West Maui is in shambles. Lahaina has largely been destroyed. 111 people are confirmed dead, with as many as 1,000 still missing. Over 2,000 structures were damaged – most of them residential. But slowly life is being put back together. Verizon cell phone service was just restored.
I spoke with a veteran journalist last week who had travel planned to Maui. And we both agreed that,
- It didn’t make sense to go right away. In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, tourists would be a burden on limited infrastructure.
- But it would soon be important for Maui to go. They’re dependent on tourism.
- This switch would happen before people realized it had happened. So trip shaming would last longer than it should – long than what’s in the best interest of locals.
Already the Mayor of Maui is asking tourists to come to the island, just not to head to the Western part.
Don’t go to west Maui. Obviously, there’s so much going on with trying to rebuild it, but the rest of Maui is still open.
Maui’s infrastructure is fine on the eastern part of the island. It’s fine to go to Wailea, though most of the restaurants I’ve enjoyed are in the western part and are no longer there.
You can travel to Maui without taxing the response, and with over half of all jobs on the island related to tourism locals will be hurt if people don’t come. Indeed, they need tourism dollars to fund their recovery.
They let their island burn. Plenty of other places to go spend money that are not burned up.
@Dustin, plenty of places on Maui “are not burned up”. Glad to see the Internet still scores high on the empathy scale.
I had a trip planned to Maui this week, but while I felt it was safe to return, the last thing I needed was for people to treat me weirdly for being there. Many Hawaiians have an isolationist streak about them despite their economy depending on tourism.
So I don’t necessarily disagree with the premise of this post but I think it would be more helpful to either provide more detail or link out to stuff that explains what is open. I get that Wailea can be business as usual but what if you are up in Kaanapali? Can you you even get there from the airport easily or do you have to bypass Lahaina?
While Maui depends largely on tourism, saying go back, every thing fine, is simply not true. Just because someone is working in Wailea doesn’t mean they do not have family and friends who may have been severely impacted in Lahaina. Forcing those individuals to wait on you because you feel you deserve your vacation and are “helping the economy” is insensitive at best.
It hasn’t even been two weeks. How about instead of talking to tourism promoters we talk to actual local Hawaiians? For years native Hawaiians have asked tourists to stop sucking up resources from their islands and the response to this tragedy will certainly deepen that divide. People who are searching or grieving lost loved ones likely don’t want to take us snorkeling and serve us drinks.
I also believe that it is important for visitors to return to Maui, the question being where and when.
Clearly, the city of Lahaina itself must not be a destination for tourists, but there are areas north of Lahaina, such as the Kaanapali district that were pretty much unscathed by the fires except for electricity, phone, internet, and cellular outages which are now coming back. You cannot reasonably reach those areas even by using the Lahaina bypass without going through part of the devastated area and potentially interfering with search, recovery, and infrastructure repairs in Lahaina. It isn’t clear that those roads are yet open 24×7 for non-essential travel. (The only alternative route is a long, circuitous route along the northern and northeastern shore of the island which in many places is only one lane wide. Even as a very experienced driver myself, having done that route once, I would not recommend it anything other than an extreme emergency!)
The south (actually southeast) side of the island is pretty much unscathed and probably can take tourists now subject to the availability of resort and restaurant workers who may have previously commuted from the Lahaina area.
Although fairly underreported in the news, there were (and still are) some wildfires in the areas along the slopes of the volcanoes.
The question is really when is it safe and more importantly prudent to start returning to areas north of Lahaina. September, October, later? I and some friends have cancelled trips to the Kaanapali area originally scheduled for mid-October. (October through November is a great off-season to visit with great weather – still warm and low likelihood of any significant rain!) Maybe by January, there will be a bit greater degree of normalcy such that visiting does not interfere in any way with major search, recovery, and infrastructure repair. Keep in mind though that availability of restaurants will still be severely limited.
The west side of Maui is closed for business right now. Unless you’re part of the recovery effort, you must be a resident to even be allowed out there for now. Anyone coming in the next few weeks will need to stay in Wailea.
@Andrea – I would think losing their jobs because of lack of tourists might be even worse. I would give the mayor the benefit of the doubt and assume tourists are needed and welcome at this point.
Tough call. Personally, not a fan have been there before and they acted like I was a foreigner. Nowhere else in the United States have I ever been treated that way. I live in Florida and I can assure you I have been through countless disasters and people just kept coming for tourism, and nobody said stay away. There’s just a totally different attitude down there
I wasn’t a Maui fan before the fire….def not after
I was traveling essential non-stop into Covid-19 pandemic and I witnessed first hand the talks among hotel front desks of how many of their buddies already lost their jobs. And this was even before lock down was announced.
