Tourists will now pay more to visit Honolulu with new tax hike
Honolulu has officially started levying a new tourist property tax in the district. Hotel, AirBnb and vacation rates are subject to an additional 3% tax.
New tax will affect hotel, AirBnB and island vacation rentals
Honolulu has officially started levying a new tourist property tax in the district. Hotel, AirBnb and vacation rates are subject to an additional 3% tax.
The average traveler to the beautiful islands of the Pacific spends about 7 days enjoying island life. And with an average hotel room costing around $200, hoteliers can expect to raise as much as $43 for their expenses. The average share of Airbnb and short-term rental properties, around $389, so don't expect more than $81.
Fortunately for all Hawaiians, it probably won't have much effect on their numbers. Most travelers to the islands are acutely aware of the financial burden, and for some low-budget customers, the tax can be significant, so don't expect visitors to be put off.
The tax is expected to raise about $86 million for the county. Once the state completes the district's entry into tourism property tax revenue, there will be a welcome 3% increase for Honolulu and other counties. Most of this money is expected to be used for rail projects.
For vaccinated US citizens:
Under Hawaii's Safe Travel Program, the mandatory quarantine period can be avoided if fully vaccinated U.S. citizens enter another U.S. state by providing an officially accepted form of proof of vaccination. They do not need to show a negative COVID test.
Vaccination documents must be uploaded to the Safe Travel Airport portal and printed at the airport for verification. You will also need to complete a health form found on the Safe Travels Hawaii website.
For unvaccinated Americans:
Under Hawaii's Safe Itinerary, unvaccinated US states can enter and avoid the mandatory isolation period if they show evidence of a negative COVID test 72 hours before departure.
The test must be a Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) administered and verified by an officially certified diagnostic laboratory. The results should be uploaded on the Safe Travel Air Portal and printed at the airport for verification.
