In the picturesque town of Kahului, located in the beautiful island of Maui, a longstanding member of the helicopter tour business, Richie Olsten, has witnessed the ebb and flow of the tourism-dependent economy for over fifty years.
With his extensive experience, Olsten has developed a keen sense of the economic climate by observing the number of rental cars parked at the island’s airport.
However, the recent devastating wildfires that claimed the lives of 115 individuals in the historic town of Lahaina have caused a surge in rental cars, leading Olsten to fear an impending economic catastrophe.
The repercussions of this tragedy have been felt across various sectors, with restaurants and tour companies being forced to lay off workers, resulting in a sharp increase in unemployment rates.
Recognizing the dire situation, state tourism officials have shifted their initial stance of urging travelers to stay away, and are now appealing to them to return to Maui.
However, they are advising visitors to avoid the burn zone and instead contribute to the island’s recovery by spending their money on other attractions and services.
In an effort to entice tourists, airlines have started offering significant discounts on flights, while certain resorts have slashed their room rates by 20% or are even providing a fifth night free.
The situation in Maui serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of tourism-dependent economies and the ripple effects that natural disasters can have on local businesses and communities.
The wildfires in Lahaina have not only claimed lives but have also left a lasting impact on the island’s economy.
The road to recovery will undoubtedly be a challenging one, but the resilience and determination of the people of Maui, coupled with the support of tourists, will play a crucial role in rebuilding the island’s economy and restoring its vibrant tourism industry.
Olsten’s statement acknowledges the gravity of the terrible disaster that has occurred. However, he quickly shifts focus to the present situation, emphasizing the urgent need for immediate action.
He highlights the crucial role of those who are fortunate enough to still have jobs, emphasizing the importance of their employment in enabling them to provide support to their loved ones who have suffered devastating losses.
By framing the current state as a crisis, Olsten underscores the criticality of finding effective solutions and implementing them promptly.
This perspective underscores the significance of preserving employment opportunities as a means to alleviate the hardships faced by those affected by the disaster.
In the aftermath of the devastating Aug. 8 fire, the island of Maui has experienced a significant decline in visitor arrivals, with numbers plummeting by approximately 70%.
The once bustling tourist destination now sees a mere 2,000 visitors per day, a stark contrast to the vibrant atmosphere it once boasted.
This decline has had a profound impact on various industries, including the aviation sector. Olsten’s Air Maui Helicopters, for instance, has been forced to drastically reduce its operations, now conducting only one or two flights per day compared to the previous average of 25 to 30 flights.
As the director of operations, Olsten has had to make difficult decisions, including laying off seven of the company’s 12 dispatchers. However, the pilots have been relatively spared from these cutbacks, as they are paid solely for their working hours.
Previously, these pilots would fly an average of eight times a day, four to five days a week. Now, their workload has diminished to just one day per week, with only one or two flights.
The impact of the fire has also been felt in the hospitality sector, with many Maui hotels accommodating federal aid workers and displaced Lahaina residents who lost their homes.
Despite this, the occupancy rate remains disappointingly low, with only half of the available hotel rooms currently occupied.
Mufi Hannemann, president of the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association, has noted the challenging circumstances faced by the local tourism industry.
The current situation in South Maui, located 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of Lahaina, is disheartening as even this region is experiencing a significant decline in occupancy rates.
The severity of the situation has been described as “pretty grim” by Hannemann. The impact of this downturn is evident in the struggles faced by Hali’imaile General Store, a well-established restaurant on Maui.
Due to a drastic reduction in business, the establishment had to lay off approximately 30 employees and temporarily shut down.
Graeme Swain, the owner of the restaurant, explained that their business took a sudden and steep decline, comparable to falling off a cliff.
To prevent a similar fate that he witnessed during the 2008 recession when he ran a software company in San Diego, Swain made the difficult decision to reduce staff and preserve cash.
Back then, he had chosen to retain all employees until the very end, which ultimately led to the demise of his business.
