Maui beckons tourists, and their dollars, to stave off economic disaster after wildfires

By AUDREY McAVOY and JENNIFER SINCO KELLEHER
Associated Press

KAHULUI, Hawaii (AP) — So few tourists are coming to the Hawaiian island of Maui after last month’s wildfires that restaurants and tour companies are laying off workers and unemployment is surging. State tourism officials initially urged travelers to stay away, but now want them to come back as long as they refrain from going to the burn zone and surrounding area. They say respectful travelers can help Maui recover from the tragedy by spending their money. Nearly 8,000 people filed for unemployment on Maui during the last three weeks of August. That’s a huge leap from 295 people during the same period in 2022. University of Hawaii economists expect Maui’s jobless rate to climb as high as 10%.