A Year After Maui’s Fires, Tourism Nears a $1 Billion Deficit
Mixed messaging has kept travelers away. But with empty beaches, pristine hotels, and locals who are eager to welcome visitors, it’s a surprisingly great time to come.
Lahaina on Aug. 4, almost one year after the area’s devastating wildfires.
Photographer: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Nearly one year after devastating wildfires killed more than 100 people and decimated the historic town of Lahaina on Maui’s west side, travelers are still unclear on whether they’re welcome. That lingering uncertainty has created nearly $1 billion in lost revenue for the Hawaiian island, which has historically relied on tourism for 70% of every dollar in its local economy, according to the Maui Economic Development Board.
Officially, all of Maui—with the exception of the burn zone in Lahaina—has been open for business since Nov. 1. But arrivals in the first half of 2024 were down roughly 25% year over year, with 1.1 million visitors, compared with nearly 1.5 million in the first half of 2023, according to the state’s Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. Spending was similarly down, from $3.47 billion in the first half of 2023 to $2.64 billion for the first half of 2024.