How Travel Advisors Are Responding to Wildfires in Maui

In yet another devastating example of the worsening effects of climate change, life in Maui is being upended by deadly wildfires raging across the island.

The fires erupted Tuesday night and spread across the island rapidly, fanned by winds from Hurricane Dora, which never made landfall but impacted the island from its location hundreds of miles to the southwest.

In an interview with Here & Now‘s Peter O’Dowd, the capitol bureau chief for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Dan Wakaso, said witnesses described the fires as “apocalyptic” and historic buildings dating back to the 1700s in the town of Lahaina, which was once the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii, have been burnt to the ground.

Shelters on Maui are packed with individuals seeking refuge and some of the locals fleeing the rapidly advancing blaze were forced to jump into the ocean to survive. At least 67 individuals have perished in the fires, but officials warn that number is likely to keep rising as the search for victims continues.

Officials are estimating it could take years to recover from the impacts of this catastrophic disaster. Amid this backdrop, travel advisors are busily working with clients who have been impacted by the rapidly evolving situation.

Getting Clients to Safety

Advisors around the country have been scrambling to get clients off the island, while others are revising plans for visits that were scheduled to take place in the immediate future.

For those who had clients on Maui when the fires erupted, the task of helping them get home has been easier said than done however, as the situation on the ground is one of chaos at the moment.

“There are road closures and lack of cell service and internet service,” said JoAnne Weeks, a vacation division advisor from Acendas Travel, told TravelPulse. “Contact with those on the island is extremely limited. Most of the roads in the area are just two lanes, making navigating even worse, along with the debris on the roads. There are back roads that some are choosing to drive in order to get to the airport—against the better judgement of the locals.”

“We've heard reports that the airport remains open only to fly people back to the mainland,” continued Weeks. “Many of the boats and ferries in the harbor that could have helped in the evacuation were burned, leaving little options.”

Amid the logistical challenges of trying to flee, hotels on Maui that have available rooms are offering them to displaced travelers and locals who lost their homes. Many of the same hotels are also providing meals for impacted individuals.

Debbie Misajon, founder of The Coconut Traveler, a company that specializes in travel to Hawaii and creating bespoke luxury travel itineraries, said it’s critical that travelers— those already on the island and those planning to visit—make way for the work of rescue and recovery.

“We are moving clients off of Maui as quickly as possible,” Misajon told TravelPulse. “For those asking about travel to Maui, we're reminding them that the community has been devastated, the communications haven’t yet been completely re-established, and the island’s finite resources are needed for the Hawaiians and community of Maui.”

Many advisors are already doing exactly what Misajon suggests, rerouting travelers who had planned to visit the island in the coming days.

Tamara Lidbom, owner of Anytime Travel Agency, did not have any clients on Maui when the fires erupted, but she did have a booking that was scheduled for just two days from now and several for the next couple of weeks.

“The clients leaving for Hawaii in two days booked a different destination and are going to plan something for Hawaii next year,” said Lidbom.

“One client said she would rather postpone and still go there [at a later date] in order to support the island of Maui,” added Lidbom. “Others have chosen to cancel and rebook later. And some have chosen to change their destination, either picking another island or another destination altogether.”

Letting the Dust Settle

The situation on the ground in Maui is one of sheer devastation and the future remains unclear at this point. At least 1,700 structures in Lahaina were destroyed or heavily damaged by the wildfires, Amid such destruction and uncertainty, advisors are taking a varied approach when it comes to client's reservations that are well into the future.

“If you're planning on traveling there in the next month or two, I suggest talking with your travel advisor about postponing or changing to another island,” says Lidbom. “There's a lot of devastation. Lahaina town has been reportedly destroyed. They will need time to rebuild.”

Weeks, on the other hand, is advising clients to take more of a wait-and-see approach before making any firm decisions. The airlines, after all, are allowing travelers to make changes to Maui reservations without incurring a fee, meaning there’s no rush to change plans right now.

"Unless you're set to travel within the next 48 hours, let the dust settle,” says Weeks. “Most airlines are offering free exchanges without any penalties.”

Advising Clients to Donate in Lieu of Travel

For those travel advisors whose clients want to do something proactive to help Maui and the locals who have been impacted by this major disaster, Misajon suggests having them make donations to local charities.

“With the money they might save taking their holiday to another island, we’re encouraging travelers to donate to any of the local vetted organizations doing emergency work,” said Misajon.

Some of the organizations she suggests supporting include Maui Fires Fundraiser, Maui YMCA, and Maui Red Cross.

“There aren’t many ways to help on the ground right now, as it’s dangerous, but there are numerous ways to contribute financially,” said Misajon.

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