You may soon have to pay for parking at Kauai's beaches. Here's the reason behind it

Despite the challenging entry restrictions Hawaii implemented during the pandemic, tourists have been flocking back since spring.

Once an off-the-beaten-path, aspirational destination, Hawaii has been grappling with overtourism for years. Beaches are crowded again, and Kauai is contemplating parking fees to ensure locals still have space.

As reported by the Associated Press, Kauai has allocated $30,000 from county coronavirus relief funds to carry out parking studies at three of the island's most frequented beaches: Poipu, Lydgate, and Hanalei's Black Pot.

The AP also indicates that the studies will assess an appropriate fee to charge, but the Kauai County Council must subsequently vote on whether to implement these charges.

"We are all aware of the challenges our parks face due to the influx of tourists," stated Kauai Managing Director Michael Dahilig. "This study will explore how to better manage the parking of tourist vehicles while making it easier for locals to find parking at more popular spots."

Annually, the Hawaii Tourism Authority conducts a Resident Sentiment Survey. According to the destination management action plan released by the HTA earlier this year, "The 2019 RSS report indicated that resident sentiment had generally declined compared to the previous year."

According to the AP, the total number of visitors to the Hawaiian Islands hit 32,000 in one day last week. While that may sound significant, the HTA noted that Kauai welcomed 1,370,029 visitors in 2019 (an average of about 3,750 daily), indicating it hasn't returned to pre-pandemic numbers yet.

"Hawaii experienced an unprecedented number of visitors in 2019, before the pandemic," Caroline Anderson, the HTA's director of community enrichment, shared with Dinogo. "These [destination management action] plans aim to restore tourism for the islands while addressing its impact."

One objective of implementing separate parking fees from resort charges is to encourage visitors to explore alternative transportation options, according to Anderson. "This initiative seeks to enhance the visitor experience and alleviate traffic on the island."

However, considering the car rental shortage this summer, it may not require much persuasion.

The HTA's report also highlights, "In the first 10 months of 2020, visitor numbers plummeted by 73.8 percent to 298,708. The average daily count was 8,367, reflecting a 69.7 percent drop compared to the same period in 2019. There were also significantly fewer available air seats year-over-year."

This year saw a shift as major airlines such as United and Southwest expanded their routes to the Aloha State.

Concerns about over-tourism existed before the pandemic, with many locals expressing frustration over the crowds of tourists sometimes flooding the islands.

Photo courtesy of Clint Henderson/Dinogo.