Visitor Industry Charity Walk Raises $2M Statewide; Maui Nui Generates $1.2M

The Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association’s annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk generated more than $2 million in the association’s first-ever, virtual Charity Walk.

Maui Nui’s individual fundraising efforts resulted in a total of $1,203,000 being raised. These funds will be distributed to more than 200 nonprofits around the state with all funds raised in Maui County being distributed specifically to Maui County nonprofits.

“I was deeply gratified by the manner in which the local visitor industry and its supporters came out to participate in and support Charity Walk,” said Mufi Hannemann, president and CEO of the Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association. “Looking at the fundraising amounts of previous years, I would have expected us to raise $500,000 or $1 million; to have raised more than $2 million is just outstanding.”

The Visitor Industry Charity Walk is a longstanding charity event first organized in 1974. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual walk was cancelled in 2020 and relegated to a virtual format in 2021. Despite this limitation, engagement and participation were at all-time highs, ultimately resulting in near-record fundraising totals.

“Maui Nui continued its amazing fundraising efforts in 2021,” said VICW Maui Chapter Chair Chris Rabang. “This is testament to the widespread support that this event has cultivated over the years, and we are beyond grateful to be able to help so many community nonprofits.”

Hannemann further praised Maui, noting that, “Maui has enjoyed tremendous success over the years, and much of this is due to the outstanding work of nonprofit partners such as Hale Makua. The organization—which provides residential kupuna care—raised more than $236,000 for this year’s walk which will end up benefiting their organization and its stakeholders.”