The same is certainly happening on Maui. The folk serving the tables and cleaning the rooms will be out of the paycheck very quickly and small businesses will be closed in no time without snorkeling tours etc.
Last time we were landing on the Big Island, the captain made the following announcement: “Please keep the islands green: spend a lot of money in Hawaii”.
Hawaiians HATE America and mainland Americans. They shut out or imprisoned Americans during covid, they’re unreasonably ruse and inhospitable to those that do go there, they cheer when Florida gets hit by hurricanes or Texas by floods. That’s a “hell no” to ever going there to support them. They don’t need our money anyway. President “Mashed Potato Brains” will be writing that blank check in a day or two. He may even appoint Hunter the new Hawaiian Meth Czar to help identify the root causes of course.
You know, so many, Hawaiians hate the United States, but I really have to wonder how they would like being a Japanese colony, if they didn’t have us to rely on during World War II. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. You’re part of the greatest economy in the world. Boo-hoo.
Takes a real jerk to paste a label on an entire state after a tragedy like this, not even considering the ignorance factor. Why not go hang out somewhere else … most of us commenting on this blog have working brains. Your comments engender nothing but disgust. But that IS attention, and perhaps you can’t discern the various types of attention?
We were in Lahaina a week before the fire. We go often to West Maui and have never felt anything but welcomed by the locals. But then we want to experience local cultures. We don’t live like resort travelers. We talk kindly to others. We treat people like we want to be treated.
With the fires not completely controlled, residents are still dousing hot spots, is it really a good time to go? Of course Lahaina is out of the question but upcountry is still burning too. Shoot, the President still hasn’t gone there out of concerns of distraction from the real needs, why should tourists go this soon. But the primary reason to not visit yet is out of respect for currently 111 dead and reports of another 1,000 missing. Show some reverence.
@CHRIS – I did not experience an inhospitable, anti -mainlander vibe the many times I’ve vacationed there. Mostly friendly encounters, much like with rest of America & fellow Americans … well, outside of big cities anyways.
@ Matt, and I quote your statement, “Shoot, the President still hasn’t gone there out of concerns of distraction from the real needs”. How much more braindamage you need to be to excuse why the president didn’t visit Maui yet? He was simply on a bach vacation and his reply was “no comments”. G it hurts to see how democrats will go a long way to cover up the worth president of US history.
Wow, could you haters just show your true colors. We have had the privilege to visit the islands 35 time over many years. We are treated like Ohona and treat the locals with respect. The only people who get the cold shoulder are unkind and disrespectful or demanding intitled buffoons. Is that you? Don’t leave the state you feel fits your style. May God forgive you for your ways. Really!
WOW the haters love to hate. We have visited the islands 35 times over the years and have always been welcomed like Ohona. The only people who seemed to get treated unkindly are the bafoons who act a fool. Is that you? You get what you give out, learn a lesson and use your head for something other then a hat rack.
The Hawaiians are wonderful people. If you are in a hurry or rude you just don’t get it, and shouldn’t leave your wonderful state. Living in the West we are very familiar with wildfire. It is unforgiving like you sound when you make nasty comments. Knowing the helpless feeling of a disaster as you have state you should find it in your heart to keep your mouth shout and keep your judgements to yourself. No one with a heart finds it cute.
Aloha Nui!
WE WHO LIVE HEAR WOULD RATHER NOT SEE ANY TOURISTS AT THIS POINT. AFTET WORKING DURING THE PANDEMIC IT HAS BEEN IMPOSIBLE TO LIVE HERE. WE WERE LOCKED DOWN FOR 3 YEARS BECAUSE OF GOV IGE. NOW THIS FIRE
ALOT OF THE OTHER STORES ON ISLAND ARE CLOSED. WAILEA/KIHEI IA A MORGUE. ONE IS HERE. ALOT OF STORES HAD SISTER STORES IN LAHAINA. THE LAHAINA STORES WERE PAYING THERE BILLS IN MUCH KIHEI/ WAILEA STORES. SO THEY CLOSED THE WAILEA AND KIHEI STORES ALSO. THE LAHAINA STORES WERE PSYING THE BILLS BECAUSE THEY HAD ALL THE TRAFFIC AND BUSINESS VOLUME. LAHAINA IS ALWAYS THE BUSIEST ON ISLAND..
I’d give it to Labour Day. Hundreds are still seeking shelter and 100s more are there to help recovery efforts. All need hotel rooms. But I expect many will return home and others will find more permanent lodging within 3 weeks. Supply chain is also disrupted.
I was a tour guide in Hawaii for a year and I can tell you for sure that most Hawaiians do not like Americans. They always talk about being independent for the mainland.
