Renea Stewart and Lisa Veneri, a Hawaii Kai couple, have been waiting most of their 19-year-relationship to marry.

But the couple and other same-sex pairs who want to legally wed in Hawaii will have to wait.

A bill to allow gay and lesbians to wed in Hawaii was sidelined in the Legislature this week.

The decision prevents potentially thousands of gay weddings in Hawaii and millions of dollars in tourist spending, according to a study by University of Hawaii economics professor Sumner La Croix and law student Lauren Gabriel.

"We find that marriage equality is likely to lead to substantial increases in visitor arrivals, visitor spending and state and county general tax revenues," La Croix said.

Hawaii began allowing civil unions on Jan. 1, 2012. However, it is still one of seven states that has a statutory ban on marriage equality.

"We wanted to wait for the opportunity to marry," Stewart said. "We don’t want the legal hassle of having to undo a civil union. It’s much easier to afford us the rights that we are supposed to be afforded in the first place rather than to say, ‘You are second-class citizens because you are gay.’ It’s an issue of social injustice and it’s a matter of monetary hardship." 

Some say that it’s also an economic concern for the state. Had the legislature allowed same-sex marriages to begin in 2014, La Croix estimated that up to 50 percent of the 2,262 self-declared same-sex couples who are cohabitating in Hawaii would marry or remain in a civil union by 2016.

"If same-sex couples could marry here, some would have elaborate celebrations," said Stewart, who as a photographer has seen the market’s potential first-hand.

La Croix estimated that legalizing gay marriage would have brought an additional $46 million to $258 million into Hawaii’s economy between 2014 and 2016. The gain would have come from same-sex couples visiting the islands to marry, out-of state guests and honeymooners.

"I think those numbers are soft," Stewart said. "I read that $9.5 billion would be the windfall that gay marriage would bring to the nation. Hawaii’s share of that would have to be significant. I mean would you rather get married in Hawaii or Iowa?"

Civil unions already are generating visitor traffic. In half of the 730 civil unions in Hawaii last year, at least one person was from out of state, said state Registrar of Vital Statistics Alvin Onaka.

"We were surprised that so many were nonresidents," Onaka said.

Although the Hawaii Tourism Authority has not taken a position on marriage equality, the state welcomes all couples, said Mike McCartney, HTA president and CEO.

"Hawaii is an island community of diverse cultures and customs and is known as a place of mutual respect, tolerance and aloha for all," McCartney said. "Our unique people, place and culture make Hawaii an ideal destination to celebrate any romantic occasion."

Beth Churchill, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Aqua Hotels and Resorts, said she submitted testimony in favoring same-sex marriage to the Legislature.

"Obviously, this is something that would be very good for the economy overall," Churchill said. "Aqua already has put marketing dollars toward this market; however, reaffirming Hawaii’s commitment to fairness would bring more tourism."

Kalei Lyman, interim general manager of the Aqua Waikiki Joy Hotel, said LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) visitors gravitate toward destinations where they feel welcome.

"When I travel, I don’t want to get discriminated against because I’m traveling with another man and asking for a king-sized bed," Lyman said.

Some employers and dissenters have argued that marriage equality could be costly for businesses. However, La Croix estimated the change would add fewer than 100 spouses to employer-provided health insurance plans and is not likely to lead to substantial increases in health insurance expenditures by either public or private employers.

"Diversity and inclusion benefit everyone," Churchill said.

Tourism grows when a destination becomes more appealing to the LGBT community, Churchill said. It also helps Hawaii hiring by making the state more attractive to a larger pool of talent, she said.

"According to the latest hiring studies, the newest generation of workers will choose the place that they want to live and then look for a job," Churchill said. "Diversity, inclusion and tourism are important factors in attracting and retaining exceptional staff."