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Hawaii and Maui won't see a full tourism recovery if the public perceive them as responsible for leaving the wildfire victims homeless.
Dawit Habtemariam | 5 months ago
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.
Dawit Habtemariam | 6 months ago
News Blog
Maui's western region will be fully reopened to the public on November 1, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen announced on Monday. The reopened will area span Kahana to Ka'anapali. Only burned-out sections of the historic Lahaina will remained closed. The reopening date will be nearly three months after the devastating wildfires in West Maui that started…
West Maui has started to reopen to tourists. That will probably do more for the rest of the island than the western region, which is still healing.
Dawit Habtemariam | 7 months ago
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 | 8 months ago
Hawaii will reopen most of West Maui to tourists starting on October 8, Governor Josh Green announced on Friday. Only Lahaina will remain closed to the public. Tourists will be able to visit Kā‘anapali, Nāpili, Honokōwai, and Kapalua. "Beginning October 8, all travel restrictions will end and West Maui will be open to visitors again,…
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America will resume its weekly trips to Kahului, Maui starting on September 3, the cruise company announced on Wednesday. Norwegian Cruise suspended trips to the island in early August to avoid taking up local resources dedicated toward relief and combating the wildfires in West Maui. In the aftermath of the…
To save local jobs and livelihoods, Hawaii and Maui tourism leaders need to figure out how to balance sensitivity while getting their public messaging straight that parts of Maui are open and can serve tourists.
John De Fries will step down as president and CEO of Hawaii Tourism Authority effective September 15. De Fries did not accept an invitation from the board to extend his three-year employment contract. He became president and CEO in September 2020 amid the pandemic. He was the first native Hawaiian to lead the Hawaii Tourism…
Dawit Habtemariam | 11 months ago
The Hawaii Tourism Authority has awarded the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau the contract to market the island to the mainland U.S., the island's largest source market, the agency announced Monday. The contract is worth over $38 million, has a two and a half year term with an option of a two-year extension and is…