Before the wildfires, Lahaina was the hub for Maui's tourism industry. Immediately after the fires, visitor arrivals and spending took a big hit.
Mixed messaging from community leaders and survivors sheltering in hotel rooms contributed to the decrease.
"I think it's still having an impact, that mixed messaging, it takes a while to repair that. And, you know, we still have a small, you know, group with loud voices that are on social," said Lisa Paulson, the executive director of the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association. "So I would say that the message is still confusing to our consumers."
The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism recently reported about 216,000 people visited Maui in June, down from 276,000 in June 2023.
Now that more than 90% of survivors are out of hotels, what are local government and industry leaders doing to bring tourists back?
"I know that Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority and Hawaiʻi Visitors and Convention Bureau are collaborating right now, and they are going to be going out on the road with some political leaders from the state to kind of share the message of thank you for all your support and that we welcome you to come and visit us," Paulson said.
This interview aired on The Conversation on Aug. 5, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
