In my opinion, there are a few takeaway lessons from Waikiki’s tourism development that can be similarly applied here in California. For instance, the institution of admission fees to popular tourist attractions and the reinvestment of those proceeds into those attractions or other infrastructure projects is something that could have a huge impact in California. Additionally, taking into consideration the wants and needs of residents of popular tourist destinations could help bridge the gap between locals and visitors. California’s strongest draw for most out of state and international visitors is our 800+ miles of beautiful and varied coastline. The vast majority of these beaches, the one where I grew up included, are freely accessible and open to the public at no cost. I believe that if local governments made the decision to charge a minimal (~$5) daily use fee per family or group, that money could be used to help keep up and maintain the beaches and services for them. As was the case with the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, I would propose that residents be exempted from this fee. I grew up in Redondo Beach so I have firsthand experience of some of the realities of California beach tourism.
Redondo Beach is an affluent suburb within Los Angeles County but even Redondo Beach couldn’t keep the beach bathrooms clean or free of vagrants. Locals know to avoid them and don’t let it ruin their beach day but I’d image tourists would be revolted by the state of the bathrooms and consequently think less of the experience and the destination as a whole. Another perfect example is South Lake Tahoe: hundreds of miles of pristine lake shore open to tourists for free. Lake Tahoe could benefit from admission fees for their beaches to potentially post lifeguards in popular spots, build restroom facilities and clean up the beaches after popular weekends like the 4th of July. Another added benefit of charging for the use of California’s beaches is that it might weed out visitors who are less considerate and more likely to behave unfavorably and leave trash on the beach.
Having grown up in a town that sees a fair amount of tourists, I know that there is always a silent battle between residents and tourism interests. Most recently, groups in Redondo Beach proposed plans to ‘revitalize the waterfront, or completely tear out long-standing ocean-front homes and businesses near the Redondo Pier to create a more tourist-friendly and Santa Cruz esque boardwalk area. The plan was a huge point of contention and still has not been fully approved due to several changes and issues brought up by residents and city council. California mercial and residential, is some of the most expensive in the country; this makes it even more important that residents are taken into consideration when new tourism ideas are in the planning stages. Especially in places like the San Francisco Bay Area where the appeal of San Francisco and surrounding areas is causing massive growth that is overflowing into lower income areas like Oakland. As was the case with the Native Hawaiians in Waikiki, it is crucial that the people making tourism decisions take into account how it will affect all people involved, especially lower-income folks with less mobility.
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