Skift Take

Hawaii's fast-paced tourism growth has slowed over the last year, but a new law passing gay marriage opens the islands up to an entirely new group of visitors.

Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie plans to sign a gay marriage bill into law during an invitation-only ceremony at the Hawaii Convention Center.

Abercrombie’s office said he would sign the bill Wednesday morning in a theater in the convention hall near Waikiki.

The signing comes the day after the state Senate passed the bill on Tuesday.

The measure will allow thousands of gay couples living in Hawaii and even more tourists to marry in the state starting Dec. 2.

Senators passed the bill 19-4 with two lawmakers excused.

An estimate from a University of Hawaii researcher says gay marriage will boost tourism by $217 million over the next three years.

The measure is the culmination of more than two decades of debate in the state.

Copyright (2013) Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Tags: gay, hawaii, weddings

Photo credit: Gay marriage supporters rally outside the Hawaii Capitol in Honolulu ahead of a Senate vote on whether to legalize same-sex marriage on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013. Oskar Garcia / AP Photo

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