{"id":2061521,"date":"2023-10-10T02:47:04","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T06:47:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tourism-resumes-in-west-maui-near-lahaina-as-hotels-and-timeshare-properties-welcome-visitors\/"},"modified":"2023-10-10T02:51:32","modified_gmt":"2023-10-10T06:51:32","slug":"tourism-resumes-in-west-maui-near-lahaina-as-hotels-and-timeshare-properties-welcome-visitors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tourism-resumes-in-west-maui-near-lahaina-as-hotels-and-timeshare-properties-welcome-visitors\/","title":{"rendered":"Tourism resumes in West Maui near Lahaina as hotels and timeshare properties welcome visitors."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftourism-resumes-in-west-maui-near-lahaina-as-hotels-and-timeshare-properties-welcome-visitors%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2061521&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Welcome Back to West Maui: \u2062Rebuilding and Resilience<\/h2>\n<p>HONOLULU\u2014The area around the Maui town largely destroyed by wildfire two months ago was scheduled to\u2064 welcome back travelers on Sunday as the mayor and Hawaii\u2019s governor pushed ahead to restart tourism to boost the economy \u2064despite opposition \u200cfrom some\u2064 Lahaina\u2064 residents.<\/p>\n<p>Five hotels in West Maui were accepting reservations again, according to their websites\u2062 and the Maui Hotel and Lodging Association. In addition, eight timeshare properties\u2014in which visitors have an ownership stake in their room\u2014were opening across the region early this month, including some a few miles from the devastation.<\/p>\n<p>The reopening fell on the two-month anniversary of the\u2063 wildfire that killed at least 98 people and \u200ddestroyed more than 2,000 structures, many of them\u200c homes and apartments.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h2>Related Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/first-of-thousands-of-lahaina-residents-return-to-homes-destroyed-by-deadly-wildfire-5498643?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">First of Thousands\u200d of Lahaina Residents\u200c Return to Homes Destroyed by Deadly Wildfire<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>9\/26\/2023<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/sports\/the-maui-invitational-is-relocating-to-honolulu-in-the-wake-of-the-wildfires-that-devastated-lahaina-5492620?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">The Maui Invitational Is Relocating to Honolulu in the Wake of the Wildfires That Devastated \u2063Lahaina<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>9\/16\/2023<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Many \u2063local residents have objected to resuming\u2064 tourism in West Maui, which includes Lahaina town and a stretch of coastline to the north. Opponents said they don\u2019t want travelers asking them about their traumatic experiences while they are grieving the loss \u200cof their loved ones and processing the\u200c destruction of their homes.<\/p>\n<p>More \u200dthan 3,500 Lahaina-area residents signed\u200b a petition asking Hawaii Gov. Josh Green to delay the restart. Green said doing so would help Maui\u2019s\u2063 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/colombian-president-ivan-duque-unhappy-with-joe-bidens-outreach-to-venezuela\/\" title=\"Colombian President Ivan Duque Unhappy with Joe Biden\u2019s Outreach to Venezuela\">tourism-driven economy<\/a> get on a path to recovery.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s\u2063 not \u2064clear how\u2062 many travelers were staying at hotels \u2064and timeshares. Laura Paulson, executive director of the \u2063Maui Hotel and Lodging Association, said her organization&#8217;s surveys indicated the number will be \u201clow.\u201d She predicted \u201ca very slow ramp up to visitors coming back.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Maui County on Saturday released a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/actor-jon-voight-urges-us-to-put-aside-our-differences\/\" title=\"Actor\u00a0Jon Voight Urges US to 'Put Aside Our Differences'\">video message<\/a> from Mayor \u200bRichard Bissen acknowledging\u2063 the difficulties of the situation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know we are still grieving and it feels too soon. But the reality is there are those in our community who \u200bare ready to get back to work. Bills need to be paid, keiki have needs and our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tourism-resumes-in-west-maui-near-lahaina-as-hotels-and-timeshare-properties-welcome-visitors\/\" title=\"Tourism resumes in West Maui near Lahaina as hotels and timeshare properties welcome visitors.\">kupuna \u2064face continued medical care<\/a>,\u201d Bissen said, \u2064using the Hawaiian words for children and elders.<\/p>\n<p>Thousands of tourists staying in beachfront\u200c hotels north of the burn \u200dzone left Maui in the days after the fire. Some 11,000 hotel\u2063 rooms in West Maui have since either sat empty\u2062 or\u2062 housed displaced Lahaina residents under a program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Red Cross.<\/p>\n<p>Bissen said he was \u200dworking hard to make sure no \u200done\u200d affected by the fire has to leave their temporary housing to make room for visitors.