Rethinking Maui next year due to fires

[Anonymous]

Next year is probably a great time to go. Most stuff will be rebuilt but tourists won't be in the same volume due to postponing trips.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally would not visit Maui (or anywhere in Hawaii) next year. The islands have limited resources, food, etc. The individuals and economy will still be feeling the devastation of the wildfires.

I don’t see any reason not to visit the other islands.

Residents were begging people to stop visiting Hawaii prior to the wildfires. Maybe listen to the people on the ground rather than your selfish desires.

But wouldn't you have to be in Hawaii to listen to the people "on the ground"? You're acting like this is an obvious thing everyone should know.

NP here - it's been widely reported in the news, before covid but especially during covid becauseof limited medical facilities. Covid aside, tourism has badly hurt the flora and fauna that tourists come to see, and it doesn't result in great jobs - mostly cleaning hotel rooms and the like. Yet it's expensive to live there, for complicated real estate reasons and because so much (food, fuel) has to be imported.

I have family in Hawaii, non-natives whose parents moved there before statehood and who work in agriculture. People forget that statehood was REALLY recent, like within memory of Hawaiians still living, and was widely opposed by Native Hawaiians. The anger about colonization is very intertwined with the paternalism of saying their economy needs our tourism. I don't have answers, and I am not the person to say visiting is wrong, but it's way more complicated than just calling it grumbling about tourists.

Well TBH if we hadn’t colonized them the Chinese would have. They got the better end of the deal.

[Anonymous]

The real reason to not go to Hawaii, Maui or any other island, is due to the role of air travel in climate change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The real reason to not go to Hawaii, Maui or any other island, is due to the role of air travel in climate change.

[b]You sound quite the party pooper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your hotel choices will be limited. Those massive resorts aren't getting rebuilt and restaffed in a year.

That said, I wouldn't let wild fire potential deter me from
visiting Maui.

Those "massive resorts" weren't touched by the fire. Those are for the most part in Kaanapali - which yes is nearby, but not in Lahaina. The Best Western in Lahaina is gone however.

Sadly tourism will be affected for the entire west side of the island. The entire island is very poor, the locals rely on tourism hate them or love them - it's an economic necessity. When we go to Maui we stay on the west side, and would go into Lahaina almost daily for dinner, ice cream, or just a stroll. It is going to devastate the local economy for many years to come.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally would not visit Maui (or anywhere in Hawaii) next year. The islands have limited resources, food, etc. The individuals and economy will still be feeling the devastation of the wildfires.

I don’t see any reason not to visit the other islands.

Residents were begging people to stop visiting Hawaii prior to the wildfires. Maybe listen to the people on the ground rather than your selfish desires.

But wouldn't you have to be in Hawaii to listen to the people "on the ground"? You're acting like this is an obvious thing everyone should know.

NP here - it's been widely reported in the news, before covid but especially during covid becauseof limited medical facilities. Covid aside, tourism has badly hurt the flora and fauna that tourists come to see, and it doesn't result in great jobs - mostly cleaning hotel rooms and the like. Yet it's expensive to live there, for complicated real estate reasons and because so much (food, fuel) has to be imported.

I have family in Hawaii, non-natives whose parents moved there before statehood and who work in agriculture. People forget that statehood was REALLY recent, like within memory of Hawaiians still living, and was widely opposed by Native Hawaiians. The anger about colonization is very intertwined with the paternalism of saying their economy needs our tourism. I don't have answers, and I am not the person to say visiting is wrong, but it's way more complicated than just calling it grumbling about tourists.

Well TBH if we hadn’t colonized them the Chinese would have. They got the better end of the deal.

Yep. The Hawaiians should stop complaining and instead think themselves lucky and privileged. I've been all over Asia-Pacific and had the US not taken the islands, it'd be a dirt poor third world country with luxury resorts dominated by both wealthy American and Japanese and increasingly Chinese tourists. And more to it, there would be even far less care for the environment, far more overbuilding and corruption, more societal dysfunctionalism and social abuse. And far more litter and pollution and trash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally would not visit Maui (or anywhere in Hawaii) next year. The islands have limited resources, food, etc. The individuals and economy will still be feeling the devastation of the wildfires.

I don’t see any reason not to visit the other islands.

Residents were begging people to stop visiting Hawaii prior to the wildfires. Maybe listen to the people on the ground rather than your selfish desires.

But wouldn't you have to be in Hawaii to listen to the people "on the ground"? You're acting like this is an obvious thing everyone should know.

NP here - it's been widely reported in the news, before covid but especially during covid becauseof limited medical facilities. Covid aside, tourism has badly hurt the flora and fauna that tourists come to see, and it doesn't result in great jobs - mostly cleaning hotel rooms and the like. Yet it's expensive to live there, for complicated real estate reasons and because so much (food, fuel) has to be imported.

I have family in Hawaii, non-natives whose parents moved there before statehood and who work in agriculture. People forget that statehood was REALLY recent, like within memory of Hawaiians still living, and was widely opposed by Native Hawaiians. The anger about colonization is very intertwined with the paternalism of saying their economy needs our tourism. I don't have answers, and I am not the person to say visiting is wrong, but it's way more complicated than just calling it grumbling about tourists.

Well TBH if we hadn’t colonized them the Chinese would have. They got the better end of the deal.

Yep. The Hawaiians should stop complaining and instead think themselves lucky and privileged. I've been all over Asia-Pacific and had the US not taken the islands, it'd be a dirt poor third world country with luxury resorts dominated by both wealthy American and Japanese and increasingly Chinese tourists. And more to it, there would be even far less care for the environment, far more overbuilding and corruption, more societal dysfunctionalism and social abuse. And far more litter and pollution and trash.

