Areas around Maui that were devastated by wildfires two months ago began welcoming back tourists on Sunday after the mayor and Hawaii’s governor pushed to restart tourism to boost the economy, despite the opposition of some Lahaina residents.
Five hotels in West Maui are once again accepting reservations, according to the West Maui Hotel website and the Maui Hotel and Lodging Association. Additionally, eight timeshare hotels (where visitors have an ownership stake in their rooms) opened in the area earlier this month, some just a few miles from the disaster zone.
The reopening coincides with the two-month anniversary of the event wildfire At least 98 people died and more than 2,000 buildings were destroyed, many of them homes and apartments.
Ilicia Jeanson of the Hawaii Tourism Authority said Sunday that based on conversations with hotels, an influx of tourists is not expected. He said it was not immediately known how many travelers were returning to hotels and timeshares in the area.
Many local residents oppose the resumption of tourism in West Maui, which includes the town of Lahaina and a stretch of coastline to the north. Opponents say they don’t want visitors asking them about their traumatic experiences as they grieve the loss of loved ones and deal with the destruction of their homes.
More than 3,500 Lahaina area residents signed petition Asking Hawaii Gov. Josh Green to delay reopening.Green says restart will help Maui’s development tourism driven economy Get on the road to recovery.
Lisa Paulson, executive director of the Maui Hotel and Lodging Association, said the group’s survey suggests the number will be “low.” “Tourists will come back very slowly,” she predicted.
Maui County releases Saturday video message Mayor Richard Bissen acknowledged the difficulty of the situation.
“I know we are still grieving, and it feels too soon. But the reality is there are people in our community who are ready to go back to work. Bills need to be paid, keiki have needs, and our kupuna face ongoing medical care care,” Bissen said, referring to children and seniors respectively in Hawaiian.
Thousands of tourists staying at beachfront hotels north of the burned area left Maui in the days after the fire. About 11,000 hotel rooms in west Maui are either empty or housing displaced Lahaina residents under a program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Red Cross.
Beeson said he is working to ensure that no one affected by the fire has to leave their temporary accommodation to make room for visitors.
The county government is ready another video It highlights places visitors can go outside of west Maui, including the town of Paia on Maui’s north shore and the scenic road to Hana on the east side of the island.
The video message urges visitors to stay away from burned areas, refrain from taking and posting “inappropriate images” on social media, and to show respect by following signs and instructions.
Separately, the Governor’s Office of Health and Resilience has prepared a flyer with tips on how visitors can be respectful to others and plans to distribute it at hotels, rental car counters and other places frequented by visitors.
Four of the five reopening hotels are in the northernmost tip of West Maui, including the Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua. The area is 7 to 10 miles (11 to 16 kilometers) north of the Lahaina fire area, a 15 to 20 minute drive.
Green said there will be fewer hotels open.He was interviewed by Hawaii News “Now in focus” Last week, “I believe only one or two hotels will be fully open on the 8th.” Green’s office said those numbers fluctuate over time.
Maui hotels are among the hotels that are welcoming travelers again. In a note on its website, the company said the return of tourists would help stabilize the economy and provide jobs and support to “those who have lost so much in this disaster.”
“However, we humbly ask that if you visit West Maui in the coming months, please be sensitive and respectful to those who have suffered great loss,” the note read. “We would like to thank you during this time.” Kindness, understanding and regards.”
Paulson, from the Lodging Association, said timeshares are sometimes rented to non-owner travelers, but doing so now in West Maui is not done out of respect, she said.
Svlook
