The Maui economy is in free-fall following the fire. What needs to happen next.
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91 thoughts on “Maui Financial Ruin Next As Visitors Plummet/Unemployment Skyrockets”
The Maui economy is in free-fall following the fire. What needs to happen next.
I was very disappointed to have to cancel my Maui vacation I had been planning and paying for since Feb, I am very sorry for the inconsolable loss to so many Hawaiian’s, on a much lesser scale I and my wife were impacted too, 6 months if build up and excitement dashed a week prior to departure, it hurt, now they are staying come we need you, I am getting calls and text saying the refunds promised and the activities I booked and paid for in advance were not cancelled and refunds will not be forth coming, its seems like the mishandling of this disaster is continuing, hopefully Federal and state help will aide these businesses and compensate them for the damage the fire has done to their livelihoods and not the disappointed travelers who on the Governor of Hawaii’s own say cancelled a dream vacation.
Not sure why my response was unacceptable, I hold no ill will toward anyone, I cancelled my plans on the states own warnings and was sad to have to do so, reservations were cancelled immediately and refunds were promised now it seems the money I worked hard to earn is to be kept, I still went on vacation in fact I am on my vacation not the spectacular Hawaiian one I had dreamed of for sure but still as a family of modest means I can’t afford 2 vacations I was told full refunds were forthcoming and its those refunds I am counting on to pay for the one I rushed to replace it with, it seems like the mishandling of this disaster is continuing,asking for donations is understandable, crawfishing on promised refunds is not, State and Federal budgets are more fully equipped to aide those impacted not the families who wanted to visit. I truly am sorry for those who have suffered loss and pray for and ease of their bereavement, it’s just not within my means to pay for a vacation I was told buy Hawaiian leadership to cancel and had to replace with others.
I can’t speak about Maui since it’s been many years since we visited.
However when we were in Kauai in April and last October, the road system was overwhelmed, traffic moving at 10 to 15 miles an hour
for miles. So yes you can have too much tourism.
Or inadequate roads
I was in South Maui when the fires started and witnessed first hand the division between Maui locals and the government with stern messages for tourist to leave the island (no matter where on the island you were) and locals who are a part of the hospitality and tourism industry urging tourist to stay. As a matter of fact when we checked out of our hotel, the front desk staff urged us to tell all our friends that Maui is still open! What is transpiring now is not shocking in the least.
We took one disaster and added another. It will take sustained and intense effort to repatriate lost tourist volume. There is a lesson to be learned here. The knee jerk reaction to purge tourists rests upon hostility toward them which they perceive. They are happy to take their business to the other islands. Now we see very clearly how much we need them. Henceforth, the animosity toward tourists must stop or at least be contained. It does not benefit the residents.
I totally sympathize with the full time residents.
When you have to work multiple jobs just to afford a place to live.
When it takes triple the normal time to drive anywhere.
There is a happy balance somewhere, but not the way things are now.
I am third generation full time resident and speak for many. We don’t agree with the anti-tourism sentiment. We can add. We have bank accounts. We are feeling the impact. I will likely have to close one of my businesses. Maui is held hostage by a handful of locals who think they have the right to dictate the future for everyone else.
Thank you so much for your timely news. There is so much conflicting information, mostly from what I have read, from locals who are not big fans of tourism. And I so get that. However this is an economy that will never recover without their biggest income flow, unfortunately. My family has always been cognizant and respectful of all local customs and norms, and we will continue to do so. I am excited to get back, but not for a bit.
Some tourists are disrespectul. So are some locals. Tourists aren’t the ones leaving burned out cars all over island, sprayng grafitti or throwing truck tires in the ocean. Lets be honest here, most Mauians make their living off tourism. The anti tourist sentiment comes from a handful of entitled locals who think they have the right to tell everyone else what Maui should be. They really just want the beach to themselves. I get the haole treatment too untill they realize who I am.
