Bill Text: HI HB1233 | 2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Relating To Tourism.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)
Status: (Engrossed) 2023-12-11 - Carried over to 2024 Regular Session. [HB1233 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2024-HB1233-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
1233 |
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THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023 |
H.D. 2 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO TOURISM.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that tourism social carrying capacity refers to the maximum number of tourists that can be present at a destination without significantly undermining local residents' quality of life and tourists' enjoyment of the destination. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, when the number of tourists at a destination exceeds this tourism social carrying capacity, the phenomenon called "overtourism" occurs.
The legislature further finds that tourism social carrying capacity includes both the carrying capacity as perceived by residents and carrying capacity as perceived by visitors. The former is important because it directly affects residents' quality of life. The latter is important because it directly affects visitors' satisfaction with their visits, which, in turn, affects the likelihood of the visitors returning to the destination and recommending the destination to others. The tourism spending that results from these return visits and recommendations, in turn, affects the economic viability of the destination's visitor industry. Often, only one of these two dimensions is studied, but to fully understand the tourism social carrying capacity for a given destination, both items should be studied simultaneously.
The legislature further finds that policymakers and tourism managers at popular destinations around the world increasingly are seeking estimates of tourism social carrying capacity to allow action to be taken to control visitation before overtourism occurs. Here in Hawaii, the school of travel industry management at the University of Hawaii at Manoa has proposed to conduct a study to provide policymakers and destination managers with estimates of the tourism social carrying capacity for each of the islands of Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Kauai, Lanai, and Molokai.
Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require the University of Hawaii school of travel industry management to conduct a study that establishes estimates of the tourism social carrying capacities for each of the islands of Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Kauai, Lanai, and Molokai, considering the perspective of both residents and visitors.
SECTION 2. (a) The school of travel industry management of the University of Hawaii at Manoa shall conduct a tourism social carrying capacity study, which shall research and establish estimates of the tourism social carrying capacity for each of the islands of Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Kauai, Lanai, and Molokai.
(b) In conducting the study, the school of travel industry management shall:
(1) Consider the tourism social carrying capacity as perceived by Hawaii residents and visitors;
(2) Consult with the department of health to determine how the volume of tourist visitation on each of the islands of Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Kauai, Lanai, and Molokai affects the health systems of those islands;
(3) Consult with the department of land and natural resources to determine how the volume of tourist visitation on each of the islands of Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Kauai, Lanai, and Molokai affects the state parks, hiking trails, and beaches of those islands;
(4) Assess visitor industry employment, including the quality, benefits, and changes over time;
(5) Examine the capacity of resources that residents and visitors rely on and the limits on increasing these resources; and
(6) Study other locations facing overtourism.
(c) The school of travel industry management may consult with any other relevant agency, stakeholder, or other entity, including the Hawaii sea grant college program and Kamakakuokalani center for Hawaiian studies of the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the center for labor education and research of the University of Hawaii West Oahu, that the school deems relevant for purposes of the study.
(d) The school of travel industry management shall submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of .
SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 for the school of travel industry management to conduct the tourism social carrying capacity study pursuant to this Act.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on June 30, 3000.
Report Title:
UH; TIM; Carrying Capacity; Study; DOH; DLNR; Appropriation
Description:
Requires the School of Travel Industry Management of the University of Hawaii to conduct a study that assesses the tourism social carrying capacity for each of the islands of Oahu, Maui, Hawaii, Kauai, Lanai, and Molokai. Requires the School of Travel Industry Management to consult with the Department of Health and Department of Land and Natural Resources and allows the school to consult with other entities. Appropriates funds. Effective 6/30/3000. (HD2)
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