At the end of last year West Maui started to reopen as it looked to recover from the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than 100 years. The worst natural disaster in Hawaii’s history claimed more than 2,700 structures worth about $5.6 billion, according to the governor. The most important—and somber—statistic of all is that 100 lives were lost in these blazes, which began Aug. 8 and continued for four days.
This trauma and devastation has put Maui in a tough spot. On the one hand, the island and its residents need time. Time to grieve, time to heal and time to rebuild. On the other hand, it’s no secret that tourism is the Hawaiian island’s main economic driver.
Read the full article on our sister site, Hospitality Investor.