With Hali’imaile, a century-old establishment that started as a general store for pineapple plantation workers and transformed into a restaurant in 1987, Swain hopes to ensure its longevity for many more decades to come.
In the face of the current crisis, individuals and businesses alike are grappling with the difficult task of determining the most appropriate course of action to safeguard the well-being of their communities.
Swain, a steadfast advocate for his employees, has made the decision to rehire all staff members and is diligently working towards reopening his establishment next month.
However, the repercussions of the economic downturn are becoming increasingly apparent, as evidenced by the alarming statistics reflected in government data.
The number of individuals filing for unemployment on Maui has surged to nearly 8,000 during the last three weeks of August, in stark contrast to the mere 295 filings observed during the same period last year.
This surge in unemployment has led University of Hawaii economists to anticipate that Maui’s jobless rate may soar to as high as 10%.
While this figure pales in comparison to the staggering 35% peak experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is still a cause for concern, particularly given the absence of pandemic-era initiatives such as the Paycheck Protection Program loans and enhanced unemployment benefits.
The repercussions of these layoffs are not confined solely to the individuals affected; they reverberate throughout the local economy, impacting businesses like Pulelehua Boutique, a clothing store in Kahului.
Gemma Alvior, the store’s owner, acknowledges that her customer base primarily comprises locals. Nevertheless, she anticipates that the decline in employment opportunities will inevitably impede their ability to make purchases.
After all, if individuals are grappling with joblessness, the need for clothing becomes a secondary concern. These circumstances underscore the profound interdependence between the tourism industry, which constitutes a staggering 75% of private sector jobs, and the local community.
As Maui grapples with the economic fallout of the current crisis, it becomes abundantly clear that the path to recovery will necessitate a comprehensive and multifaceted approach that addresses the needs of individuals, businesses, and the broader community.
Visitor traffic in Hawaii experienced a significant decline due to a combination of factors, one of which was the urging of the state’s leaders and Hollywood celebrities for travelers to evacuate the island.
Following the fire incident, the Hawaii Tourism Authority, an agency with quasi-state status, issued a statement requesting visitors engaged in “non-essential travel” to leave Maui, while strongly discouraging any such travel to the island.
The agency emphasized the need for the community to concentrate on recovery efforts and providing assistance to those who had to evacuate.
Consequently, people across the globe witnessed images and videos of tourists crowding the Kahului airport in their rush to secure flights out of the island.
However, it is important to note that the messaging regarding travel to Hawaii has since undergone a transformation.
In a recent interview, Mayor Richard Bissen emphasized that despite the challenges faced by Lahaina and the surrounding West Maui area, Maui as a whole is not closed for business.
Bissen urged people not to visit Lahaina as it is not a place to simply gawk at the destruction caused by the recent fire.
However, he emphasized the importance of tourists visiting the rest of Maui, highlighting the motto “Respect the West, visit the rest.” To further boost tourism, the Hawaii Tourism Authority has developed and publicized a map showcasing the areas that are still open for visitors.
Additionally, they have invested $2.6 million in a marketing plan aimed at enticing tourists back to the island.
While the rest of Maui is expected to see a return to pre-fire tourism levels by Thanksgiving, the timeline for the reopening of West Maui remains uncertain.
This region, encompassing beach resorts in Kaanapali and accounting for half of Maui’s total hotel rooms, has been significantly affected by the disaster.
As a result, state officials have revised their economic growth prediction for Hawaii, lowering it from 1.8% to 1.1% for 2023.
Similarly, next year’s growth forecast has been adjusted to 1.5% instead of the initial 2%. The decline in tourism is also expected to impact state tax revenues, potentially necessitating spending cuts.
The Council on Revenues, responsible for forecasting tax revenue, is expected to release new estimates, with projections indicating a potential loss of $200-$300 million for the current fiscal year. Consequently, the governor and lawmakers will rely on these forecasts to shape their budgets.