Hawaiian Senators want a return of Tourism to part of Maui

[JIMinNC]

Those of us who frequent Maui know the problems regarding traffic. Kahului Harbor is the main shipping port for materials needed to re-build Lahaina. If you stay in West Maui or South Maui you would most likely be in the way of clean up efforts and re-building efforts by clogging up the roads.

Bill

True, but the cleanup and rebuild effort will take years and decades, so that will be an issue that will have to be addressed. A way will need to be found so the rebuild can proceed while the tourism economy recovers. Tourism will have to restart at some point or the pain will be felt way beyond Lahaina. The rebuild and tourism must be able to co-exist or the Maui economy will become an even larger disaster.

Kauai had the same issue after Iniki in 1992, and that damage was far more widespread than what is the case on Maui. Even though it sustained $39 million in direct damage, the Hyatt at Poipu reopened in March 1993, seven months after Iniki. My wife and I stated there a couple years after that. Given the lack of damage in South Maui, Kapalua, and Kaanapali, discouraging travel to those areas for the time required to rebuild Lahaina would be an economic disaster for the businesses and people of Maui.

 

[JIMinNC]

To heck with the locals. Build them family dorms with cafeterias. The only reason the Islands exist is to service tourists.

How would you address the businesses that depend upon tourism? What happens to them - both large and small?

 

[JIMinNC]

I think people should read this article about the 2018 Maui wildfire: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/maui-officials-warned-lahaina-wildfires-2018-critics-rcna101515

This should never have happened in the first place.

We are 100% on the same page on that. The 2018 fires were a warning and, as is so often the case with government at all levels, disaster was averted by luck, so no lessons were learned.

 

[geist1223]

How would you address the businesses that depend upon tourism? What happens to them - both large and small?

Those are necessities. Just because all the locals are living in dorms should not affect the small businesses. Their workers can live in the dorms and be bussed to work.

 

[easyrider]

True, but the cleanup and rebuild effort will take years and decades, so that will be an issue that will have to be addressed. A way will need to be found so the rebuild can proceed while the tourism economy recovers. Tourism will have to restart at some point or the pain will be felt way beyond Lahaina. The rebuild and tourism must be able to co-exist or the Maui economy will become an even larger disaster.

Kauai had the same issue after Iniki in 1992, and that damage was far more widespread than what is the case on Maui. Even though it sustained $39 million in direct damage, the Hyatt at Poipu reopened in March 1993, seven months after Iniki. My wife and I stated there a couple years after that. Given the lack of damage in South Maui, Kapalua, and Kaanapali, discouraging travel to those areas for the time required to rebuild Lahaina would be an economic disaster for the businesses and people of Maui.

Yes, the clean up and rebuilding will take years. When the infrastructure is repaired or rebuilt and the clean up is done would be the earliest that West Maui should open up, imo. Maui could close the roads to West Maui and keep South Maui open.

For us, Lahaina will be a good memory and we will likely never go back. All of the deaths, destruction and pain caused by the fire has changed the vibe forever.

Bill

 

[Luanne]

Yes, the clean up and rebuilding will take years. When the infrastructure is repaired or rebuilt and the clean up is done would be the earliest that West Maui should open up, imo. Maui could close the roads to West Maui and keep South Maui open.

For us, Lahaina will be a good memory and we will likely never go back. All of the deaths, destruction and pain caused by the fire has changed the vibe forever.

Bill

Close off ALL of West Maui? Even the locations that weren't affected by the fire?

 

[JIMinNC]

Yes, the clean up and rebuilding will take years. When the infrastructure is repaired or rebuilt and the clean up is done would be the earliest that West Maui should open up, imo. Maui could close the roads to West Maui and keep South Maui open.

For us, Lahaina will be a good memory and we will likely never go back. All of the deaths, destruction and pain caused by the fire has changed the vibe forever.

