A majority of domestic travelers to the islands are willing to pay a premium for locally-grown food, according to new research.
Researchers from the School of Travel Industry Management at UH Mānoa asked visitors about their willingness to pay more for locally-grown ingredients at a restaurant or hotel dining room.
Nearly 80% of the more than 450 respondents said they would pay a premium for food grown in Hawaiʻi.
"Almost eight out of 10 folks that answered said 'yes, we’d be willing to pay more.' And then we asked them percentages — how much would you be willing to pay more? And we had quite significant — 20% that were willing to pay more than 16% more than the average than it would be on the bill," said Jerry Agrusa, the study's co-author.
Agrusa says he hopes his research will help promote and expand Hawaiʻi’s agriculture industry — which will make the state more resilient and sustainable.
