State of Hawaii Department of the Attorney General

• The state has asked all visitors to leave Maui and those planning to travel there to reschedule their trips – a harsh blow to a destination whose economy relies heavily on tourism.
• University of South Carolina research professor Rich Harrill, an expert on hospitality and tourism, explains how such events affect places like Maui in the short and long terms.

How tourism-dependent is Hawaii compared to other popular destinations?

• Compared to other destinations, Hawaii is very reliant on tourism – it comprises about 25% of the state’s economy.
• According to the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, visitor spending was projected to be US$20.8 billion in 2023 and $23.4 billion in 2026.

What are the main steps that tourist-related businesses on Maui will have to take in the coming days and weeks?

• In the short term, the top priorities are helping visitors get flights home, handling cancellations and assessing damage to facilities and property.
• Then, in the weeks that follow, businesses will clean up and make repairs.

Maui is asking visitors to leave and to delay planned trips – will a lot of tourism-related jobs be lost?

Individual businesses and corporations may offer some types of worker protection. But historically, many jobs in the tourist sector get cut in the short term when a crisis shuts down business. Then, as conditions improve, companies gradually hire employees back.

How do local governments decide when to start inviting visitors back?

• They often have names like tourist boards, or convention and visitors bureaus, and they help promote and market local attractions.
• Working with their local destination marketing organization, local governments should make decisions carefully about inviting visitors back.
• First and foremost, they need to consider the health, safety and welfare of everyone who’s involved – residents, visitors and hospitality providers.

In your experience, does interest in top destinations like Hawaii usually bounce back to pre-disaster levels?

• Unlike other forms of economic development, travel and tourism have shown resilience through many different types of crises.
• Even destinations that have been massively damaged can regain their markets, although rebuilding may be a multi-year process.

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