#Maui Visitors

Maui County’s economic recovery gained momentum in 2025 with visitor arrivals and spending outpacing statewide averages, according to preliminary statistics released by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism. 

Twenty-five months after the Aug. 8, 2023 wildfires, there were 184,201 visitors to Maui in September 2025 compared to 165,322 visitors (+11.4%) in September 2024. Visitor spending was $436.4 million in September 2025 compared to $364.1 million (+19.9%) in September 2024.

There were 206,049 visitors to Maui in March 2024, down significantly compared to 276,485 visitors (-25.5%) in March 2023 and 271,934 visitors (-24.2%) in March 2019, according to preliminary data from the state Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism.

There were 181,301 visitors on Maui in February 2024, and visitor spending was $443.1 million, according to new data released by the state Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism. That’s down from the 220,741 visitors in February 2023 when visitor spending was $540.1 million; and also down from February 2019, when there were 221,603 visitors and visitor spending was $413.2 million.

Maui visitor arrivals were up in December to the highest levels in the nearly five months since the August Lahaina wildfire disaster, according to preliminary statistics from the Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

The Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, the state agency responsible for representing the Hawaiian Islands brand globally, has reentered Europe.

Mayor Richard Bissen and members of his Lahaina Advisory Team have shaped a phased approach to the reopening of West Maui to visitors following an announcement by Gov. Josh Green that West Maui will reopen on Oct. 8, 2023.

While West Maui and fire-affected parts of Kula remain no place for visitors — with teams still searching for remains from the Lahaina fire and the recovery in the early stages — the rest of the island was unharmed by the fires but now is reeling from the abrupt loss of tourists that is causing people to lose their jobs and businesses to struggle.

Tourist Sarah Adams said she could not “morally or ethically” stay on Maui any longer knowing that she would be using resources that were needed by residents.

For June, visitors were nearly double the resident population and more than five times the Maui Island Plan target.

Maui visitors in January more than doubled year over year, and U.S. Mainland travel to Hawaiʻi continues to rival or top pre-pandemic monthly numbers, according to recent reports released by the state. 

In November 2021, 202,246 visitors to Maui spent $352 million, which was 6.8% less than the $378 million spent by the 232,330 tourists in pre-pandemic November 2019.

Maui County hotels led the state in November 2021 with average daily rate of $531, revenue per available room at $347 and occupancy at 65%, according to the latest Hawaiʻi Hotel Performance Report published by the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

A total of 722,393 visitors arrived by air service to the Hawaiian Islands in August 2021, down 22% from the arrivals in August 2019. The loss of visitors primarily is from Japan (down 98.1% vs. August 2019), Canada (down 78.5% vs. August 2019) and other international markets (down 82.1% vs. August 2019).

Although unit demand for vacation rentals in Maui County was 26% less in August 2021 than August 2019, occupancy rates were nearly the same at around 75% due to the decrease in supply, according to a Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority report.

Maui County hotels revenue per available room, known as RevPAR, was $439 for August 2021, a 43.6% increase from pre-pandemic August 2019, according to the latest Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority’s Hawaiʻi hotel Performance Report.

Whatʻs on the minds of Maui residents and visitors? Maui Nowʻs letters to the editors this week discuss too many tourists, bad visitor experiences regarding COVID-19 protocal, need for US to help with global vaccination effort and congratulations to a teacher for teaching the “Spreading Happiness” program to his students.

Visitors traveling to Maui now will find a destination on the rebound, with most tourist-related businesses open in some capacity — and with new safety protocols in place, including an island-wide mask mandate. Most activities are available, but there is less entertainment.

Hawaiʻi continues to feel significant economic impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with 183,779 visitors in November, down 77.3 percent from a year ago, according to preliminary statistics released by the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

Hawaii Tourism Authority report: Hawaiʻi’s visitor industry, including tourism in Maui, continues to be severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In October 2020, Hawaiʻi visitor arrivals decreased 90.4 percent compared to 2019.