Latest news with #HawaiiTourismAuthority
Fox News
29-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Hawaii enacts 'green fee' on tourists to raise $100 million annually for climate, ecology protection
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) has signed into law a "Green Fee" bill that will raise tourist taxes to help fund "climate-change" mitigation. Senate Bill 1396 raises the tourist tax on Hawaii hotels to 11% starting Jan. 1 — which would then increase to 12% the following year, according to the text of the bill. Portions of the revenue raised would go into the "Climate Mitigation and Resiliency Special Fund" and the "Economic Development and Revitalization Special Fund," according to the bill. The bill addresses invasive species, wildlife conservation and beach management and restoration. It will also help fund a "green jobs youth corps" and areas of environmental concern. "Hawaiʻi is at the forefront of protecting our natural resources, recognizing their fundamental role in sustaining the ecological, cultural and economic health of Hawaiʻi," said Gov. Green in a press release. The Aloha State governor added, "The fee will restore and remediate our beaches and shorelines and harden infrastructure critical to the health and safety of all who call Hawaiʻi home, whether for a few days or a lifetime." In 2023, 9.6 million visitors traveled to Hawaii, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Hawaii already has a 10.25% tax on short-term rentals. The state's counties each add their own 3% surcharge on top of the state's tax, according to FOX 13. "Hawaii already imposes what some believe are high taxes on the hospitality sector and short-term stays," said Travel Tomorrow. The Green Fee is projected to generate $100 million annually, according to the release.
USA Today
09-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Rams HC Sean McVay jokes about team's plans for Maui minicamp
Rams HC Sean McVay jokes about team's plans for Maui minicamp The Los Angeles Rams are taking their June minicamp to the beaches of Maui, Hawaii, this year as part of a partnership with the Hawaii Tourism Authority. It's a first-of-its-kind move for the team and the league, and one Rams head coach Sean McVay joked would be barely about football. 'Let's not kid ourselves," McVay said at the Sportico Invest West event this week, "we're not getting [expletive] done football-wise.' While he said it in jest, McVay noted that the more important part of the trip is getting the opportunity for the Rams (players, coaching staff and other team staff) to immerse themselves in the city and culture. In addition to practices, the Rams will host a girls flag football and boys football clinic as well as a PLAY 60 Field Day during their week on the island. "Typically what we would use that time for anyways is more of connection, team-oriented activities," McVay added. "And when this situation kind of came about it really end being up a cool concept to be able to also include family members, people that aren't players and staff members." So, while the trip will be about football, it won't include as much actual football for the Rams as they continue on in their workout schedule heading into the 2025 season.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The Los Angeles Rams are heading to Maui next summer
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Los Angeles Rams are heading to Maui next summer. Fox pulls the plug on 'Rescue: HI-SURF' Team President Kevin Demoff and Hawaii Governor Josh Green, M.D. announced Wednesday a new partnership between the Rams and the Hawaii Tourism Authority aimed at promoting travel to the Hawaiian Islands, with a focus on Maui. At a press conference held at the team's practice facility in Woodland Hills, Demoff revealed that the Rams will bring their 2025 minicamp to Maui. Dubbed Mauicamp Powered by the Hawaii Tourism Authority. The camp will run from June 16 to June 19 at War Memorial Stadium in Wailuku. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You 'This is more than just football,' Demoff said. 'It's about giving back to a community that's been through a lot and creating opportunities for engagement, recovery, and visibility.' On-field workouts featuring Rams players in practice gear will take place June 17 and 18, with a series of community events planned throughout the week for local residents. Governor Green said the partnership reflects Hawaii's broader efforts to revitalize tourism in a way that benefits the community. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news 'This initiative brings positive energy to Maui, especially following the challenges we've faced. It's a win for the island and for Rams fans across the Pacific,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KHON2.
