HONOLULU (AP) – Officials in Hawaii have approved a plan to reduce the number of tourists on its most populous island.
A management plan created by the Hawaii Tourism Authority aims to manage the number of tourist accommodations on Oahu, seek land use and zoning changes and review airport policies, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Friday.
Hawaii Tourism Authority Planning Director Caroline Anderson said the plan will be implemented over the next three years.
“We believe that if residents are not happy, visitors will sense that and not have a good experience on the island,” Anderson said.
The agency’s president and CEO, John De Fries, said he doesn’t yet know what the tourism cap should be.
“I think the priority piece for us in getting to that answer is getting a handle on the illegal accommodations,” De Fries said. “We see that as No. 1. I’m encouraged by the fact that each of the counties is making this a bigger priority on each of their islands.”
The plan also calls for a “regenerative tourism” fee that supports environmental resources and allows the tourism agency more oversight of trails and other natural sites.
Additionally, the plan seeks to manage visitors’ use of cars as transportation on the island.
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