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Section 418 of the National Parks Omnibus Management Act of 1998, Public Law 105-391 (Section 418), authorizes the National Park Service (NPS) to issue commercial use authorizations (CUAs) to persons (referring to individuals, corporations, and other entities) to provide commercial services to park area visitors in limited circumstances. CUAs provide a means to authorize suitable commercial services to visitors in park areas. The CUA is used to provide for incidental use of park area resources by operators who provide commercial services originating and terminating outside of the park area (Out-of-Park-Services). Prior to 2007, these services were typically authorized by the Incidental Business Permit (IBP).
The permit system will apply to all companies providing commercial visitor services to units of the National Park System, including taxi services providing tours.
What does this mean to your company?
Application
Haleakala National Park is currently undergoing a Commercial Services Plan. During this process, no new CUAs are being issued for commercial activities within the park.
Commercial services currently operating within the park will continue to be issued Commercial Use Authorizations (CUA) until such time that the Commercial Services Plan and Environmental Assessment (CSP/EA) is completed. Commercial use at sunrise will continue to be limited as directed in the Commercial Use at Sunrise: Interim Operations Plan.
A Commercial Services Plan (CSP) will provide the process for establishing the types and levels of commercial activities necessary and/or appropriate for Haleakala National Park. Commercial activities currently include non-profit retail sales, incidental business permits and commercial use authorizations which allow for “permitted” activity. The CSP is an implementation plan, establishing the most effective and efficient methods for the National Park Service to manage those activities, while maintaining a quality visitor experience and preserving and protecting sensitive cultural and natural resources. The CSP must comply with applicable laws and policies must be consistent with the management philosophies found in the park’s General Management Plan. If you would like to become involved or provide comments in the public planning portion, please e-mail us at this special Commercial Services Plan e-mail box.
The complete instruction and application package is available on this website. Just follow the link at the bottom of this page for "New Applications". Please note that no new CUAs are being issued, though you are welcome to submit a letter of interest or the application to be held on file until such time we re-open the application process. We anticipate accepting new applications in summer 2009.
Insurance
The insurance requirements will remain the same, a minimum of $300,000 general liability and all liability policies must specify that the insurance company will (1) have no right or subrogation against the United States of America AND must (2) provide that the United States of America is named an additional insured. Copies of your insurance statements are again needed to ensure that you have proper coverage for any incidents that may occur. CUA regulations require updated insurance records.
Reports
All National Park Service (NPS) areas are required to report visitor use statistics, previously called visitor counts, to the NPS Washington Office via a web-based system. To develop a more accurate visitation assessment, we need our partners’ support in recording the type of use and number of visitors your company brings to the NPS areas.
Commercial Tour Fees
Commercial Tours are required to pay recreational entrance fees and to obtain a Commercial Use Authorization to operate within the park. Fees are single entry only.
Non-Road Based Guided Tours $ 5.00 per person*
A commercial non road-based tour consists of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure/recreational purposes by an organization that may receive financial gain through the provision of the service. Falling within this category are tours which the primary purpose is not a tour by vehicle. This can include though is not limited to astronomy, backpacking, bicycling, hiking and horseback riding.
Per person entrance fees are charged at $5.00 per person. Any individual or family with a valid Annual or Lifetime pass may apply it towards their entrance fee not to exceed four adults 16 and over. Pass and photo ID must be present with them at time of entry.
* Any youth 15 and under is waived the entrance fee.
Road Based Tours
A commercial road-based tour consists of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced or sold for leisure/recreational purposes by an organization may receive financial gain through the provision of the service. Falling within this definition are tours which require the use of a vehicle: bus, van or sedan as the primary means of transport during the road-based tour. The tour operator is using National Park Service roads as the primary means of accomplishing the tour. Entrance fees are flat rate fees based on the vehicle capacity, not the number of passengers.
2008-2009 Commercial Tour Fees
$ 30.00 User Fee Vehicle Capacity 1-6
$45.00 User Fee Vehicle Capacity 7-25 (mini bus)
$100.00 User Fee Vehicle Capacity 26+ (coach bus)
Commercial Use Authorization Fees
One-Year Authorization: $100 application fee and $250 administrative fee per year for non-road based tour companies (astronomy, bicycle, hike, horseback, etc.)
Should you have questions regarding this information please contact the Commercial Services office at Haleakala National Park at 808-572-4440 or e-mail e-mail us.
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