The Mayor announced that West Maui will be welcoming tourists again starting November 1.
The mayor of Maui County announced on Monday that West Maui, with the exception of the damaged areas in historic Lahaina, will be open to tourists starting November 1st. This comes after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in over 100 years.
The decision was made by Mayor Richard Bissen following discussions with his advisory team in Lahaina, as well as the Red Cross and other collaborators.
West Maui has about 11,000 hotel rooms, or about half of Maui’s total. Travelers evacuated those hotels after the Aug. 8 fire raged through Lahaina town, killing at least 99 people and destroying more than 2,000 buildings.
In October, Governor Josh Green of Hawaii announced that tourism in West Maui would resume to support job growth and economic recovery. Bissen made changes to the governor’s plan, implementing a phased approach where only a small part of West Maui will initially open, with the rest to follow at a later time.
The community has engaged in a heated discussion regarding when to allow travelers to return to the region affected by the disaster. Certain residents created a petition objecting to the influx of tourists, citing the community’s lack of preparedness.
On October 3, 2023, residents of Lahaina, along with their supporters, gathered at the Hawaii State Capitol in Honolulu to hold signs and flags. They were attending a news conference to discuss a petition urging Governor Josh Green to postpone the reopening of a section of West Maui to tourists.
On Monday, Bissen stated that employees are prepared to resume their work, but also acknowledged that it may not be suitable for everyone.
Individuals who are not ready to return to work on November 1st should communicate with their employers and “persist in seeking the necessary assistance and support,” stated Bissen during a press conference in Lahaina, which was broadcasted live online.
The mayor stated that numerous residents are worried about the lack of child care services. He also mentioned that the county’s collaborators are addressing this concern.
The mayor assured that individuals who lost their homes in the fire and are currently residing in West Maui hotels and other temporary accommodations will not be forced to leave.
Bissen stated that the Red Cross has reassured them that their housing is not at risk.
The mayor stated that the timetable for reopening was optional and noted that certain establishments have already resumed operations independently.
Source: voanews.com
