Skift Take
Public officials sped up the full reopening of West Maui to help save the pivotal holiday season for all of Maui. Hopefully, it's not too late.
Maui’s western region will be fully reopened to tourism on Wednesday. Yet the recovery of the island as a whole remains uncertain two months after a wildfire devastated Lahaina and left nearly 100 people dead.
“It's still slow right now, and we know that come November 1st, the reservations won't be coming in fast and furious,” said Sherry Duong, executive director of Maui Visitors & Convention Bureau. “It's going to be a slow trickle.”
Scheduled airline seats for the months ahead remain below their 2022 level. Total domestic air seats to Maui are down 23% in November and 21% in December, according to the H