Bill

Just the cleanup is likely going to take longer than many West Maui businesses have to survive. While Lahaina itself will remain closed for years, they have to find a way to get Kaanapali and Kapalua up and operating much sooner, or the economic carnage is going to be severe. Thanks to the route 3000 Lahaina bypass that takes Kaanapali/Kapalua-bound traffic around the worst damaged area, and the fact that the grocery stores and drug stores remained intact, making that happen may be possible. The loss of gas stations will be a difficult issue to solve. Not sure what can be done quickly about that.

We will certainly miss Lahaina. It was a special little town for us, but we love Kaanapali too, and will return whenever we are allowed to. But it will be very different. So much of the charm of West Maui was Lahaina.

 

[sponger76]

Maui could close the roads to West Maui and keep South Maui open.

You realize the vast majority of West Maui was not burned? That includes not only many businesses, but many homes that local residents continue to live in. Good luck telling them they have to leave their undamaged homes.

 

[pchung6]

There are still other nice places and beaches in the West Maui. I always want to explore Kahana and Napili. There is a very nice beach in Napili everyone should definitely check it out. Ritz Carlton Maui and surrounding places are beautiful as well. Take road trip to North, it feels like poor man version of Road to Hana. Lahaina is gone, but now we have a chance to explore other areas in West Maui.

 

[dagger1]

We have decided that if Hyatt does not cancel our reservation, we are going. We will bring in groceries/drinks and stay on Hyatt properties. If cancelled, we will head to Kauai the following week.

 

[Kapolei]

…

 

[Kapolei]

It’s like saying do not visit Lake Tahoe because there was a fire in Lake Tahoe (which happened a few years ago). Or do not visit Napa or Sonoma because there was a fire near there (which has happened so many times). Why penalize an entire region?

This is not correct. The valid comparison would be the entire south shore of Lake Tahoe was destroyed including just about every home and business. And the death toll was in the hundreds. And some of those people were your friends. And then you decide you are going to float on a pontoon boat in the area to get drunk and get a sun tan.

 

[vacationtime1]

This is not correct. The valid comparison would be the entire south shore of Lake Tahoe was destroyed including just about every home and business. And the death toll was in the hundreds. And some of those people were your friends. And then you decide you are going to float on a pontoon boat in the area to get drunk and get a sun tan.

The analogy is correct . If South Lake Tahoe were destroyed by a firestorm, the towns, the businesses, and the ski resorts surrounding north Lake Tahoe would be unaffected. (North Lake Tahoe and South Lake Tahoe are about the same distance apart as are Lahaina and Wailea.)

Your addition of an a**hole on a pontoon boat is a red herring.

 

[Kapolei]

The analogy is correct . If South Lake Tahoe were destroyed by a firestorm, the towns, the businesses, and the ski resorts surrounding north Lake Tahoe would be unaffected. (North Lake Tahoe and South Lake Tahoe are about the same distance apart as are Lahaina and Wailea.)

Your addition of an a**hole on a pontoon boat is a red herring.

Your minimization of the Lahaina disaster (“other places get this all the time”) is a callous disregard for the immensity of this event. The examples you gave provide no comparison. If you think West Maui is going to be a place to relax and enjoy yourself, you can go there. I don’t see Maui being a fun place to go any time in the immediate future. I certainly would not be sitting on the beach on that side. Note, I am giving my opinion of how I feel about this. Everyone is free to have their own opinion. I respect that.

 

[vacationtime1]

Your minimization of the Lahaina disaster (“other places get this all the time”) is a callous disregard for the immensity of this event. The examples you gave provide no comparison. If you think West Maui is going to be a place to relax and enjoy yourself, you can go there. I don’t see Maui being a fun place to go any time in the immediate future. I certainly would not be sitting on the beach on that side.

Where did I say that "other places get this all the time?

Where did I show a "callous disregard for the immensity of this event"?

All I said is that your analogy is lousy. Which it is.

 

[Kapolei]

Where did I say that "other places get this all the time?

Where did I show a "callous disregard for the immensity of this event"?

All I said is that your analogy is lousy.

