Hawaii voters are divided over whether they want to cap tourism arrivals, but overwhelmingly want to charge visitor fees at certain state parks, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Hawaii Poll.

Only 48% of those polled support reducing or limiting the number of Hawaii tourists, and 46% are opposed.

At the same time, 70% support charging tourists fees to visit certain state parks, with 20% opposed.

“The visitor industry has such a huge reach into our communities, and I think the pandemic just highlighted to people how deeply that reach is, especially for local small businesses,” said state Rep. Richard Onishi (D, South Hilo-Keaau-Honuapo), chairman of the House Labor and Tourism Committee.

“People realize we have to depend on the visitor industry to a certain extent, but we need to manage it better.”

Colin Moore, director of the University of Hawaii’s Public Policy Center, said, “This poll seems to reflect how conflicted people are over the (visitor) industry. They’re unhappy with the crowding and the congestion, but they understand the importance.”

State Sen. Glenn Wakai (D, Kalihi-Salt Lake-Aliamanu), who chairs the Senate Energy, Economic Development, Tourism and Technology Committee, said, “Hopefully, most of us recognize the importance of tourism for our economy. Like it or not, that’s the golden goose.”

At the same time, Wakai said, “we undervalue our assets in the state. … I’m all for using entry fees as a way to manage the flow of tourists, as well as to monetize our assets. The way to change behavior is through the pocketbook. And that’s the value of charging fees at our various state parks.”

Right before COVID-19 devastated Hawaii’s economy, 10.4 million visitors arrived in 2019. The following year saw only 2.7 million arrivals.

In 2021 nearly 6.8 million tourists came. This year 8.86 million visitors are predicted, followed by 9.53 million in 2023 and then 10 million in 2024.

The current model to charge user fees at state parks began when Haena State Park was reborn with entry and parking fees after Kauai’s north shore was devastated by rainfall and mudslides in 2018.

In 2019 the state also began charging entry and parking fees at Kokee and Waimea Canyon state parks on the Garden Isle.

About 10 state parks across the islands either charge or plan to charge some form of parking and user fees.

On Oahu, only tourists — not residents with proper ID — have been assessed entry and parking fees at Diamond Head since 2021, along with parking fees at Nuuanu Pali State Wayside, more commonly referred to as the Pali Lookout.

Similar fees are in place on Maui at Makena, Waianapanapa near Hana and Iao Valley, and on Hawaii island at Akaka Falls and Hapuna Beach.

The Hawaii Poll was conducted Jan. 24-28 by telephone by Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy of Washington, D.C. It included 800 registered Hawaii voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

It found wide differences between voters in each county who want to limit the number of tourists: 74% on Kauai, 55% on Hawaii island, 54% in Maui County and 43% on Oahu.

There were also significant differences between age groups, men and women, ethnicities and political parties.

Some 57% of women polled support caps on visitor arrivals, compared with only 38% of men.

So do 51% of voters over age 50, compared with 43% under the age of 50.

The differences are wider among ethnic groups: 73% of Hawaiians would like to see visitor limits, compared with 51% who identify as “mixed/other,” 43% of whites and 36% of Japanese.

More Democratic voters (59%) support limits than independents (49%) and Republicans (26%).

But asked whether they support charging tourist fees at some state parks, the margins were both closer and overwhelmingly in favor, except among Republicans (41%).

By county, fees were supported by 81% of Maui County voters, 79% on Hawaii island, 76% on Kauai and 73% on Oahu.

Of the female poll respondents, 78% support fees, compared with 72% of males.

And 81% of voters under age 50 want fees, compared with 70% over the of age 50.

Democrats (90%) overwhelmingly support visitor fees, compared with 77% of independents and 41% of Republicans, the poll shows.

Legislators are considering several bills this session regarding fees at state parks:

>> Senate Bill 2098 and House Bill 1439 would charge “green” fees to fund “workforce and services that promote certain environmental goals.”

>> HB 1802 and SB 3012 would require the state Department of Land and Natural Resources “to establish a visitor green fee program to collect fees from nonresidents, to be used for the protection, restoration, and care of Hawaii’s natural, cultural, and outdoor recreational resources and build the resilience of these resources to the impacts of climate change and local threats.”

The bills also would create a special environmental fund and a “Hawaii environmental legacy commission” to distribute visitor fees.

>> SB 3192 and HB 2245 would create a “green fee program” within DLNR “to allow visitors to visit a state park, beach, state-owned forest, hiking trail, or other state-owned natural area,” and “to protect and manage Hawaii’s natural resources.”