by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 9:40 AM ET, Thu August 17, 2023
As West Maui grapples to recover following one of the worst wildfires in United States history, travelers are unsure whether it’s safe to visit the island of Maui.
According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA) and other government officials, the rest of the island is open to visitors.
"South Maui is open. Kihei, Wailea are open," Maui County mayor Richard Bissen told reporters on August 12. "Maui is not closed."
The HTA recommends any traveler with pre-planned travel anywhere in Maui outside of West Maui, access to which is restricted due to its devastation, should contact their chosen accommodation to ask if they are still able to accommodate them.
Some hotels, especially those closer to West Maui, have been sheltering displaced residents.
While it may seem insensitive at first to consider traveling to the island following such devastation, adding tourism dollars to the island and continuing tourism should help retain jobs for Maui residents and hasten West Maui’s recovery.
Eighty percent of Maui’s entire economy is based upon tourism; a sharp decline in tourism following the wildfires would be even more catastrophic for West Maui’s recovery.
Still, residents and others have expressed doubts as to whether it’s right to allow tourists to visit an island for leisure travel purposes when so many victims struggle to rebuild their lives.
Travelers with plans to travel to Maui have a difficult decision on their hands.
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