As tourism drops officials worry about rest of Maui

HONOLULU (KHON2) — As recovery continues for West Maui, there are growing concerns about the economy for the rest of the island.

Officials said tourism is down 20% compared to last year.

Hotel occupancy is down to 57% while the rest of the state is about 80%.

While helping survivors is still the top priority, tourism officials said there’s the danger of not having enough jobs for Maui residents.

“The balance has to be struck that we cannot shut down the rest of Maui. Maui is the most dependent county on tourism and without tourism, they are in a world of hurt because there are no short term economic alternatives,” said Mufi Hannemann, president of the Hawaii Lodging and Tourism Association.

Hannemann said part of the problem is the mixed messages that are out on social media. He says the state will continue to let people know that the rest of Maui remains open to visitors.