I looked at travel from Charlotte to Maui and see higher prices now than before fires and hotel prices are still through to the roof
Almost all Marriot properties are between 700 and 1300 a night on dates between 9/5 and 9/13
The should say Come Back and Pay More than Before but expect hostility and fewer services
@Mike – They’d probably like being a Japanese colony.
They probably would have had great infrastructure, good food, and some culture to retain. What has being in the US done for them l o l
Seems like their Governor would rather use this sad event as a government land grab.
Just give it time….
When Katrina hit New Orleans in late August, all predicted it was the end for the world for the city!! Yet, many hotels and restaurants were back in business the following February for Mardi Gras. Several conventions returned that summer and fall. The biggest issue were hospitality workers who left looking for work in Houston & Dallas. Others took their place as time moved on.
Ebb & flow, the voids will be filled as time progresses.
Prepare to hunker down in your all-inclusive hotel… A few hundred homeless people have migrated to Kihei and kahului… This isn’t counting the displacement of the fire victims…
I would not travel to Maui now. It just wouldn’t feel right for me. Others may differ.
My sense of @Gary is that he is a decent person. But I have to say this feels like a “placed” story. Which is not to suggest for one moment Gary was paid to write it it, but he is a well-known travel blogger and hence, someone could very well have whispered in his ear asking for help.
That said, the vehemence of some of the comments to this blog are, well, interesting. We Americans are a parochial lot, so it wouldn’t surprise me that most are completely unaware of what the Hawaiian flag looks like. Hint: That isn’t the Stars & Stripes up there. Hawaii was annexed by the US at the behest of greedy pineapple growers, who at the same time did away with the current monarch. . Polynesians are a proud and warrior people, so if you are surprised there is still a lingering dislike of their conqueror, you shouldn’t be.
My family & I spent a week in Lahaina last year in a beautiful rental house with a pool close to the beach. The fire burned every house on the street (Shaw Street). Can’t imagine what people must be going through.
During our visit, we noticed that Lahaina was quite dry with hardly any rainfall whereas the eastern part of the island was very different – lush with a lot of rain. Couldn’t have imagined it would all go down in flames though.
Hawaii is a beautiful place and in many ways, each island has their own character. I have been to each multiple times and generally most people I encountered were friendly, especially in smaller areas around the big island and Kauai.
Here’s my sense – if Hawaii could close to tourism they would. Unfortunately, 75% of the economy depends on it. So it’s a double edged sword.
I have a trip planned for the end of September (booked 6 months ago). The hotel prices have only gotten worse and are outrageous. (I already had mine booked). I’ll check the situation and if it’s not ready, I’ll cancel.
Wow, the haters on here are going all out on capitalizing on the pain and suffering occurring in Hawaii right now. The vast majority of people that come to Hawaii (I live here) love it and for good reason. It’s a beautiful place and they are treated well. As we all know, America has taken a turn towards more of the old 1950’s term “ugly American tourist”. Those minority of tourists are the one’s that make up the majority of the Hawaii doesn’t want us folks. If you act like a jerk when you travel you will likely attract negative input from others. Most people come here and love it.
Tourism will be crucial to the recovery of this horrendous tragedy that has crushed so many truly good people. Maui still will have much to offer during the rebuilding stage. What will be in even greater supply will be the Aloha spirit. Respectful, compassionate tourists will be appreciated and embraced during these difficult times. When the haters say they are not coming that’s a win win deal for everyone.
Hawaii has a love hate relationship with its tourists. I wouldn’t go to Maui. I’ve heard plenty of locals say they don’t want us there. Let Maui mend. The rest of Hawaii and it’s unfriendly locals is open. The government money the island will receive should cover any business losses across the island.
I think that we should give the Maui infrastructure a little time to recuperate. Tourism is a huge part of their industry but now they need to focus on rebuilding and grieving the loss of their families and friends. This is all in addition to the loss of their traditions and their historical towns. Give them space. If you must go there, go with a generosity and helping hand.
Absolutely not. Let them alone. What poor taste time to be be encouraging a return only weeks after. Your attempts at coating this as a benefit is shaky at best.
Sorry, this is a b.s. article.
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
It’s not all about you and your vacation.
And people wonder why a lot of the locals don’t like tourists it’s this attitude.
Mama’s Fish House, an iconic Maui restaurant in Paia, is open. They support hundreds of employees, farmers and fishermen. Further, their team is donating labor and food for 1000 meals a day to those in need.
https://mamasfishhouse.com/
Good post Carol and puts it in perspective. Maui needs support in as many ways as it can get. If the Mayor says they are ready ….obviously not West Maui but the rest of Maui ……that’s a good indication they are ready for mindful respectful tourism. Avoiding Maui altogether undermines what places like Mamas Fish House is doing, giving back, keeping people employed and contributing to the recovery process. Would some of you rather just see Mamas and so many others just lay off their staff? It’s a tough time for everyone and a complicated time, but mass unemployment helps no one.
