It’s a double-edged sword, where nothing visitors do seems right. And therein may lie the answer to why they aren’t returning and businesses are cutting back.
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169 thoughts on “Maui Layoffs Underway Following Tourism Crash”
It’s a double-edged sword, where nothing visitors do seems right. And therein may lie the answer to why they aren’t returning and businesses are cutting back.
So, we are scheduled for a 10 day stay at Napili Kai from Oct. 14th to the 23rd. Can we still meet that date, if not, will we get our $2,800 deposit back? We don’t want to be disrespectful, and we planned on helping out where ever we can be of help but don’t know if we will be welcome or able to stay where our reservation is, which was made clear back in February. We can’t change our dates because we are self employed and it took some figuring to even take a vacation.
My heart is breaking for all who were affected by the fire and I am still praying for your health and wellbeing! Thank you & God Bless!
Hi, we have a condo in Honokowai, just south of Kahana. I’ve been too distraught to even think of renting it out. All our bookings cancelled and we fully refunded. All I do is think about the horrible situation. Having said that, if I were you, I’d go. It will obviously not bea normal vacation. You can go to the beach, eat at open restaurants, spend money, tip well and volunteer. We’re planning to go at the end of October. Best to you.
Thank you BOH for allowing me to post.
We love Maui and want to do what is best for the residents. We are a bit hamstrung due to travel restrictions and have postponed our October week to November and apparently may not extend further. We’d like to know what to expect, and with respect, how we might help.
No question that we will return for our annual trip the end of November. My daughter lives in Lahaina and has a restaurant there, which survived the fires. Not sure when they will be able to reopen but I hope that people will return to Maui to help the economy. We will try to help in any way that we can while we are visiting.
The cheap flights arent really helpful. I can see airfare going back to normal and lodging going even higher so I don’t see visiting any time soon, Maui accommodations were already overpriced post Covid. I’ve already felt locals distain for visitors that idk if we’ll ever go back. I’d made the choice prefire. I love it there and I’ll miss it.
The Local and State government needs to figure this out.
The displaced people need to be housed for a long time. Rebuilding will take atleast 2 years.
So vacation rentals should be the first option for these people for the duration long term. Government needs to step up with pressure on these owners.
So you want your taxes raised to subsidize placing the displaced in short-term rentals, is what I’m hearing you say, right? The money has to come from somewhere. So, instead of “putting pressure” on short-term rental owners, what you are really saying is that the government should “provide a monetary incentive” to rent to the displaced.
That’s not a bad idea, actually.
Some people think that short-term rental owners are rich, which is far from the truth. In fact, some of the displaced own short-term rentals elsewhere on the island. So you want to “put pressure” on them as well, right?
Please, define “pressure”. As far as I’m aware, there’s no law that can force an owner of a private property to accept tenants under any conditions or expect the owners to accept tenants below the market value.
Calculate the number of displaced, figure out how many vacant rentals are needed and available, secure the funding, then have the vacation rental owners volunteer and see how many are willing to open their vacation homes long term for adequate compensation. Everyone benefits, including the owners who’d secure 100% occupancy over a period of a year or two or longer if needed.
Another option could be portable homes which are inexpensive and fast to build. The only major logistic issue is transporting them to Maui fast enough and in the quantities needed.
If the Hawai’i government doesn’t have sufficient funds for this, have the Federal government step in. Very simple and quick solution.
We have a timeshare week at the Hyatt Residence Club booked for October 28. We will be visiting Kaanapali at that time and we will spend our money there. We will be heartbroken to drive past our beloved Puamana where we spent so many magical times. Heartbroken for othe owners of the properties lost, heartbroken for the people who have lost their jobs there and the loss of the beautiful Plantation house there where our children would do their homework and check out books. We will be heartbroken on Sunday as we won’t be able to worship in Holy Innocents Church or have brunch at the Pioneer Inn, as was our pattern. While on Maui in May we didn’t make it to Pioneer Inn … we said we will do it in October 🙁 We will be heartbroken to drive past Lahaina, but we will continue to say prayers for all the people who perished or lost their jobs and their properties. Now is not the time for us to stay away.
Dear Sir or Madam,
The fires on Maui were quite devastating, and the losses tremendous in both loss of life and properties. I lived in Honolulu while attending university in the 70’s, and have visited Maui many times then, and a few times over the years since moving back to the mainland. There has always been a clash between locals and their animosity towards tourists or outsiders. The local people realize that without tourists or the military, things would be very different, however they don’t like either really. I remember local students explaining to me that once they finish university, there would be no jobs for them in their fields, thus they would have to leave their homeland and move to the mainland to land a job. This entails leaving their family and special way of life, some I knew finished university and got a job at Longs Drug Store as a clerk at her then leave all behind, very sad indeed. Today, one sees wealthy Americans moving to the islands and buying land and properties at inflated rates, and ultimately causing prices to rise thus shutting out less fortunate folks who now can’t afford a house or piece of land, and being islands, land is limited and will continue to rise in price. If the Hawaiian Islands had remained a Kingdom, or self governing group of islands, one might have been able limit ownership in some way to allow the local people easier access to ownership over immigrating non locals. Unfortunately, this isn’t possible now.
Correct, many have had to leave their family and special way of life, in all areas of the country. Gentrification and inflation have made it impossible to do otherwise. Should each state become “self-governing”? The lands of all of them were “stolen” originally.
Or is it just the state of Hawaii you’re talking about?