Read your original post again. That is message that you sent. Lake Tahoe, Napa …

 

[vacationtime1]

Read your original post again. That is message that you sent. Lake Tahoe, Napa …

That wasn't my post. Please fix yours.

 

[klpca]

For me (i.e. this is my personal opinion) the catastrophic loss of life is the big distinction here. Destruction of an area by wildfire is awful. Death of hundreds from the same fire is devastating. We as tourists need to be sensitive to those residents who have gone to hell and back in the past few weeks. I agree that at some point things will reopen but it will be quite awhile before things go back to some semblance of "normal" at the West Maui resorts.

 

[Kapolei]

That wasn't my post. Please fix yours.

“It’s like saying do not visit Lake Tahoe because there was a fire in Lake Tahoe (which happened a few years ago). Or do not visit Napa or Sonoma because there was a fire near there (which has happened so many times). Why penalize an entire region?”

that’s your post … I read that as saying Lahaina is like the other fires you mentioned…

 

[vacationtime1]

“It’s like saying do not visit Lake Tahoe because there was a fire in Lake Tahoe (which happened a few years ago). Or do not visit Napa or Sonoma because there was a fire near there (which has happened so many times). Why penalize an entire region?”

that’s your post … you are saying Lahaina is like the other fires you mentioned… that’s my interpretation of your statement

That was not my post; that was someone else's.

Try again.

 

[Kapolei]

That was not my post; that was someone else's.

Try again.

I don’t care. Anyone can go up and read the quote in my post. You are vactiontime and the other guy is traveltime. Whatever. Vactiontime was arguing on behalf of traveltime (“The analogy is correct“). Got it.

 

[easyrider]

You realize the vast majority of West Maui was not burned? That includes not only many businesses, but many homes that local residents continue to live in. Good luck telling them they have to leave their undamaged homes.

I know. Even so, there is only the two lane Hwy 30 that is the only viable route to West Maui. This is one of the most congested roads in Maui because of tourism. There should have been a Freeway with off ramps heading to West Maui like there is in South Maui but there isn't.

My thought is if you are a local resident, the tourism traffic along with the construction traffic will be too much traffic. I guess traffic could be mitigated with hours that that tourist are not allowed on Hwy 30 but many tourists would do whatever they wanted.

Bill

 

[easyrider]

Close off ALL of West Maui? Even the locations that weren't affected by the fire?

To tourists until a time that Lahaina is rebuilt or a new road is in place. I read that there was plans for a new road to West Maui to begin in winter 2024. Maybe the HDOT would try to extend this road to the west end of West Maui instead of to the Lahaina bypass which seems reasonable considering the amount of tourism that takes place in West Maui.

Bill

 

[sponger76]

To tourists until a time that Lahaina is rebuilt or a new road is in place..

Not going to happen. Lahaina will take years, possibly more than a decade to rebuild. And a new road will also take years to build. They're not going to shut off tourism and close all those hotels and timeshares and devastate all the other businesses for anything near that length of time. That's fairy dust thinking.

 

[easyrider]

Just the cleanup is likely going to take longer than many West Maui businesses have to survive. While Lahaina itself will remain closed for years, they have to find a way to get Kaanapali and Kapalua up and operating much sooner, or the economic carnage is going to be severe. Thanks to the route 3000 Lahaina bypass that takes Kaanapali/Kapalua-bound traffic around the worst damaged area, and the fact that the grocery stores and drug stores remained intact, making that happen may be possible. The loss of gas stations will be a difficult issue to solve. Not sure what can be done quickly about that.

We will certainly miss Lahaina. It was a special little town for us, but we love Kaanapali too, and will return whenever we are allowed to. But it will be very different. So much of the charm of West Maui was Lahaina.

Our favorite beach is along Napilli Bay. Lahaina was our favorite party place. The truth is the traffic had become a nightmare in Maui. Almost as bad as Kauai. The reasons traffic is so bad in these places is there is no decent road system and too many tourists that are forced to drive because things are so spread out.

Bill