Green

SUNSEEKERS heading to Hawaii must now shell out more money to cover a tourist tax hike.

Government officials have praised it as a new “green fee,” but opponents have slammed it as a “surf tax” which bumps up accommodation prices.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green signed legislation last May to generate an estimated nearly $100 million annually.

The “green fee” adds about $3 per night to your bill if you’re booking a $400-per-night hotel room, according to Aloha Hawaiian Vacations.

“Some are praising it as a much-needed environmental investment,” it added.

“Others feel like it’s just another added cost at a time when tourism still hasn’t fully bounced back post-pandemic.”

Forbes described it last month as a “first-of-its-kind visitor levy in the United States aimed at funding climate resilience and environmental conservation in the state.”

The levy raises rates on hotel room, vacation rentals and short-term rental stays.

The government also wanted to charge cruise line passengers, but the new charge is being challenged by industry officials in a lawsuit.

Money raised through the tax is to be invested in climate disaster resilience and environmental protection, according to the government.

“Visitors are willing to pay a climate impact fee in order to support Hawaiʻi’s environmental protection efforts and preserve the beauty and cultural heritage of the islands for future generations,” it explained last May.

SURF TAX

But, some tourists have resisted what they’re calling a “surf tax” said the Robb Report.

There’s also been some negative comments on social media, where it’s been slammed as a “money making” venture, and a “disgusting cash grab” which will “make Hawaii even more unaffordable.”

“We have no emissions testing on cars in Hawaii, but now we’re suddenly concerned about pollution and are going to place a climate tax on tourists?” asked one resident.

“This is about greed and incompetence, not the environment.”

Hawaii does not require a mandatory tailpipe emissions test – also known as a “smog check,” for vehicle registration, said Engineer Fix.

“Unlike many states that quantify pollutants like hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, Hawaii does not perform this type of performance-based assessment.”

Visitors have been charged the new levy since January 1, after it was signed into law last May.

The tax was prompted by recent natural disasters, including the 2023 Maui wildfires that killed more than 100 people and destroyed thousands of structures.

It raises the state’s transient accommodations tax (TAT) by 0.75% for a total of 11% placed upon the nightly lodging rate, said the governor last May.

Prior to its approval, officials had signaled hopes to slug tourists $40 to raise “$200 million in conservation workforce revenue.”

However Senate Bill 1396 instead increased the TAT rate by a more modest 0.75% – rather than a higher fee.

Supporters are thrilled that money raised will be spent on projects such as replenishing beach sand, coral reef rehabilitation, plus fire prevention projects.

“As an island chain, Hawaii cannot wait for the next disaster to hit before taking action,” said Gov. Green last June.

“We must build resiliency now, and the green fee will provide the necessary financing to ensure resources are available for our future.”

The cruise ship industry has managed to avoid the fee – for now.

An 11th-hour reprieve was granted by the federal appellate court, reported Civil Beat on January 1.

“Judges upheld the cruise industry’s request that its ships not have to pay the new fee while in port — or to pay any of the visitor taxes already charged to hotels and vacation rental owners — while the battle over their inclusion plays out in court.

“That means Hawaii will see a 10% decrease in expected revenue from the nation’s first green fee while the injunction is in effect.

“That reduction would become permanent if the industry’s main trade group, Cruise Lines International Association, prevails in court.”

A NEW theatre is coming to the UK and it is set to be the largest in England.

Given the green light for London, a new 3,000-seat theatre is set to be built in Greenwich.

The theatre will be on the eastern side of Greenwich Peninsula and will be split into two auditoriums, each with 1,500 seats.

Once complete, the Troubadour Theatre will overtake the London Coliseum with 2,359 seats, as the biggest theatre in the capital, as well as England.

It won’t quite be the biggest in the UK though, as that title will remain with the Edinburgh Playhouse, which has 3,059 seats.

Construction on the new theatre is expected to start this June and take nine months to complete.

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The Troubadour already operates two other theatres in London – one in Wembley Park and the other in Canary Wharf, which opened in October last year and is currently home to The Hunger Games: On Stage.

