The West Maui coastline is known to be the main beach region for visitors, with luxury hotels, and holiday apartments stretching for several miles.
It’s also the busiest region for tourism on the Island of Maui. The devastating fires did not destroy the resorts but took the tourism business into crisis mode, serving their own, and those that wanted to help.
A departing visitor said: I may have lost a vacation, but so many people in Lahaina lost it all.
Today, 106 people were confirmed dead. Among them are Robert Dyckman, 74, and Buddy Jantoc, 79, both of Lahaina. Next of kin have been notified, according to a Maui County news release.
Maui will be known as a place where visitors and the tourism industry show their true faces of heroism and compassion.
Hawaii Governor Green Urges Visitors to Forego Travel to West Maui
All non-essential travel to West Maui (including Lāhainā, Nāpili, Kāʻanapali, and Kapalua) is strongly discouraged through the month of August, Governor Josh Green said in his August 13 emergency proclamation. Hotels in West Maui have temporarily stopped accepting bookings for future reservations.
The travel industry is focused on supporting residents who lost loved ones, homes, their belongings, and businesses. Part of this islandwide recovery is ensuring that Maui residents who would like to continue working can do so.
At this time, hotels in West Maui have temporarily stopped accepting bookings for future reservations and are housing their employees and families, evacuees, and first responders working on disaster recovery.
This includes many resorts within the Marriott Group, Hyatt, Outrigger and other branded or non-branded properties in West Maui.
Well over 1,000 people have found temporary homes in luxury resorts on the Kaanapali coast. There will be a lot more to come. More information on efforts on how to house evacuees can be found at mauistrong.hawaii.gov.
Other areas of Maui (including Kahului, Wailuku, Kīhei, Wailea, Mākena, and Hāna), and the other Hawaiian Islands, like Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Lānaʻi, and Hawaiʻi Island remain open.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority urges visitors to be especially mindful and respectful on our island as our community continues through this tragedy.
Airfares from and two Hawaii are at their lowest, with $99.00 one-way rates on United Airlines to Los Angeles. Interisland airfares on Hawaiian Airlines from Honolulu to Kahului, Maui are under $20.00
Tourism functions normally in Oahu, Hawaii, or Kauai, and hotel rates are according to the season, with higher rates in other parts of Maui due to the current demand and situation.
