Maui needs tourism to support its economy — here’s how to visit responsibly

Photograph by JACOB BOOMSMA/GETTY IMAGES. Retrieved from thepointsguy.com

As TPG has previously reported, and you likely know all too well, the Maui wildfires caused significant damage to Lahaina, with more than 2,400 residences destroyed and far too many lives lost. Recovery efforts are still ongoing. And now, the community must deal with the reality of economic recovery while also rebuilding homes and businesses and managing the emotional toll.

Gov. Josh Green’s most recent proclamation allows for parts of West Maui to reopen starting Oct. 8, but Lahaina will remain off-limits.

Hawaii Tourism Authority visitor data shows that in August 2022, Maui welcomed 265,410 visitors. The Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism estimates that a reduction of 4,250 visitors per day has resulted in an estimated economic loss of $9 million per day. For a rough estimate, multiply those numbers for the last three weeks of August, and that’s a loss of 89,000 visitors and over $189 million dollars in economic activity.

In a statement, the Hawaii Tourism Authority said that West Maui alone accounts for 15% of Hawaii’s tourism economy.

With that side of the island on the verge of reopening, you may be wondering if now is the time to go. And, if you are on social media at all, you’ve likely seen passionate and disparate answers to that question.