The Daily Scoop: Maui’s messaging tries to balance tourism with disaster recovery

Still dealing with the aftermath of the deadly wildfires in Lahaina, Maui is facing another issue: a significant dip in tourism, NPR reported.

Shortly after the wildfires occurred, tourists couldn’t visit and flights were suspended, per NPR.

However, three weeks since the fires, local businesses and state tourism officials are asking for tourists to return to the majority of the island that was untouched by the fires.

“The Maui economy relies on tourism, to stay away now will just make the problem worse,” Forest, a disc jockey on Mana’o Radio, which broadcasts from Wailuku on Maui, told people outside of Hawaii, NPR reported. “Another way you can support Maui, come here.”

In 2022, tourists spent over $5.5 billion on Maui. The island usually sees around 3 million visitors annually. Now that numbers around 2,000 visitors currently and the Hawaii Tourism Authority noted that West Maui is losing over a million dollars a day. However, scores of tourists still aren’t sure they should come — or that they want to confront the tragedy.

Why it matters

The comms behind this is delicate because after understandably putting a pause on tourism during rescue and recovery efforts, the island felt the financial pressures almost immediately.

“Initially saying that all of Maui was closed … I don’t know if that was the right message,” Sne Patel, who leads the Lahaina Town Action Committee told NPR. “It’s hard to bring those individuals back.”

A new comms strategy must be made balancing Maui’s need for tourism while being respectful toward impacted residents and business owners who lost so much.

Patel told NPR that despite the damage, a lot of his neighborhood is untouched.

“I think the messaging can shift in some capacity to come and visit responsibly,” Patel told NPR. “Don’t stop where the impact site is, go directly to your resort, stay around the beaches that are right at your resort.”

A comms misstep could financially make or break this island state at this fragile moment. Hopefully, their actions pay off in a multitude of ways and help recovery efforts in the long run. Positioning is vital to a brand or place. Ensuring Hawaii positions itself properly will connect tourists to a greater purpose beyond simply traveling for fun and help them see the bigger picture that their presence is benefiting Maui’s comeback.

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Sherri Kolade is a writer at Ragan Communications. When she is not with her family, she enjoys watching Alfred Hitchcock-style films, reading and building an authentically curated life that includes more than occasionally finding something deliciously fried. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR story idea? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com.