With most of every dollar in Maui coming from tourism, it’s no surprise that many travel advisors have clients set to visit the island in the upcoming weeks and months.
But figuring out what to do since West Maui’s devastating wildfires earlier this month has not been a simple task.
Advisors are wading through mixed messages, client objections and an overwhelming desire to do the right thing as they advise clients about their options.
The Lasting Impact of Mixed Messages
One major obstacle that advisors have dealt with is unclear messaging regarding how to best help the island recover, and whether travel to Maui is welcome.
"The media has been all over the place,” said Jamie Weitl, travel agent and CEO of Pineapple Escapes, who has been selling Maui for nine years. “Some are saying that no one should come to Maui for six months, and others are saying the rest of the island is open and to please come.”
Even though government officials have started to align over the economic necessity of tourists visiting parts of the island unaffected by the fire, early messaging to stay out of all of Maui has contributed to lasting uncertainty.
Heather Christopher, president of HC Travel Firm and a Maui seller for 18 years, says that her clients are confused about what’s more helpful — staying put, or carrying out their plans to visit the island.
But I will note that as of Monday, Aug. 21, that's gotten cleaned up and all messaging is the same: ‘Stay out of West Maui, but please come.'
“But I will note that as of Monday, Aug. 21, that's gotten cleaned up and all messaging is the same: ‘Stay out of West Maui, but please come,’ Christopher said.
Go, Postpone, Change Course or Cancel Maui Trips?
However, it’s a little too late to change some clients’ minds.
“My clients in October are staying closer to Hana and have not moved their trip,” Weitl of Pineapple Escapes said. “But my December group of clients in Kaanapali (in West Maui) have already canceled and moved to Jamaica. The others are undecided at this point.”
Weitl says she has advised a “wait-and-see” approach for clients not staying in and around Lahaina.
"But the December group was adamant about changing their booking immediately following the fire, and there was no convincing them to wait it out,” she said.
Christopher says that her clients who are set to arrive this week have decided to skip the Wailea portion of their trip, even though recent messaging from Hawaii officials have welcomed travel to destinations outside of West Maui, including Wailea, Hana, Paia, Kihei, Makena and Kahului.
“We felt it was too soon, and it would be an awkward experience,” Christopher said. “They were booked to be in Oahu already, so we extended their time there, instead.”
For clients set to leave mid-September and later, Christopher is “keeping them in Maui and changing hotels if they were staying in Lahaina, Kaanapali and Kapalua.”
Christopher says that the "the sometimes very sad reality" is that most people will move on from this news in the next few weeks.
“I also like to think about the fact that clean up and reconstruction will begin in the future, so the harsh freshness of this just happening won't be as much of a factor for tourism," she said.
Julie A. Lanham, president of Vacations To Remember and a seller of Maui travel for the last 25 years, says it’s been hard to know what’s best for the destination and what’s best for clients, but she has been deferring to Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau (HVCB), which shares advice and alerts from Hawaii Tourism Authority.
Lanham is suggesting clients not booked in West Maui still travel to the island, so long as their trips depart after September.
Some of her clients have moved their trips to another island, and some have canceled their vacations completely. And those traveling in November and December are waiting before deciding what to do.
An Overwhelming Desire to Do What’s Best for Maui
Aligned with government messaging asking for travelers to be thoughtful and considerate, the desire to travel to Maui is coming from the right place.
We all need to do everything we can to help and be respectful to the local citizens and to help the island recover.
“My personal thought is that guests should still travel to the parts of the island that are open and functioning,” Weitl said. “If we completely close down tourism on the island, this will have a ripple effect throughout Maui’s economy. Of course, all guests should be respectful and stay out of West Maui — and perhaps donate time and labor to help for a day or two of their trips. We all need to do everything we can to help and be respectful to the local citizens and to help the island recover.”
Signature Travel Network came to a similar conclusion when grappling with whether to cancel its Owners’ Meeting, set to take place in Wailea (South Maui) during the first week of September. Instead of canceling the event — which is expected to bring in at least $2 million in spending to the island — Signature announced on Aug. 22 that it will incorporate several opportunities to raise money and supplies for Maui during the group’s stay.
And while travel agencies have had to make some tough decisions as of late, guiding client itineraries is all par for the course.
“Reworking parts of itineraries and rebooking with different excursion providers is easy compared to rebuilding a life and a business,” Christopher said.