Maybe the complaining is how we know they are real Americans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Next year is probably a great time to go. Most stuff will be rebuilt but tourists won't be in the same volume due to postponing trips.

No, most stuff will likely not be rebuilt by next year. An entire town with almost 2000 structures was decimated. It will take years for Lahaina to rebuild. it's an island, getting supplies and workers there to rebuild the infrastructure will take time

[Anonymous]

I do think literally every single county makes this argument re: tourism so I am not sure why folks are all "listen to hawaii!" and not the other countries out there. I have seen enough "go home tourist" graffiti coupled with the lack of basic necessities (food, health care, plumbing, electricity) in Caribbean nations to know that this is not a unique thought to Hawaii.

I am not saying we shouldn't listen to Hawaiian voices, but I think it says something that social media seems to only be amplifying one place and ignoring the countless other places that have a double edge sword relationship with tourism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I personally would not visit Maui (or anywhere in Hawaii) next year. The islands have limited resources, food, etc. The individuals and economy will still be feeling the devastation of the wildfires.

I don’t see any reason not to visit the other islands.

Residents were begging people to stop visiting Hawaii prior to the wildfires. Maybe listen to the people on the ground rather than your selfish desires.

But wouldn't you have to be in Hawaii to listen to the people "on the ground"? You're acting like this is an obvious thing everyone should know.

NP here - it's been widely reported in the news, before covid but especially during covid becauseof limited medical facilities. Covid aside, tourism has badly hurt the flora and fauna that tourists come to see, and it doesn't result in great jobs - mostly cleaning hotel rooms and the like. Yet it's expensive to live there, for complicated real estate reasons and because so much (food, fuel) has to be imported.

I have family in Hawaii, non-natives whose parents moved there before statehood and who work in agriculture. People forget that statehood was REALLY recent, like within memory of Hawaiians still living, and was widely opposed by Native Hawaiians. The anger about colonization is very intertwined with the paternalism of saying their economy needs our tourism. I don't have answers, and I am not the person to say visiting is wrong, but it's way more complicated than just calling it grumbling about tourists.

Well TBH if we hadn’t colonized them the Chinese would have. They got the better end of the deal.

Yep. The Hawaiians should stop complaining and instead think themselves lucky and privileged. I've been all over Asia-Pacific and had the US not taken the islands, it'd be a dirt poor third world country with luxury resorts dominated by both wealthy American and Japanese and increasingly Chinese tourists. And more to it, there would be even far less care for the environment, far more overbuilding and corruption, more societal dysfunctionalism and social abuse. And far more litter and pollution and trash.

Maybe the complaining is how we know they are real Americans.

+100000000000000000000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Next year is probably a great time to go. Most stuff will be rebuilt but tourists won't be in the same volume due to postponing trips.

No, most stuff will likely not be rebuilt by next year. An entire town with almost 2000 structures was decimated. It will take years for Lahaina to rebuild. it's an island, getting supplies and workers there to rebuild the infrastructure will take time

In addition, the big resorts around Kaanapali are going to be less convenient. The main road road from the airport to the West side of the island goes around the southern side of the West part of the island. That road goes right through the burned out part near Lahaina and likely that road is going to become the main route for all supplies for rebuilding the West side of the island. Traffic along the south side will be bad for the next few years. If you want to try to get to/from the airport, the aquarium the road to Hana and many of the other attractions on the island of Maui, traffic is likely going to have to push up to the smaller northern route which takes twice as long to get back to the airport in the center of the island. Unless you plan to stay only in the resort (which some will do), the West side is not going to be as attractive a destination as it was for several years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Next year is probably a great time to go. Most stuff will be rebuilt but tourists won't be in the same volume due to postponing trips.

+1

Support the tourist industry they rely so heavily on.

The iconic banyan tree will resprout.

You will be amazed at how devastating fires can be and view wildfires and fires totally different going forward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Next year is probably a great time to go. Most stuff will be rebuilt but tourists won't be in the same volume due to postponing trips.

No, most stuff will likely not be rebuilt by next year. An entire town with almost 2000 structures was decimated. It will take years for Lahaina to rebuild. it's an island, getting supplies and workers there to rebuild the infrastructure will take time

Carribean islands frequently hit by hurricane and nearly oblitered bounce back quickly so there's no reason why HI won't rebuild quickly, especially Lahaina, and HI has the advantage of US funding (unlike the carribean Islands who don't but still manage to re-open).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do think literally every single county makes this argument re: tourism so I am not sure why folks are all "listen to hawaii!" and not the other countries out there. I have seen enough "go home tourist" graffiti coupled with the lack of basic necessities (food, health care, plumbing, electricity) in Caribbean nations to know that this is not a unique thought to Hawaii.

I am not saying we shouldn't listen to Hawaiian voices, but I think it says something that social media seems to only be amplifying one place and ignoring the countless other places that have a double edge sword relationship with tourism.

Name a tourist place that isn’t tied of them? Hawaii could elect officials that would limit the tourism but they don’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Next year is probably a great time to go. Most stuff will be rebuilt but tourists won't be in the same volume due to postponing trips.

No, most stuff will likely not be rebuilt by next year. An entire town with almost 2000 structures was decimated. It will take years for Lahaina to rebuild. it's an island, getting supplies and workers there to rebuild the infrastructure will take time

Carribean islands frequently hit by hurricane and nearly oblitered bounce back quickly so there's no reason why HI won't rebuild quickly, especially Lahaina, and HI has the advantage of US funding (unlike the carribean Islands who don't but still manage to re-open).

Exactly. Even see Florida. Massive hurricane earlier this year. Already forgotten and rebuilding firmly underway. A month from now we'll forget what happened in Hawaii and rebuilding will be fully underway in a few weeks.