economy

Maui saw nearly 60% fewer visitors last month compared to August 2022, which the state has attributed to the island’s recent fires and the government’s calls to visitors to stay away. The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism recently published the findings in its monthly visitor statistics report.

The economic impact of the Maui fires may linger for years. According to a third-quarter forecast from UHERO, the economic costs of the Maui fires will be felt on that island, and statewide, “well into the future.”

During the Thrive Hawaiʻi Agrifood Summit at Hawaiʻi Convention Center, panelists hope for better government policy, investment and general willpower to improve local agriculture. On Wednesday the summit’s opening remarks noted both the potential and the dire state of Hawaiʻi agriculture.

The existing price freeze that was implemented for Maui in August will now only continue for essential goods and services, according to the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs’ Office of Consumer Protection.

More than $1 million in grants from the Inflation Reduction Act is going towards the protection of urban forests across Hawaiʻi. The Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program is administering the funding and currently seeking applications for local projects.

University of Hawaiʻi's Economic Research Organization is working on an analysis of the impact of the fires on Maui. The study is still underway, but the report will likely be out within a few weeks, and it will go far beyond numbers.

A University of Hawaiʻi economist discusses the outlook for Maui's economy in the wake of recent wildfires; Ukulele virtuoso Taimane talks about her upcoming show "Hawaiki" and raising money for Valley Isle residents; and a Kauaʻi author details his new book about the Garden Isle

Under the state's emergency declaration, the Office of Consumer Protection has issued a price and rent freeze on Maui to avert price gouging as recovery efforts related to the Maui wildfires continue.

The U.S. Small Business Administration opened its Business Recovery Center in Kīhei, Maui on Wednesday as residents impacted by the recent wildfires look for ways to rebuild their lives. The SBA says it stands ready to assist Hawaiʻi businesses and residents with low-interest federal disaster loans.

A small business owner and a state consumer protector take answer your questions about hidden restaurant fees and what extra costs mean for customers.