Four Months After the Lahaina Fire, Maui is Calling All Travelers

It's been just over four months since the August firestorm that destroyed the historic town of Lahaina, on Maui's northeastern shores. The Lahaina area, and the entire island, are healing. But as re-openings continue, and as other parts of the island still feel the pinch of the inevitable travel slowdown that followed, the call is out for visitors to come back.

Visiting just-reopened Leoda's

Lahaina accounted for 15% of Maui's travel-related economic activity. Tourism is also responsible for 40% of Maui's economy and jobs, though when you consider the ancillary industries that dovetail from the hospitality industry -- ranchers, farmers, fishermen, artists, cab drivers -- that figure is likely double that. The year-over-year inbound numbers show the fire's devastating impact: down 11% from the U.S. west coast, down 55% from Japan, down 24% from Canada.

While the downtown Lahaina core remains off-limits, except for local residents and businesses with limited day passes, the surrounding area, and the totality of Maui, is open for business. Artists and shopkeepers who lost their Lahaina storefronts are hosting street fairs, and the popular Leoda's Bakery and Pie Shop, a short drive south of downtown Lahaina, reopened just last week. 

In Wailea, the luxe destination about 45 minutes south of Lahaina, resorts, restaurants and shops are hoping that brand new offerings and experiences will lure travelers in 2024. At the Fairmont Kea Lani, Hawaii's only all-suite resort, set on 22 oceanfront acres, all 413 rooms and 37 two-story oceanfront villas have been totally renovated. A new 2000-sq.ft. cultural center, which will be open to the public, will premiere on Dec. 21. And a new bar, Pilina, featuring 100% sustainably- and locally-sourced cocktails and 52 ocean-facing seats, will open in January.

Enjoying the Wailea views from the Fairmont Kea Lani

At the AAA 5-Diamond Four Seasons Resort Maui next door, the popular Ferraro's Restaurant, totally reimagined, just reopened. The neighboring Grand Wailea has just reopened all its eateries after renovations. And the Wailea Beach Resort has launched a brand-new category of rooms at their ground floor tower building, focusing on outdoor living and featuring outdoor soaking tubs and fireplaces.

The Wailea Golf Club, home to three ocean view, award-winning courses, just took delivery of a new fleet of energy efficient golf carts that lower electricity needs and reduce wear on the natural turf.

The west-facing positioning of Wailea makes it an idyllic sport for sunset-viewing and for enjoying whale-watching season, which runs from Dec. 15 through May 15.

Find out more at wailearesortassociation.com.

The call for tourists comes with a clear caveat: visit Maui mindfully and carefully and with respect for the local culture and population. The payback will be a relaxing, enriching travel experience in one of the most beautiful spots on the planet. Airfare deals, especially from the west coast, will offer plenty of incentive over the next several months.

For visitors who want to take their giving back further, there's a slew of volunteer opportunities, from food and donation sorting and distribution with services like the Maui Humane Society to coastal cleanup and shoreline restoration projects through various groups. Donations can also have a significant impact. Find out more at mauinuistrong.com.

Aloha, and see you on Maui!

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