Maui was once the place visitors returned to without question. For many, it wasn’t just a vacation but a ritual, a second home, a bond built over decades of trips and friendships. That loyalty is now being tested. Rising costs, shifting rules, and a sense that the welcome mat has frayed are leaving longtime travelers uncertain if they still belong.
“We used to go twice a year. We always felt like we belonged. Now? It just feels… off.”
That’s the kind of comment we’ve seen thousands of times. Not from first-time tourists, but from those who’ve returned to Maui for decades. Same condo. Same beach walks. Same poke spot. They brought their kids. Their grandkids. Some even made friends with local families, swapped holiday cards, and hosted one another back on the mainland.
Now, many are pulling back. Not because they want to, but because it feels like they’re being pushed out, or at least no longer pulled in. Maui travel feels uncertain, including where visitors will choose to stay.
We’ve heard this before, but something’s different now. The tone. The heartbreak. The resignation. A reader who’s visited since the 1980s wrote: “We are sad not to be able to come to Hawaii anymore. The common man cannot finance a Hawaiian vacation as of Jan. 1, 2026. We’re almost 90 years young and always respectful. But we’ve been harassed, and the aloha spirit feels gone. Good bye, Hawaii.”
The short-term rental fight was a trigger, not the cause.
Some of the push-back started with short-term rentals. For visitors, that’s where they stay. For Maui, that’s where the fight is. A crackdown began after the Lahaina fire, aimed at phasing out thousands of units in apartment-zoned areas like Kaanapali. It looked inevitable. A mix of potential lawsuits and declining visitor numbers, as well as a postponement in the implementation until starting in 2028, will all but certainly force the issue to stall indefinitely.
A reader who’s stayed in the same Kihei condo since 2012 told us: “We canceled our next trip. We just don’t want to book if we don’t know whether we’ll even be allowed to stay.” Another put it more bluntly: “They want us in hotel rooms now. But we don’t want to go back to that.”
Many visitors say they’ve been priced out of Maui not just by room rates, but by uncertainty. Some worry that the mix of new tourism fees and the stalled future vacation rental ban is just the first wave of changes that could make even planning a trip feel uncertain.
Visitors who once felt like family are questioning their place.
One longtime reader told us that after their last visit in 2024 they decided not to return. They had owned three timeshares in Maui, but said the aloha was gone, prices were ridiculous, and they no longer felt welcome.
Another reader said it more gently: “We’ll always love Hawaii. But right now, it feels like it needs a minute. And maybe we do too.”
One regular, now in her 80s, told us she had planned to return in early 2026. Now she’s not sure. “I can’t show up and find out there’s no place to stay.”
This isn’t just about condos or hotels. For many, Maui meant decades of ritual, friendships with residents, and memories layered over generations. Losing that doesn’t just feel like canceling a trip, it feels like losing part of their own story.
Maui’s message, if nothing else, has become hard to read.
Part of the confusion is the contradiction. Officials say tourism is down and visitors are welcome. But at the same time, new taxes, fees, and restrictions stare visitors in the face. Some residents openly say fewer tourists would be better. Others warn that chasing away loyal guests will only hurt the island in the end.
A commenter from Kihei told us: “Class warfare isn’t the answer. If we chase away the people who love Maui the most, what’s left?”
Another visitor added: “We poured out our hearts and our wallets after the fires, and this is how it ends? With more fees, more rules, and the feeling that we’re not good enough to come back?”
There’s also mistrust about how new fees are being used. One reader said, “These taxes and surcharges are just a slush fund. If any of this money was helping nature or local people, we wouldn’t mind. But it’s not.”
The goodbye isn’t loud. It’s quiet, but it’s happening.
Some travelers are shifting to other islands. A reader told us, “Maui is making it hard, and the Big Island is starting to look easier.” Others are skipping Hawaii entirely. “We used to go twice a year. Now we’re trying Europe. At least we know where we stand.”
They’re not angry. They’re tired and resigned. One visitor wrote: “We have a Hawaii savings account. It’s just sitting there. We were supposed to go back. But now we don’t know if it’s worth it. We’re road-tripping instead.”
Another said: “We love the people, the land, and the culture. But we’re being priced out. And we’re not sure we’re wanted.”
None of this means Maui has lost its inimitable magic. But it has become harder to count on.
Some readers haven’t given up yet.
There are still those watching, waiting, and hoping. They haven’t booked. But they haven’t ruled it out either. They’re remembering the Maui that felt like home and wondering if it’s still there beneath all the noise.
One reader said, “For 30 years, we felt like Maui was our place. That’s not something we say lightly. But now it’s Maui’s turn to show us if it still feels the same way.”
Have you canceled a trip, changed islands, or stayed the course? If Maui was your happy place, are you still going back, or waiting to see what happens next?
Tell us in the comments. We’re listening.
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We love Maui and have been coming for years. But, when I heard of the climate tax on visitors, enough is enough. It’s too expensive. There are lots of beaches to explore outside of Hawaii.
