Amidst the wildfires that have affected the western parts of the island this month, a U.S. senator from Hawaii is encouraging travelers to explore Maui.
Senator Brian Schatz took to social media in late August and requested that travelers not cancel trips planned to parts of Maui unaffected by fires, particularly South Maui, an area that includes the popular tourist destinations Wailea and Kihei.
The island's economy is heavily dependent on tourism dollars, and, according to the senator, trip cancellations are now forcing resorts to furlough workers, even in areas of the island that are safe to visit. The state government's advisory discouraging non-essential travel to West Maui, including the town of Lahaina, will remain in effect through Oct. 17.
Fueled by drought conditions and strong winds, the wildfires that started Aug. 8 quickly ripped through the island's western coast, effectively destroying the historic coastal town of Lahaina, once the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom. The confirmed death toll from the fires rose to 115 in the last week of Aug. and officials say nearly 400 people remain missing.
The fires are now the deadliest natural disaster in Hawaii state history and the nation's deadliest wildfires in more than a century. Local officials have blamed the fires on downed power lines operated by Hawaiian Electric, which supplies power to about 95% of residents in the state.
Maui County has joined with homeowners in suing the power company, accusing the utility of acting negligently by failing to disconnect power lines when strong winds were forecast to hit the island.
While it is understandable that Schatz and other public officials want to boost tourism on Maui following the devastation – the state's economy is inextricably linked to the tourism industry – some island residents have expressed the opposite desire.
A recent article with financial news wire Bloomberg highlighted the juxtaposition between the attitudes of locals, who are mourning lost loved ones or homes, and tourists coming to the island on holidays.
Surf instructor Dustin Tester, who lost her company truck in the fire while seven of her employees lost their homes, spoke with the outlet about why she feels this is an inappropriate time for tourists to visit the island.
"It doesn't feel right to have people driving past a bunch of girls having fun in the water as they head to the ashes of their homes," Tester told Bloomberg.
