Tourism plan focuses on quality, not quantity Critics say residents’ needs take a backseat to visitor industry
Before the COVID-19 pandemic slowed travel worldwide, Maui County in 2019 accommodated a historic high of 3.06 million visitors.
Maui residents — and even visitors — had mounting concerns about overcrowding, and many felt the pandemic offered a chance to reset the tourism industry.
But how many visitors are the right amount for Maui County’s residents and resources?
A recently released plan says that it’s not possible to control the number of visitors, focusing instead on how to manage tourism before and after the visitors arrive. The Maui Nui Destination Management Action Plan, facilitated by the Hawaii Tourism Authority, was formed in the months since visitors began returning under the state’s pre-travel testing program as a way to help each county reshape its own tourism future.
