August 10, 2023
A deadly wildfire, fueled by dry conditions and high (and dry) winds from passing Hurricane Dora, has devastated parts of western Maui, notably the historic oceanfront town of Lahaina. The popular tourist spot has been left in ruins, with the majority of the town reduced to charred rubble. News outlets are calling the scene apocalyptic. Virtually the entire town’s businesses and homes have been razed, and there are an unknown number of fatalities. Pets, vehicles and personal effects are gone. The town’s population of 13,000 residents will need places to stay for the foreseeable future. The event has wiped out most of Lahaina’s jobs, and salaries, as well. It will take years to rebuild some semblance of what was lost in a matter of hours. Overall, it is a Katrina-level event, however, New Orleans didn’t burn to the ground. The entire situation is heartbreaking.
What the deadly tragedy means for future tourists to Hawaii, and the island of Kauai in particular, is insignificant compared to what has been lost by Maui residents. However, there are already concerns the situation on Maui will significantly impact Kauai with a crush of tourists who are rebooking their Maui vacations for a Kauai vacation, with Kauai being the island most similar to Maui. These concerns have been expressed by more than a few Kauai residents in several online forums related to Kauai travel.
The number of people needing to rebook their Maui vacations is not small. Overall, Maui receives more than twice as many visitors than Kauai. While some will cancel their vacations altogether, others, such as honeymooners for example, are likely to search for alternate destinations, including Kauai. And that is already happening according to posts in online forums that discuss travel to Hawaii and Kauai. Flights to Kauai, which have jumped hundreds of dollars in the past two days, is another indication of increased demand for Kauai.
Kauai had its own natural disaster in April 2018 when torrential rains caused widespread damage to the island, resulting in the North Shore past Hanalei being closed to tourists for more than a year. The 2018 event exposed the island’s fragile relationship between tourism, the island community and Kauai’s natural attributes. It led to a re-examination of tourism on the island and has resulted in new restrictions at popular tourist attractions. And, it has created a core belief among many residents that the island is already at its limits.
Fortunately, in this concern, there are only so many seats on flights and so many accommodations on Kauai, which creates a natural limit. These limits are often met during peak travel periods, including in the summer months, spring break and the Christmas holidays. Now, however, it’s likely Kauai will be operating at near peak capacity going into the fall months. For tourists, that means increased competition (and increased prices) for flights, rental cars and accommodations. For local residents, that means more traffic and more overall pressure on island resources, though it will be a boon for tourism-related businesses. If you are planning a Kauai vacation in the near future, our recommendation is to plan ahead (if possible) and do your due-diligence in putting together the best Kauai vacation for you and your party.
Donations for Maui Residents
If you would like to make a donation for Maui residents affected by wildfires, the County of Maui has recommended the following two organizations:
The Hawaii Community Foundation has started a Maui Strong Fund to support residents affected by the wildfires. Donations can be made at www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strong.
Maui United Way is accepting donations to its Maui Fire and Disaster Relief fund at https://mauiunitedway.org/disasterrelief.
