Skift Take
Maui's tourism sector hasn't been able to shake off the impact of last year's wildfires despite extensive marketing.
Maui still faces an uphill battle for a full tourism recovery one year after one of the deadliest wildfires in Hawaii’s history.
"There's a sense of optimism, but also a recognition that we have a long way to go," said T. Ilihia Gionson, the Hawaii Tourism Authority’s public affairs officer.
On August 8, 2023, a wildfire devastated the town of Lahaina, killed nearly 100 people and destroyed thousands of homes. The governor closed the island to tourism and then restricted the closure to western region. It wasn’t fully reopened until November.
Tourism to Maui continues to lag. In the first half of 2024, Maui had 1.1 million visitors, down 24% from a year earlier, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority. Visitor spending amounted to $2.6 billion, also down 24%.
Maui’s hotel occupancy sat at 62% between July 1 and 27, down 11% from last year, according to CoStar. Hotel occupancy for the Kaanapali/Lahaina area was 59%, down over 17%.
Demand for Maui was “weaker than expected