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.
For anyone who is on the fence about coming to Maui … don’t be. My family and I are here now. We have been met with Grace and Aloha by at least 2 people who have lost everything. They both said – we need people to come so we won’t lose our jobs. We know life has to move on. Everything is open now, including the Hyatt Regency which are still hosting Red Cross, Fema and displaced people. Unfortunately, the Sheraton is not open and most likely will not be until the first of the year.
We are coming to Maui next year. We weren’t sure after the fire. We received an email from the condo we rented. It said please come,we are open. We know it will be different than previous times,but are really wanting to be there.
I’m afraid Maui has lost me as a visitor. Life is too short to put up with the nonsense coming out of the Governor’s office and a few but loud locals who don’t want tourists at all. I don’t understand their attitude since most of the money coming into Maui comes from tourists. Now, most of the money coming in is from the state in the form of welfare.
For the past 60+ years … what’s currently coming out of Hawai’i and local government as a result of the Lahaina tragedy has become the “Hawai’ian Way” … especially when looking at the bureaucratic side of the “Ohana-House” …
The playbook:
Destroy traditional industries. Followed by massive job losses. Charge more for goods and services. Raise taxes. Followed by more business/job losses. Increase welfare. More poverty, crime, congestion. And then wonder “how did this all happen ??”
I’ve lived in what truly was “Paradise” off/on since ‘da ’50s and that’s been my first-hand experience w/ what was once beautiful and what I once loved — and still do love, truth be told. Aue …
Booked to the big island in early October. Luckily we are flexible, unlike most who travel, and are watching closely. We would love to bring our tourism $$$ to Maui, but currently the lodging isn’t affordable. Keeping our fingers crossed that will change and we can hop on an interisland flight and visit an island we love and show some support to Maui.
I have been to Hawaii for about 10 vacations Always loved the Islands, Maui was my favorite, been there 7 times. I was riding to the airport ,going back home .As I sat in the back seat of the cab with the window rolled down we stopped for traffic. Two local men standing next to my cab said to me, “Did you enjoy your trip to Maui?” I said, “Yes” .One man replied sarcastically “Good, now go home”.I believe he meant it, and expressed the views of other locals. That might be the thing I remember most about my last trip to Maui.
Hawaiian people can be so ugly , lived there and it was something you had to deal with on a daily basis. I had a good friend who lived in Maui.
We grew up together in NJ he was a police officer in Maui and he had five boys who went to to local school and once a year they had
Beat up holey day. I thought he was crazy until he told me look it up on YouTube,I did. He was right both girls and boys would beat up none Hawaiians. It may still be on the web .
I was at Waimea Beach in August and the life guards had to stop a big fight of Hawaiians beating up one non-Hawaiian tourist.
So much to unpack here. Been to Maui a dozen times. Loved it there.
But…. The trust and the safety of the tourist has been lost. Just watched a video of locals chasing tourists off the beach, homeless encampments everywhere. State officials not turning sirens on because he thought people would escape into the fire. Not turning water on until he OK’d it with indeginous farmers. Police rerouting tourists back to the inferno. Just went to the Grand Wailea website. Their lowest price room is currently at $901.00 a night. Albeit it’s a 5 star hotel but I wonder if it ever crossed there minds to make it affordable in wake of the tragedy. Sad times.
Before Covid, my wife and I had visited Maui three times and the state for a total of 10 visits. After many reports about the damage caused by overtourism I had decided to stop visiting Maui and possibly any of the Islands; certainly the high expenses of a Hawaii vacation made the decision a little easier.
Upon reading this article and several others, reporting the hardships caused by the reduced visitor numbers, my wife have booked a trip to Maui in October. As before, we will be respectful visitors. It’s still relatively expensive but Hawaii is a special place.