TravelPulse Podcast: West Maui Reopens and the Latest on Hawaii Tourism

After one of the most devastating wildfires in US history ripped through West Maui in early August, the island is preparing to fully reopen to tourists starting November 1.

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Less than three months after a deadly wildfire destroyed the town of Lahaina, all hotels in West Maui are now back open to the public.

Maui’s western region will be fully reopened to tourism on Wednesday. Yet the recovery of the island as a whole remains uncertain two months after a wildfire devastated Lahaina and left nearly 100 people dead.

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Southwest Airlines executives want investors to be clear about big thing: U.S. travel demand is “healthy.” Southwest leaders repeated the word several times during the third-quarter earnings call Thursday.

All of West Maui will officially welcome visitors again starting Nov. 1 following the devastating wildfires that swept the island destination in August. It marks the first time since the fires began that all of the western side of the island — save the burned-out section of Lāhainā — will be open for tourism. 

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The mayor of Maui announced the phased reopening of West Maui accommodations would continue on November 1 with the reopening of West Maui north of Lahaina, from Kahana to Kaanapali.

Maui’s western region will be fully reopened to the public on November 1, Maui Mayor Richard Bissen announced on Monday. The reopened will area span Kahana to Ka’anapali. Only burned-out sections of the historic Lahaina will remained closed.

The planned reopening of West Maui was supposed to occur in three phases over an extended period of time.

Editor note: This article is regularly updated as new information becomes available and is accurate as of 10:30 a.m. EDT on Oct. 19. For the most up-to-date information, contact the U.S. Department of State or similar official websites.