Skift Take

Hawaii public officials want tourists back after the horrible wildfire as soon as possible, but airlines and tour operators know that it takes time for local communities to heal.

Dawit Habtemariam

Maui's tourism recovery has been moving at a sluggish pace since the wildfires devastated the island's western region in early August. One factor: Tourists have been slow to return out of sensitivity to locals.

In a September 8 press conference, Hawaii Governor Josh Green said West Maui would be open to tourists again on October 8, two months after the fire started. Only Lahaina – the area that took the most damage – will be closed off to the public.

"It's going to be a slow coming back," said Lisa Paulson, executive director of the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association. "It's not going to be this massive flood of guests like after the pandemic."

The island is still healing from the wildfire. Over 100 people have died and more than 60 people remain missing. Since August 16, over 7,500 displaced survivors have been relocated to 29 hotels and hundreds of Airbnbs in Maui.

Many hotels have been under contract with the Red Cross to house the displaced, said Paulson. The contracts will end on September 29.

Hotels like Grand Wailea and Four Seasons Resorts Maui remain largely empty. "For every 1,000 units that we don't have a guest in, it's a potential loss of $30 million for local businesses throughout the island," said Paulson.