West Maui Reopens to Tourists Amid Fears of Displacement – The Hollywood Reporter

The devastation of the fire that ripped through West Maui on Aug. 8 is hard to comprehend. It killed at least 97 people and damaged or destroyed 2,200 structures, and the estimated cost to rebuild is $5.5 billion. In the first few days after the fires, stars including Jason Momoa and Mia Tyler implored tourists to stay away. In the weeks since, many have, even as most of Maui’s hotels remained open. According to The New York Times, on Oct. 9 — the day after West Maui began a staged reopening — there were more than 4,500 arrivals in Maui, down 27 percent from the same day in 2019. On Nov. 1, with the reopening of the West Maui section that stretches from Kahana to Ka’anapali, only the devastated town of Lahaina remains closed. “We’re excited to welcome back visitors as they not only aid in the recovery of our local economy but also reinforce the spirit of aloha within our community,” says Ka’anapali Beach Resort Association executive director Shelley Kekuna. The reopening, however, has proved controversial, with more than 10,000 residents signing a petition to delay it amid concerns that some people who lost their homes in the fire
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