Maui Business

“The July 2026 visitor counts represent an 83.4% recovery when compared to pre-wildfire July 2023 with 297,082 visitors,” said DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka. “For the first seven months of 2026, there were 1,618,051 visitors on Maui, a 7.7% growth compared to year-to-date 2025, but 9.8% lower than the same period before the wildfires.”

The Maui Coffee Association has named James “Kimo” Falconer, president of MauiGrown Coffee Distributors, LLC, its 2026 Farmer of the Year, recognizing more than three decades of contributions to Maui and Hawaiʻi’s coffee industry. The award was presented Aug. 1 during the association’s Seed to Cup 2026 event at Maui Tropical Plantation in Waikapū.

Beginning today, Tuesday, Aug. 25, Mokulele Airlines will eliminate the added fees for children traveling alone between the Hawaiian Islands. Effective immediately, families will pay only the airfare (plus tax), with no $35 unaccompanied minor booking fee.

Pacific Permanente Group welcomes Kimya Nguyen, DO, to its gastroenterology team, expanding access to specialized digestive health care for patients across Maui.

Servco Pacific Inc. has named Robbiel Lyndon Fronda of the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College a 2026 recipient of its Servco Technical Education Program (STEP) scholarship.

Maui Countyʻs non seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in July 2026 was 2.8%, down from the 3.2% rate reported a month earlier, and up from the 2.4% rate reported at the same time last year. Island specific unemployment rates were 2.8% on Maui, 4.0% on Molokaʻi and 3.0% on Lānaʻi.

Chanel Josiah, chief operating officer of Hawai‘i Community Lending, was honored by Pacific Business News as part of the “40 Under 40” Class of 2026. Josiah and 39 other honorees were celebrated at a gala event on Thursday, Aug. 13, at the Alohilani Waikīkī Beach Resort.

Hilton announced the appointment of Jon Gersonde as managing director of Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort.

Two Fiscal Year 2027 grant-funding opportunities — a new Financial Literacy Program focused on strengthening County grantees, small businesses and community members, as well as a second round of Student and Youth Travel funding for Hāna, Lānaʻi and Molokaʻi – are available, the County of Maui Office of Economic Development (OED) announced.

A small group of small business owners and leaders of non-profits gathered on Aug. 14 to grow their business with AI. The half-day workshop was hosted by Maui Economic Development Board and presented by Marc Rix, an international adviser, speaker, consultant and trainer.

The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism will again serve as the official government sponsor of the Made in Hawaiʻi Festival, now in its 32nd year, running Aug. 20-23 at the Hawaiʻi Convention Center in Honolulu, according to an announcement.

Due to Tropical Storm Lala, Bank of Hawai‘i will temporarily close all branch operations on Hawai‘i Island and Maui County tomorrow, Saturday, Aug. 15. Bank of Hawai‘i will continue to assess the status of its branch network, and will update the public on branch closures and reopenings as the storm continues on its path.

Mokulele Airlines added three new Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft to its inter-island fleet Thursday. Airline staff hosted blessing ceremonies on Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi, and in Honolulu to launch the expansion.

Lāna‘i Air, operated by Western Aircraft, Inc., launched a new route connecting Moloka‘i and O‘ahu. The expanded service between Moloka‘i Airport (MKK) in Ho‘olehua and Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu includes four daily flights serviced by a Cessna SkyCourier, a twin engine turboprop airplane with a spacious cabin that seats 19 passengers.

With HCL’s current momentum and readiness, Gilbreath expects that within 10 years, HCL will be a $200-million loan fund serving 250 families with affordable mortgage financing each year. This will offset the outmigration of Hawai‘i-born local residents who are leaving the state because they can’t afford to stay here, according to the announcement.

“Although the Index is a national snapshot not broken down by state, I think it, along with the recently released state rankings from US News & World Report and from CNBC, give all the candidates who emerged from the Hawaiʻi Primary Election something to seriously consider when forming their small business policy points,” said Michael Iosua, state director for NFIB in Hawaiʻi.

Melissa Dyckman Interiors has launched Lahaina Rebuild Design Guidance, a one-on-one advisory service created to support Lahaina homeowners rebuilding after the 2023 wildfires. The service helps clients make smarter decisions during planning and construction, before costly changes, delays and long-term design regrets happen.

Hawaiian Electric today announced the Public Utilities Commission has approved the company’s Integrated Grid Planning Request for Proposals, which seeks competitively priced renewable energy and storage for Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island to meet customers’ growing energy needs, modernize power generation and drive down costs by reducing the use of oil.

Since MHLA started hosting the Charity Walk in 1980, more than $23 million has been raised for Maui County, with Maui raising the most dollars per capita for 17 consecutive years.

Southwest Airlines celebrated the launch of new nonstop service between Las Vegas and Hilo on Thursday, creating the first regularly-scheduled nonstop link between East Hawaiʻi and the “Ninth Island” with fast connections to nearly 80 places served nonstop by Southwest from Las Vegas on nearly 280 departures a day.