Visitor arrivals to Maui were down sharply following the August 8 wildfires, new statistics show. Arrivals declined 57.1% in September 2023 compared to September 2022, with visitor spending also down significantly by 52.6% to $203.2 million. Statewide, total visitor spending declined by 9.6 percent to $1.37 billion, with 7.4% fewer visitors during September. So, it’s not Maui that’s taken a hit. I was on the island of Lana’i on the weekend and merchants told me that the drastic reduction in ferry passengers going to Lana’i is having a big impact on their bottom line. “I’d say one-half our business is Read more
Wailea
Petyr Beck has been on Maui for a day, but he’s still not hanging out at the beach or relaxing under a palm tree. Instead, he’s a mile or so from the coast, knee-deep in dry grass, hacking away at invasive trees in the hot sun of the Olowalu Valley. He slides a small saw back and forth several times, grabs a loose trunk of a haole koa tree and tosses it into a pile by the side of a dirt road. Then it’s on the next one. Beck is one of several volunteers who’ve showed up in the valley on a Read more
The Hawaiian government has asked visitors to stay away from West Maui until October 8 so it can deal with the terrible damage from the Lahaina fire. But it’s encouraging visitors to head to other areas of the island and support businesses that rely on tourist dollars. That’s especially so for smaller, independent shops versus the Costco’s and Starbucks of the world. Besides dining or shopping, there are tons of great nature spots to see and enjoy. West Maui definitely needs time to heal. But the area that’s closed for tourism is a tiny fraction of the island of Maui, Read more
If you’re a Maui lover and you’re wondering if it’s the right time to go, the Hawai’i Tourism Authority has an emphatic answer for you. “Yes.” I caught up with Kalani Ka’ana’ana, the authority’s chief brand officer, for an update on Maui tourism as he was boarding a plane on Wednesday. There have been suggestions in some quarters that it’s too early to return to the island, which saw the town of Lahaina burned to cinders earlier this month. At least 115 people are confirmed dead, and the missing persons count could be as high as 1,100. “I know it’s Read more
Maui residents are still in shock from the fire that destroyed almost all of the small, lovely and immensely charming city of Lahaina. They don’t want to think about tourism right now, and I don’t blame them. But, at some point, tourists will return. At some point, tourists should return. But when is the right time? Is it September? Early October? U.S. Thanksgiving? The answer to that depends a lot on the individual. I know I couldn’t possibly go for a while, but I’m thinking I should probably visit in the next few months and spend a few dollars in Read more