<\/p>\n<p>The county prepared another video\u200d highlighting places visitors could go outside West Maui, including\u2063 the town of Paia on Maui&#8217;s north shore and the\u2062 scenic road to Hana on \u200dthe island&#8217;s east \u2064side.<\/p>\n<p>The video message urged visitors to show respect by staying away from the burn zone, not taking\u200d and posting \u201cinappropriate images\u201d on social media, and following signs and \u2063instructions.<\/p>\n<p>Separately, the governor\u2019s Office of\u2064 Wellness and Resilience\u200d prepared a flyer with\u2063 tips on how visitors can be\u2064 respectful, which it \u200dplanned to distribute at hotels, rental car desks and other places visitors \u200bfrequent.<\/p>\n<p>Four of the five reopening hotels were in the northernmost section of\u2064 West Maui, including the Ritz-Carlton at Kapalua. This area is 7 to 10 miles (11 to 16 kilometers) and\u200d a 15- \u200dto 20-minute drive north of \u2063the part of Lahaina that burned.<\/p>\n<p>Green had indicated fewer hotels \u2062would open. He told the Hawaii News Now interview program &#8220;Spotlight Now&#8221; last week that \u201cI believe only one or maybe two hotels will be fully opened on that date, on the 8th.&#8221; Green&#8217;s office said the numbers have fluctuated over\u200b time.<\/p>\n<p>The Mauian is among the hotels\u2064 welcoming travelers again. It posted a note on \u200cits website saying the\u2062 return of visitors\u2064 would help stabilize the economy\u200c and provide jobs and support \u201cfor those who lost so much in\u200b this disaster.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHowever, we humbly ask that if you visit West Maui in coming months, please do\u200d so with sensitivity and respect for\u2064 those who \u200bhave suffered \u200bgreat losses,\u201d the note \u2063said. \u201cYour \u2063kindness, understanding and aloha will be appreciated during this time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Paulson, from the lodging association, said timeshares sometimes rent to non-owner travelers \u2063but were not \u2063doing \u200cso now in \u2062West Maui to \u200bbe respectful, she \u200bsaid.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\"><em>By Audrey McAvoy<\/em><\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How can travelers contribute to the healing and rebuilding process in West Maui while respecting the needs and \u200bfeelings of the local community<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Sure that the reopening of \u200bWest Maui is done\u2063 in a \u200dsafe and responsible manner. He emphasized\u2063 the importance of following all health and safety \u200bguidelines to protect both residents \u200dand visitors. He also acknowledged the concerns of locals who are still grieving and urged everyone to be understanding and respectful of one\u2063 another.<\/p>\n<p>The\u2062 reopening of hotels and timeshares in West Maui is a step towards rebuilding and resilience for the community. It is a sign that progress is \u2063being \u2063made in recovering from the\u2064 devastation caused\u200c by the wildfire. While it may be\u200d a slow process, it\u200b is an important one for the \u200deconomy of Maui and for the\u2063 livelihoods of \u200bmany residents who\u200c rely \u200bon tourism.<\/p>\n<p>The decision to restart\u2064 tourism in West Maui was not made lightly. \u2063It took into account the\u2062 opinions and concerns of locals, as well as\u2064 the economic needs of the community. The goal is to strike a balance between rebuilding and recovery while also being sensitive to the emotional toll the wildfire has taken on residents.<\/p>\n<p>As travelers return to West Maui, it is important for them to be mindful and respectful of the local\u2064 community. They should approach their interactions with sensitivity and avoid asking residents about their traumatic\u2064 experiences. This is a time for healing and rebuilding, and visitors can contribute by supporting \u2064local businesses and respecting the needs and feelings of the community.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the reopening of\u200b West Maui hotels and timeshares is a significant step towards rebuilding \u200dand resilience\u200d for the community. \u200dIt demonstrates the determination of the residents and the local government to recover from the wildfire and move forward. With safety measures in place and understanding from \u2064both residents and visitors, West Maui\u200d can continue to rebuild and thrive once again.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>HONOLULU\u2014Despite opposition from Lahaina residents, the mayor and governor of Hawaii are determined to restart tourism in the area devastated by wildfire. Five hotels in West Maui have reopened and are accepting reservations, aiming to boost the economy by welcoming back travelers after two months of destruction.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":2061522,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2061521","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2061521","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/136"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2061521"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2061521\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2061522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2061521"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2061521"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2061521"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}