The planned re-opening of West Maui for October 8 appears to be partly in doubt.
Hawai’i Governor Josh Green last month declared that the West Maui communities of Kā‘anapali, Nāpili, Honokōwai, and Kapalua will fully reopen on Sunday, October 8, two months after the August 8 wildfires that destroyed Lahaina.
But that seems unlikely to happen after Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said this week that the reopening will happen in phases.
Bissen said the most northerly part of the West Maui tourism area would open October 8 and would include everything from Kahana Villa to the The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua. That roughly three-mile area includes several major condo developments in Kahana, as well as condos and hotels/resorts in Napili and Kapalua.
Bissen said other areas will open at an undetermined later date. Stage Two (no date provided) will allow openings from the villas of north Kaanapali Beach to the Mahina Surf condo in south Kahana, and also would include the village of Honokowai. Stage Three (no date provided again) would allow openings from the Royal Lahaina resort south to the Grand Hyatt on south Kaanapali Beach; the property closes to the Lahaina fires.
Napili Beach, Maui. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Some Maui residents have said an October 8 opening is too soon as they haven’t had time to grieve and put their lives back together.
A DELICATE BALANCE
“We are not mentally nor emotionally ready to welcome and serve our visitors. Not yet,” restaurant bartender Pa‘ele Kiakona said at a news conference on Maui this week, according to USA Today. “Our grief is still fresh and our losses too profound.”
Green said he sympathizes with residents who aren’t ready for tourism, but that island workers need to get back on the job to feed their families.
“There are 8,700 people out of work on Maui so jobs are critical for the recovery,” one tourism official told me. “Some locals in Lahaina don’t want any visitors, but there won’t be a flood of tourists for a long time. The bookings are very slow for the next few months.”
On the other hand, Oahu and the island of Kauai are said to be very busy.
I do know one thing: re-opening West Maui is a delicate balance, and one I wouldn’t one the responsibility of managing.
I’ve said this before, but if you DO go to West Maui be respectful. It’s not the time to show off silly Instagram photos or boast about being in paradise.
Tourism officials also are pleading with visitors NOT to ask hospitality workers how they’re doing. The chances are that they’re barely making a living, and they probably don’t want to face endless questions. So, instead of asking how they’re doing, smile warmly … and leave a big tip.
It’s also great if you can make a donation to a worthy Maui cause, such as the Hawaii Community Foundation’s Maui Strong campaign. And, if you happen to visit, it also would be wonderful to lend a hand and volunteer at the Maui Food Bank or the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, or with some other charity.