Hi, we were lucky to visit Lahaina in June, had lunch at Fleetwood’s, took pictures under the banyan tree. We didn’t know we were saying “goodbye”.
We generally stay 3 weeks a year in either Kauai or Maui, but since covid the changes have made us feel less wanted, airfares up, condos up 40%, car rentals doubled. In Kauai fewer beaches available to tourists. We live in a resort town in the Sierra’s, so we understand the problems that covid brought, but raising cost is not the answer. We recently compared the cost of 2 weeks in Kauai or 2 weeks on a cruise ship 🚢 in the Caribbean, the cruise ship was cheaper, this is a sad commentary on what Hawaii is becoming.
We understand how Hawaiian locals feel, we don’t like tourists either, they fill our parks, beaches, restaurants, create traffic and leave trash everywhere. Sadly the local government is more interested in the tourist dollars than the well being of the people that make up the city.
We will miss Hawaii and it’s wonderful people, but the almighty dollar is leading the islands in the wrong direction. Aloha
We all want to help. But as the article touched on, don’t expect the Aloha spirit. Why then would I want to visit an island that simply doesn’t want us there?
When I started getting emails with pleas to return, I searched accommodations. Very, very limited availability. No Kaanipali hotels accepting guests. It’s hard to stopper the island with nowhere to stay….
It’s understandable that Ka’anipali hotels have not opened up dates. As the article says the other areas of Maui are open.
I feel this was caused by our Lt Governor and therefore, she needs to go on national TV and apologize and fix this today!!! Otherwise, Maui will
continue to get in deeper trouble. Hawai’i law makers need to see the bigger picture of things before creating stressful situations like this!
We will return, but not until the spring. Regardless of mixed messaging by the Maui government or any other group, my wife and I feel it would be callous to be having fun in a place where so many are in pain. This is mostly our own feeling after discussing what to do with each other. We do love all Maui and will continue to provide our own small contributions to the island.
Thank you
In short many of the people of Maui are saying is…..We want your money and stay home…that about says it all.
There’s hope. Here is an excellent site that has the daily visitor count to the different islands, including Maui.
After tourism went off a cliff in early August, it is show signs of life. Look at the Maui Domestic Visitor Count for the last few days here:
files.hawaii.gov/dbedt/economic/data_reports/special/image007.png
This is sad and inevitable. As I have been saying all along on this message board, there are a handful of people who have been spewing incorrect information to restrict people from coming to Maui. Tourism is the life blood of this island and with that we have a COVID like situation. Businesses are expecting PPP-like loans, but think about it, have those been offered to areas on the main land where such natural disasters occur? Resorts in South Maui are operating below 20% occupancy. How is this sustainable even for 3-4 months? Also surprising is that they haven’t put out any incentives or lowered prices for people to come and visit. This is just bad business behavior.
Tragically, Maui people suffer even more.
The government has been too willing to depend solely on money that falls from the sky (some of it does make a safe landing).
It will take a very different kind of leader, and frankly a different level of populace engagement to deliver it.
Diversifying the economy beyond tourism giveaways and supporting locals opening saimin and shave ice shops needs to be a priority. What else is the Hawaii Economic Development organization doing?
Diversifying into what, exactly? Hawaii land use regulations are incredibly onerous and outrageously expensive. Hawaii state taxes are among the highest in the nation, arguably number two behind leader Oregon. Hawaii electricity rates, at a whopping 41.74 ¢/kWh in 2023, are also the highest in the nation, and by a lot. And shipping rates to/from Hawaii? Once again, off-the-charts expensive.
Other than tourism, no one is starting a competitive business or industry on Hawaii. No one, because neither the economics nor economies of scale work. At all.
Great information! Solid data on (some of) what the government needs to do to diversify the economy.
Giveaway Real Estate taxes encourage non-resident owners. Who would choose to pay ridiculous Hawaii income tax?
Big changes are needed!
We were going to book our trip, September 14-21, on Maui. However, the hotels were $600+ per night. Sadly, we had to change our plans and book on the Big Island where prices were in the $400-$450 range for comparable hotels.
No. We go normally visit 2x/year for two weeks each. Feel we will be disrespected and unwelcomed. The Maui residents need to process and get past this tragic loss, and have a clear understanding of what the plan is – what’s next for a bright future. Instead we are sending donations.
Set up grief counseling as a program on all Maui radio and tv stations – it can be done. Doesn’t need to be one-on-one. Get your best presenters speakers on this. Heal Maui!
Thank you for your articles.
As a tourist to Maui it has become like a second home to us over 15yrs and the articles you provide keep me in touch with what’s happening throughout the year.
The recent article on visiting or staying away is a great article as it nailed the confusion I am feeling about returning to the island.
I have a 3 week return stay scheduled for Nov / Dec.
It is so difficult to decide what to do or to find someone to talk to.
Do I come back or stay away?
Went to Maui for 12 years. For the last five the locals have made it clear they don’t want visitors from the mainland. I’ve been taking vacations elsewhere and my money. They can keep Hawaii local. That was what they said. Now they have a crisis not sure the aloha is real. I am sorry for what happened. It’s a real tragedy. Many senseless deaths. Now they are afraid we will steal their land again tired of this nonsense. Most are not true Hawaiians just like Americans they are mixed with other countries of Asian descent. Most don’t have Polynesian roots. Either you want to be Americans or you don’t. It can not be only when it suits your needs.
Makes sense to me. You know if US didn’t make it a territory Japan would’ve wiped clean all the Hawaiian history back in the day.