Maui Business

The Maui Hotel & Lodging Association celebrated its 45th year of giving back to the community with the annual Visitor Industry Charity Walk on Saturday. Nearly 1,600 walkers attended the in-person event at the War Memorial Complex. Walkers finished 2.5 miles of exercise and received complimentary breakfast, treats, giveaway prizes, and local entertainment, including a performance by Tihati Productions. An impressive total of $1,235,482 was raised so far from Maui County. 

Hawai‘i interisland freight company Young Brothers blessed its new $1.5 million ShoreTension mooring system on Monday at the Port of Kaumalapau on Lāna‘i. The system keeps the barge steady against the dock during poor weather conditions.

Internet reliability and worldwide connectivity are expected to be enhanced with a $1 billion project to create a new fiber-optic undersea cable network, according to an announcement from Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, leader of Connect Kākou, Hawaiʻi’s high-speed internet initiative, and Benji Robinson, director of Asia Pacific Network Planning and Acquisition for Google.

The Kaiser Permanente Lahaina Clinic sign was all that was left standing after the Aug. 8 wildfire swept through historic Lahaina town and leveled the Waineʻe Street clinic where doctors and nurses cared for patients’ colds and flu, broken bones and expectant moms since opening its doors in 1969. And, so a 7.5-foot woven lei was a fitting way to connect the past, present and future at Kaiser’s official Hoʻōla (meaning to rejuvenate, to give life and energy, to heal) event Tuesday at the clinic’s new 5,200-square-foot location at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort in Kāʻanapali.

Hawaiian Electric has developed an online tool designed to facilitate the installation of electric vehicle charging stations by showing available capacity on the electric grid at the circuit level.

The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority has launched new targeted campaigns as part of its global marketing and visitor education efforts. The purpose of these initiatives is to reinvigorate responsible travel demand from key markets around the world to the Hawaiian Islands.

CLEAR, a secure identity company, launched its signature biometric ID verification technology at Maui’s Kahului Airport on Tuesday. The kiosks are designed to streamline the airport’s security screening experience. CLEAR’s launch at OGG is expected to create 33 jobs and generate approximately $2.1 million annually in local economic impact, according to a company announcement.

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.

The proprietors of 808 Deli have embarked on a sweet new chapter with the launch of 808 Sugar HI, offering an array of handcrafted treats like custom cookie and gelato sandwiches, sundaes, handmade milkshakes and more.

Gov. Josh Green, M.D., approved the use of $33 million in state funds for the state match plan for the Broadband Equity Access and Development grant program. Eight programs will be funded with this grant which will have a statewide impact on ensuring Hawai‘i’s goal toward universal broadband access. 

The Maui Chamber of Commerce invites product vendors and food truck operators to submit applications for participation in the 2024 Hawaiian Airlines Made in Maui County Festival. Scheduled for Nov. 1-2, 2024, the 11th edition of this annual celebration will take place at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.

With National Small Business Week (April 29-May 3) coming up, a number of workshops and programs are available to small businesses of Maui to build skills and connections. Co-presented by Maui Economic Development Board, workshops include helping sub-contractors to work with government; teaching how to use Quickbooks for business; building a capability statement; and exploring the work of the Maui Food Innovation Center.

The Construction Industry of Maui today announced that it donated $26,000 to Maui High School this past week to benefits its high school construction vocational programs. The funds raised at CIM’s first annual golf tournament last September, a total of $50,500, includes the $26,000 disbursement to Maui High School. The second annual golf tournament is scheduled for Sept. 28 at The Dunes Maui Lani Golf Course.

In 2023, Matson contributed $6 million in cash, services and equipment support to organizations in Hawaiʻi, Guam/Micronesia and the South Pacific, with the largest concentration of giving in Maui disaster relief and community support at $1.7 million.

Gas prices statewide continue to increase slowly, according to the AAA Hawaiʻi Weekend Gas Watch. The statewide average price for regular unleaded is $4.81, three cents higher than last week. The national average gas price is $3.66, one cent lower than last week. 

The vacation rental unit supply on Maui continued to be impacted by the Aug. 8, 2023 wildfires. The information and data was part of the state Department of Business Economic Development and Tourism’s March 2024 Hawai‘i Vacation Rental Performance Report released today.

Pacific Media Group hosts a Job Fair on Saturday, April 27 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Queen Kaʻahumanu Center in Kahului. There will be 45 businesses looking to hire and raffle prizes for those applying.

Several Maui-based small businesses will participate in Mana Up’s inaugural Aloha Market from April 26-28 in SoHo, Manhattan, New York. The city will host the multi-day Hawai‘i-themed immersive shopping and cultural event, featuring 40 companies.

Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort, situated on Maui’s southwestern coastline along Mōkapu Beach, announced the completion of its enhanced room product. Marking the resort’s 10th anniversary, the refresh establishes a new decade for the property and includes a redesign of key components within the resort’s 320 guest rooms, including 35 suites.  

Lahaina will be the second Branch of Tomorrow on Maui. The first is Kīhei, which opened in 2017. Bank of Hawai‘i has served the people of Lahaina for nearly a century—beginning with its first branch in the area on Front Street in 1930. In addition to the new branch, Bank of Hawai‘i Foundation donated $100,000 to Hawai‘i Community Lending for the Lahaina Homeowner Recovery Program.