At Troubadour Wembley Park, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express is currently playing.

The Greenwich theatre wouldn’t be permanent though, as planning permission has only been granted for a decade, after which the land would be used for tower blocks of flats.

These plans form part of the Greenwich Peninsula Masterplan, which will make the area “an expression of the world’s boldest architects”.

The development will span across 195 acres and create 17,500 homes.

There will also be 47 acres of open public space which will include a creative hub.

New shops and office spaces will open too, with a focus on the creative industries.

A large part of this will be a new Design District.

And there will be The Tide – a mile long park for pedestrians and cyclists with access to the riverfront.

The whole development is then set for completion in 2043.

There have been a number of new openings in the area recently as well including The Dial – a three-floor microbrewery.

On the lower floor, visitors will find a tap room home to brewing facilities.

The first floor is then focused on live sports screenings and the top floor is where visitors will find a rooftop bar with a terrace.

In May last year, The Telegraph revealed how Greenwich had become one of London’s “loveliest spots”.

The publication said: “Greenwich’s riverside pubs, bustling market and impressive museums make it the ideal place for a weekend escape (even if you live in London).”

One of the main attractions of Greenwich is its sprawling green park – which if you climb to the top of, you will find the spot where the Prime Meridian line splits the globe in two.

Here you can explore a museum as well as head inside a planetarium.

For a bite to eat, head to Greenwich Market Food Court to pick up some street food.

It is open daily and features a range of cuisines including Indian, Sicilian and Ethiopian.

Near the riverfront, you will also find a ship seemingly suspended in mid air.

The Cutty Sark used to carry tea from China to London, with the first voyage taking place in 1870.

Known as a clipper – which is a fast, three-masted sailing vessel – the ship spent eight years in the tea trade.

Visitors can explore the ship, with tickets costing £22 per adult and £11 per child.

In other theatre news, here are all the best theatre shows for kids coming to the UK in 2026 – from Dogman to Spongebob and Great Showman.

Plus, here’s how to get cheap theatre tickets in London for top West End shows.

MILLIE Mackintosh got in contact with her ex-husband Professor Green before splitting from Hugo Taylor, the rapper has revealed.

Yesterday, it was reported that Millie, 36, and her husband Hugo Taylor have split following seven years of marriage.

While it’s been a decade since their split, Professor Green – real name Stephen Manderson – admitted that the pair have recently been in contact.

Appearing on Jamie Laing’s Great Company podcast in October, he dubbed Millie “beautiful” while sharing that the pair have bonded over both being diagnosed with ADHD in recent years.

“It was really recently that we spoke actually about our mutual diagnosis and, you know, our kids,” said the music star, 42.

He added that the pair were toxic for one another at the time of their marriage, describing it as a “trauma bond”.

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Back in October, a source told The Sun that Millie and her ex were on good terms, sharing: “They have started speaking again, and they are on better terms than they have been in a decade.

“Both being parents has played a huge part, and they have both grown up a lot. They have also both given up booze, which was a huge issue when they were together.”

Millie shares two daughters with Hugo; Sienna and Aurelia.

Professor Green has been single since he split from fiancée Karima McAdams in 2024 after welcoming son Slimane three years prior.

The rapper is set to appear on this year’s Celebs Go Dating alongside the likes of Coleen Nolan and Love Island’s Gabby Allen.

Millie married Professor Green in 2013 after a failed relationship with Hugo.

But, following their divorce in 2016, Millie and Hugo got back together before tying the knot themselves two years later.

According to the Daily Mail, Millie and Hugo, 39, went their separate ways after a series of discussions in the New Year.

An insider told the publication: “Millie and Hugo are currently going through a separation and have sadly decided to split. 

“They have known each other for many years, and in recent weeks, have had serious conversations about their future, ultimately deciding it’s better for them both to part ways.

“Their main priority remains their children and family life, and separating is not something they ever hoped would happen.

“At present, they are considering what living apart might look like and how they plan to navigate co-parenting their young children.

“It’s been an incredibly difficult start to the year, and one they hope to continue managing in private.”