We rented the villa at KeaLani earlier this year. The Hotel staff was wonderful with the aloha spirit all the way through, one of the staff at the front desk even went shopping for us on the other side of the island on her way to work next day. Only thing missing was good food exception of the Nick’s. I think most of the workers left the island after the fire sensing lack of the tourisn may loose their jobs or affect their work routine. We opted to take taxi from the airport and back rather than renting the car we never use once we’re in the resort. The drivers were friendly. Going back to the airport, the driver shopwed up early morning after the rain storm with a smile. We felt the weather has changed there, it’s usually warmer and sunnier in Wailea than other part of the island, but it was not that warm, it stayed in the 70’s.
We were at Kapalua Bay yesterday to swim and enjoy some beach time. Parking is now paid, unless you are a Maui resident, which resulted in some available spaces. I entered my vehicle license number and sent a photo of my driver’s license and was granted 11 hours and 10 minutes of free parking. No idea how they chose that amount. Who stays at a beach park for 11+ hours? Anyway, nice day until we packed up to leave. The showers and drinking fountain were not working, and the men’s room was so filthy that I wouldn’t even change clothes in there. I really hope that some of the new tax money goes toward clean restrooms. Locals and tourists deserve better!
Tourism is fading fast, going, going go__!
I have been a long time Maui visitor and am literally at the airport waiting for my departing flight. I don’t know what it is but the magic is gone. The service was not as hospitable, the food wasn’t as good. I couldn’t put my finger on it but something has shifted. I use to love Maui but like the article said something is off. It’s no longer pulling me in. 🙁
Hi Sonya,
What part of the island were you staying at? Which restaurants were not very good. We’re going in the Spring and we’ll avoid those spots. I hope we have a better experience. 🤞 Thanks!
We just returned from Maui. If we go back it won’t be any time soon.
We had three separate incidents with local residents including someone with obvious mental health issues who was (sadly) threatening everyone on the boardwalk between Westin Ocean Villas and Dukes, a group of locals who made it clear that we needed to go somewhere else for sunset (we were in front of Westin Nanea) and a very angry guy down by Aloha Mixed Plate in Lahaina. It left a bad taste in our mouth. We heard other stories when we talked to local business owners about how frustrated they are that the messaging is that visitors should stay away.
Among other things, my heritage is Hawaiian, but also w. European – I look white. I am treated differently when I am with my dad. Losing aloha is the saddest thing that I have seen. Now Maui is like everywhere else.
We visited Maui this year, February 2025, and stayed at the Aston Mahana Kaanapali where we’ve been staying for 20 plus years. We were there in 2020 right before covid and skipped 2021. Fortunately we visited with our grandchildren in June before the horrible fire destroyed beautiful Lahaina and the lives of so many wonderful citizens. During our visit this year we were treated warmly everywhere we went. Yes, things are more expensive, but we live in San Diego and we thought prices were comparable especially while dining out. We are returning next Spring 2026 and staying at the same property. We are looking forward to another wonderful vacation on the beautiful island of Maui. Aloha!
For those of you who say you are moving on, I hope you are able to do so without rancor.
By all means, try out the Carribean Islands, Mexico, Maldives, Tahiti, etc. After the newness wears off, I predict that many of you will return to Hawaii. It is simply like no other place and is more convenient for travel.
Maui, in particular, has been through some very difficult times, and our politicians are stirring up resentment among local people over the shortage of housing. However, turning Short Term Rentals into LTRs is not economically feasible, nor is it fair to the owners who bought condos, only to have the zoning changed 50+ years later.
I believe life here will go back to normal after this period of uncertainty and if our current group of visitors choose not to return, the next generation surely will. Mahalo!
I agree with you 100%. I just returned from a 6 night stay in Maui and still plan on visiting at least 3 time annually. September is supposed to be a super slow time but the flights from San Francisco and back were full. The restaurants were also busy so it looks like people are visiting that was the case on the west end in Kaanapali and Wailea so a good sign
We had been going to Hawaii(Maui) since 1996 and were heartbroken at what happened to Lahaina, where we spent so many happy family moments. But it seems the government and hotel associations keep pointing their fingers at each other at who is responsible for rebuilding Maui. In the meantime, they keep raising fees, taxes and nowhere does it show what exactly they are doing with the money. We now go to San Diego instead.
I have no real desire to return there, at least not anytime soon. The last time I was there, we drove out past the winery on the back way to Hana a ways and stopped at the little overlook near the wind mills. There, a local had left a bright sticker that read, “Aloha means hello and good bye, Haole,” and then something about leaving and not coming back. Now, you’ll say that was an isolated incident but no, not really. There were other little signs that we weren’t wanted there, glances, things locals said just loud enough to overhear, the endless taxes and fees… We’re good visitors – we tip well, don’t make a mess, usually fly first class and spend that way, drive well – in short, we’re the kind of tourists that Maui should want, but we’re increasingly treated like the great unwashed. I’ll save my money and travel again to French Polynesia instead of Maui, or perhaps to Kauia for a change of pace. However, right now I’m just Mauied out.
Been following this and I guess it mostly revolves around condos and what’s refered to as private hosts. I’d have to agree that both are a problem, particularly private hosts. It’s not right to turn your home into a boarding house.