I am straining to have sympathy for the islands. They have mandated to be 100% green power by 2045 and consequently have neglected some of the current electrical infrastructure. The area around Lahaina and the west is always dry at this time of year yet they allow masses of brush and grasses to accumulate. They knew the possibilities and ignored them. A shame for the loss of lives but they took the risks.
Lived on Maui 16 years, 99 percent of the locals do not hate anyone!
Sure….we’ll follow you.
Can’t stress enough how right Al is….had to laugh at James Brozak who said “ I was a tour bus driver for a year and the locals don’t like Americans’”
The locals don’t take kindly to people who move here for a year and think they are “locals” and full full of opinions about Hawaii. News flash James, Hawaii is in fact America. As Al said, the Aloha Spirit is still here and available to all. If you are not seeing that you are the problem, not the locals.
Dear Hawaiians. Without Americans, Hawaii today would be a Japanese colony and the native people would be extinct. Unless they saved a few of you for medical experiments or sex slaves….
OK John maybe Hawaii is in the U S but ask any person from Hawaii and they will say they do not want to be American.
Maui is beautiful. I do wish the Original Islanders welcomed us but they really don’t. Definitely don’t go there now. My Husband’s Grandmother was full blooded Hawaiian. Her Daughter married a haole from the service so my husband is 1/2. It’s not good. He couldn’t go to school. He would get beat up daily. Haole is a derogatory term and while they put up with us for tourist money, they don’t want us there. Especially now! Since Lahaina is the nicest place and sadly gone now, I would be leary about going other places. Now, the mainland people that have moved there are very nice and respectful. It’s a mixed bag. Florida residents are very nice and for now, I would suggest the beautiful beaches around Destin and Navarre. It’s so much more economical too.. I love Hawaii and mean no disrespect but I don’t feel it mutually back. I don’t think they care to be part of the USA.
What an absolute shameful disgrace some of you armchair quarterbacks are, sitting there giving your BS opinions about something you don’t understand. Do you really think it’s just over 100 people dead? No, it will be over 1000, which is what is currently missing. People were basically flash cremated so they’re asking families to give DNA samples, this is the largest loss of life in US history since 9/11. Who cares if you don’t like Hawaiians because they’re territorial, it’s completely disgusting that some of you have the gall to even mention your trivial opinions. The fallout of this disaster will cause thousands of lives to be devastated.. get over your simple eager testicle lives and realize this has one of the largest disasters the US has ever faced, and how dare this post even exist, the author is disgusting.
Maui does not want you there right now, leave them alone.
James Brozek…I’ve lived here for almost 40 years. You are wrong. I know 100’s of local’s through work and leisure activities. Great people. They can be harsh on loud mouth disrespectful people especially if they are new here and spout off views like you are proposing. However what’s really telling is you seem to think it’s ok to attack them when they are experiencing so much tragedy. Your opinion, besides being wrong, defines you as someone with very little compassion for anyone but yourself…..perhaps that trait is why you didn’t do so well here in the relatively
brief time you were a “tour guide”.
Maui’s tourism revenue went to the State or to speculators from the mainland.
The tourism revenue was not returned to Maui in a budget for sewers, safe water, fire stations, communications, safe roads, training emergency office workers, or updating procedures. Not one evacuation center was built and the airport is dirty and operating at twice it’s capacity.
The States emergency siren system was. Not turned on for any of this months fires on Maui . The County of Maui did not post any announcement to warn people to prepare for a possible evacuation. Their employees posted “no road closures, no emergencies and no press release”. Their employee stands by his decision to not sound the emergency sirens on Tuesday and again on Friday for kaanapali fire and evacuation!
All short term rentals hotels and houses are needed for evacuees, emergency personnel, coroners, and toxic waste employees etc.
West Maui is still suffering electrical outages, toxic tap water, weak internet and weak cell phone service. So rooms are needed in my hei and Wailea.
Kihei has a history of fire, floods and mudslides.
Lahaina’s triple fire of 2018 had a fire’s investigation that was never been released.
Even the airport list power dec 2021. No run way lights, no battery operated hall lights, .no announcements etc etc etc.
Maui needs to regroup, and rebuild the whole Island with a National standard of safety and safety training. The fireman have been amazing. I don’t know where they will live.
Heavy rains are forecast
@robin
The Maui airport is open and fully functional including runways,lights, food etc.. Wailea hotels, shops, and food are open and fully functional. The flight loads are wide open (good time to use an upgrade).