Visitor arrivals to Maui fell nearly 60 percent in month after fires | News, Sports, Jobs

Jim Halberg catches a wave with sons Andrew Halberg, 17, and Gus Halberg, 16, on Oct. 31 at Polo Beach. The Port Angeles, Wash., dad said the visit to Maui was planned before the August fires and after weighing information online, the family decided to continue with the trip while being respectful to those affected. “Obviously we were devastated by the news of the fires,” he said. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos

Visitor arrivals to Maui in September were down around 57 percent compared to the same time last year, and visitor spending was half of what it was, as the island continued to deal with the aftermath of the deadly wildfire in Lahaina on Aug. 8.

According to preliminary statistics from the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism released last month, 94,221 visitors came to Maui in September compared to 219,667 visitors in September 2022.

Visitor spending was $203.2 million in September, which is down 52.6 percent compared to last year when visitors spent $428.3 million.

“With the reopening of West Maui that started in October, tourism on Maui is expected to improve over the next few months,” DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka said in a news release.

The openings were done in three phases, with The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua to Kahana Villa opening as part of Phase 1 on Oct. 8. Phases 2 and 3 followed on Nov. 1, spanning from Kahana to the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa in Kaanapali.

Victoria, British Columbia residents Norm Henson (right) and Warren Johnstone hold down the fort on the beach while a gaggle of other Canadian visitors bobs offshore on Oct. 31 at Kamaole II Beach Park in Kihei. “I didn’t have any reservations (about coming to Maui), but I’ve got no interest in going over there,” Johnstone said of Lahaina. He said local people he has interacted with on Maui have been reassuring. “Everything’s been good. My heart is with the people here for sure.”

Tokioka said that the visitor arrivals to Maui in September were the lowest recorded since February 2021, while visitor spending in September also was the lowest since March 2021.

Because of the tourism slowdown on the Valley Isle, direct air service from the U.S. West region to Kahului was reduced by 55,002 seats in September, compared to the same time last year.

Direct air service from the U.S. East region to Kahului was reduced by 7,840 seats compared to September 2022.

The wildfires also affected cruise ship operations. Of the four cruise ships that came to Hawaii from out of state, two were supposed to port at Lahaina Harbor but had to stay an extra day in Kona instead.

Although the visitor count on Maui is down for the first nine months of this year at 1.98 million, compared to the 2.19 million visitors seen in the first nine months of 2022, visitor spending has increased.

For the first nine months of this year, total visitor spending is at $4.55 billion, up 4.5 percent compared to the $4.35 billion spent in the first nine months of 2022.

The visitor industry across the state has also seen impacts from the wildfires on Maui.

DBEDT said both visitor arrivals and visitor spending statewide decreased for the second consecutive month compared to 2022.

A total of 651,286 visitors came to the Hawaiian Islands in September, which is a decrease of 7.4 percent versus September 2022.

Total visitor spending was $1.37 billion in September, down 9.6 percent from the $1.52 billion spent at the same time last year.

As on Maui, arrivals and spending declined on Lanai and Molokai. Lanai saw 4,270 visitors spending $9 million in September, down from 5,684 visitors and spending at $11 million at the same time last year. Molokai saw 3,012 visitor arrivals spending $2.1 million in September, down from 3,377 visitors and $2 million last year.

Visitor arrivals for all other islands increased in September.

On Oahu, there were 433,209 visitors in September, up 12.5 percent versus the 384,972 visitors seen at that same time last year.

On Kauai, there were 115,305 visitors in September, up 10.3 percent compared to the 104,449 visitors in September 2022.

Hawaii island saw 129,444 visitors in September, up 8.6 percent versus September 2022, when there were 119,161 visitors.

* Staff Writer Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.

Jim Halberg catches a wave with sons Andrew Halberg, 17, and Gus Halberg, 16, on Oct. 31 at Polo Beach. The Port Angeles, Wash., dad said the visit to Maui was planned before the August fires and after weighing information online, the family decided to continue with the trip while being respectful to those affected. “Obviously we were devastated by the news of the fires,” he said. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos Victoria, British Columbia residents Norm Henson (right) and Warren Johnstone hold down the fort on the beach while a gaggle of other Canadian visitors bobs offshore on Oct. 31 at Kamaole II Beach Park in Kihei. “I didn’t have any reservations (about coming to Maui), but I’ve got no interest in going over there,” Johnstone said of Lahaina. He said local people he has interacted with on Maui have been reassuring. “Everything’s been good. My heart is with the people here for sure.”

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