Los Angeles Times
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Rams expanding markets, beginning with minicamp in Hawaii
Rams President Kevin Demoff says that the team's three-day visit to Hawaii in June is the start of the team expanding its global reach along the Pacific Rim. Rams coach Sean McVay typically rewards players for their dedicated voluntary offseason work by not holding a mandatory minicamp. This year, players are apt to welcome one. The Rams and the Hawaii Tourism Authority announced on Wednesday that the Rams will hold a minicamp and other events in Maui from June 16-18. Rams President Kevin Demoff and Hawaii Gov. Josh Green made the announcement at the Rams' facility in Woodland Hills. The Rams will conduct football activity workouts at War Memorial Stadium in Wailuku, including one open to the public on June 18, and will also participate in girls' flag football and tackle football clinics as well as community events. Rams staff and some players will also work with Habitat for Humanity to assist in the rebuilding of four homes in Lahaina that were affected by the devastating wildfire in 2023. Green noted the Rams' contribution to aid relief efforts in Maui immediately after the fire. 'The Rams stepped up and … brought incredible resources to help us heal,' Green said. Demoff said the Rams and the HTA began working on the one-year agreement last fall, before the Palisades and Eaton fires ravaged Southern California. 'At that time we didn't know how tied together we would be,' Demoff said, adding, 'but I think that strengthened the bond.' The Rams last visited Hawaii in 2019. The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where the Rams played while SoFi Stadium was being built, was under renovation so the Rams played the Dallas Cowboys in a preseason game at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. They are returning six years later with a roster that includes star receiver Puka Nacua, who is of Hawaiian and Samoan descent. The Rams view the trip as an opportunity to further expand their brand. The NFL awarded the Rams marketing rights to Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates. The Rams will be the home team for a 2026 regular-season game in Melbourne, Australia. The opponent for the game has not been announced. The trip to Maui makes sense from a marketing perspective, Demoff said. 'Hawaii fits right into that very well as we try to grow in the Pacific Rim,' Demoff said, 'and so it checks every box and it brings our players a little bit of fun too.'
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hawaii increases hotel tax to help state cope with climate change
Hawaii has passed legislation to increase people staying at hotels to help the islands cope with the increasing pressures from climate change. The bill, SB1396, adds a 0.75% levy to existing taxes on tourist lodging within the state -- including hotels rooms, timeshares and vacation rentals starting Jan. 1, 2026. It also imposes an 11% tax on cruise ship bills for each night the ship is in a Hawaiian port.. MORE: Vermont officially becomes 1st state to charge big oil for climate change damage The new legislation is expected to raise nearly $100 million a year, and will be used for environmental protection and defenses against natural disasters amplified by climate change, including rising sea levels, coastal erosion and shifts in rainfall patterns. The state sees up to 10 million visitors per year, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Among the projects needed on the island are coral reef protections and clearing invasive grasses that can fuel wildfires. PHOTO: Scenic view of the lagoon and beachfront with palm trees and people relaxing, island of Oahu, Ko Olina, Kapolei, Hawaii, July 25, 2024. (Smith Collection/gado/Gado via Getty Images) The new tax will be added to the existing 10.25% tax Hawaii imposes on short-term rentals, raising the total to 11%. In addition, counties in Hawaii charge a separate 3% lodging tax. Travelers also pay a 4.712% general excise tax that applies to virtually all goods and services. Come Jan. 1, the state's total tax on short-term rentals will climb to 18.712%. MORE: Environmental impacts of Maui wildfires will last for years to come, experts say The bill passed by a large margin in the state's House and Senate. Gov. Josh Green also supports the bill and intends to sign it, according to a statement released on Friday. PHOTO: Tropical landscape with lush gardens, a lagoon-style pool, and buildings of Marriott's Ko Olina Beach Club, Oahu, Kapolei, Hawaii, July 27, 2024. (Smith Collection/gado/Gado via Getty Images) It represents "a generational commitment" to protect the 'āina -- a Hawaiian word that mean "land" but also signifies the deep connection between people and the environment -- Green said. It is also the nation's first statewide tax on lodging meant specifically to address the impacts of climate change, Green said. "Hawai'i is truly setting a new standard to address the climate crisis, and I want to thank lawmakers for their unrelenting work these past two years in bringing this to fruition," Green said. MORE: Green told The Associated Press that he predicts visitors will be willing to pay taxes that help to protect the environment. Care for 'Āina Now, a local environmental advocacy group, estimates a $560 million gap for environmental stewardship on the Hawaiian islands. PHOTO: Four Seasons Oahu Beach (Smith Collection/gado/Gado via Getty Images) A higher tax increase was initially proposed but was pared down after legislators heard concerns from the travel industry, AP reported. The governor has until July 9 to sign the bill into law. Hawaii increases hotel tax to help state cope with climate change originally appeared on
