hawaii's governor, Josh Green, said in a statement. "We must build resiliency now, and the Green Fee will provide the necessary financing to ensure resources are available for our future."
The new fee is expected to generate $100 million annually ($155 million AUD), and will also apply to cruise ship passengers who visit Hawaii.
The new fee is expected to bring in millions for Hawaiian conservation. Getty Images/iStockphoto
Do tourist taxes work to fight overtourism?
According to travel experts, taxes don't really deter travellers - but they do divert funds to improving the quality of life for residents.
Venice famously introduced a €5 ($8.80) fee for day-trippers (which was increased to €10 for last-minute bookings) on select days in 2024. However, reports show that instead of curbing visitors, the city saw about 7000 more visitors on those days compared to the year before.
However, the Venetian councillor for tourism, Massimo Venturini, says the scheme "is working perfectly" in terms of raising revenue to conduct necessary renovations on the city.
Venice's tourist numbers keep growing. Getty
Overtourism measures continue to be implemented all over the globe, and they're not just taxes.
In 2024 alone, a Japanese town erected a wall to block views of Mt Fuji, Amsterdam jacked up its hotel tax rate, and a Spanish neighbourhood had a bus route taken off Google Maps.
*The nine.com.au poll, which runs once a fortnight, canvases the views of the nine audience on 9Nation, which is an online community of our readers and Nine viewers.
