Thousands of Maui residents have filed for unemployment after wildfires devastated part of the island and tourism plummeted, leading many local business owners to urge visitors to come back.
Wildfires have devastated parts of Maui. One way tourists can help is by not visiting.
11.08.2023 - 19:13 / insider.com / Can Help
This week, the island of Maui in Hawaii was devastated by wildfires.
These fires, which were caused by drought and strong winds, have killed at least 55 people and displaced thousands of locals and visitors, The Washington Post reported.
As outlets like Honolulu Civil Beat reported, people can support the emergency efforts through donations to organizations like the Hawaii Community Foundation's Maui Strong fund, Maui Food Bank, and Maui United Way. Additionally, groups like the Maui Food Bank are searching for both food donations as well as disaster response volunteers.
And if you have a trip planned, another way you can support is by simply staying home.
The fires have heavily impacted areas like Lahaina, a popular Maui tourist town.
On Thursday, the Hawaii Tourism Authority urged people to cancel or reschedule any planned trips to the island for the coming weeks.
"Visitors who are on non-essential travel are being asked to leave Maui, and non-essential travel to Maui is strongly discouraged at this time," the authority's statement reads.
According to Forbes, this will give emergency crews more resources and space to work efficiently and effectively.
People with travel plans to Maui in the coming week are also encouraged to check with airlines, hotels, and travel operators for updates.
Other travel groups have made similar announcements. Airlines and hotels announced that they are waiving cancellation fees. Hilton, for example, announced it's waiving these fees through August 15, The Washington Post reported. Airbnb also announced that hosts and guests in Maui can cancel penalty-free.
Denise Ambrusko-Maida, the owner of the travel agency Travel Brilliant, told The Washington Post that she has no plans to send clients to any of Hawaii's islands in the near future. Her fear is that tourists will use needed resources for emergency operations and displaced residents.
"We don't want to overstress their system, especially Oahu," she told The Post.
Meanwhile, airline, hotel, and ground transportation organizations have helped tens of thousands of visitors and locals relocate to safer parts of the state, the Hawaii Tourism Authority reported.
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