We have owned Timeshare on West Maui for almost 30 years. The devastating fires on Maui have left us in tears. Friends have lost everything and others still have not responded to email. We have reservations for 3 weeks starting November 11th. We hope that water and electricity will be stabilized soon so West Maui can be reopened. The economy of the whole island is affected otherwise. We want to support our beloved Maui and check on our friends. Giving online is just not enough. Let tourists return to Maui in the spirit of Aloha! Please do not let a few insensitive tourists color your opinion of the rest. Maui No Ka Oi and Maui Strong! Please Gov. Green let us support our Ohana.
Thanks Jeff and Rob for keeping us informed. My question: How can Hawaii have such a great Tsunami warning system and not be able to use it for other types of warnings. Example: Two blasts and a pause means one thing. One long blast and a pause means something else, etc. It seems rudimentory. To me – No Blasts just means ‘We don’t care what happens to anyone’ – what a terrible catastrophe. They were able to send mass alerts via the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alert System over television, radio, and cellphones in state of Hawaii, instructing citizens to seek out shelter due to an incoming ballistic missile … but No warning about fire? Incompetence. Communication is key and there was none. Bad decisions upon bad decisions. Our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones. It is heartbreaking to hear these news reports and we hope all the missing are soon accounted for. How frightening for all the families affected!
Hi Colleen.
Undoubtedly what you are suggesting will come to pass. Being here, we don’t know what we would think about the sirens going off, but we wouldn’t just march blindly uphill thinking it is a Tsunami as was suggested by the official on Maui. Especially if we were smelling a fire. Hawaii needs to do far better in so many ways. You’ll recall we have said before that Hawaii survives and thrives in spite of the state. We didn’t make that expression up ourselves.
Aloha.
We cancelled our plans to visit Kaanapali Beach when the room we normally ask for tripled in cost. We have a little guy with cerebral palsy and such in a wheelchair who adores Hawaii (We’re in Alaska). The Kaanapali beach walk is sooooo nice and allows us to get him around, the room facing the ocean allowed us to set him out side on the Lanai to watch the water, all of that. The incredible rise in cost killed that dream. We are now scheduled to go to Kauai as the cost is more reasonable. Cannot justify the cost of Kaanapali.
Lots of people from all over the world are grieving and supporting Lahaina, thanks to all of them.
I don’t think changing plans away from Maui is totally linked to the initial “circle the wagons” (which was completely appropriate), but more about fantasy lost.
There are lots of places to spend one’s vacation, maybe Maui’s rank has dropped a notch or two (?)
It’s now a real world place with real world problems.
I’ve had the same thoughts. I’m sure some want to stay away due to message confusion, respect for the grieving, etc. but I’m thinking there is also the element of forgoing what is anticipated to *not* be the perfect “vacation of a lifetime” that so many dream of when planning a trip to the Hawaiian islands. Especially when the media is out there making everyone think that the entirety of Maui is now a dystopian Armageddon. No one is talking about that aspect, because it sounds selfish . But…it is a human response.
They should have only closed down West Maui but instead told everybody not to come. We had to cancel our flights and reservations. Now they are saying you want us to come back but if everything is going to be limited, short staffed, ect nobody is going to want to come back and won’t for years to come.
We are all hurting for Maui and trying to help in every way possible by donating funds and services. Maui should appreciate that and it doesn’t seem to be the case. Nobody wants to go see the devastation of Lahaina (as you make it out to be) believe me we have seen enough on TV and our hearts go out for all those people. It is so horrendous and unbelievable. Our hearts all go out to Maui
We are praying for comfort and healing for those impact by this horrible event…..we however are still on track for visiting for three weeks starting Spt 22 unless we are told we aren’t welcome…….we plan to eat every meal out to help support the local businesses and local employees and we’ll tip heavily…….we own three timeshares on Kaanapali and plan on staying in that area except when visiting our other favorite restaurants and shops located on the island……